Samantha Bellar begins her first season as a graduate assistant at Cumberland after completing her Bulldog career in 2010.
Bellar earned TranSouth Scholar-Athlete honors her final three seasons at CU. The Ridgetop, Tenn., native posted 138 kills, 10 service aces, 123 digs and 17 blocks as a senior, playing in 35 of team’s 37 matches. She notched her only career double-double in the regular season finale versus Union University with 13 kills and 10 digs. As a junior Bellar recorded 130 kills and 70 digs in 87 sets.
She played volleyball and basketball as a sophomore, registering 73 kills with 15 service aces, 82 digs and 39 blocks in volleyball. Bellar saw action in 18 basketball games as a reserve point guard, scoring a season-high eight points against Shorter College. She also earned TranSouth Scholar-Athlete accolades in basketball that season.
She redshirted in 2007 and played in less than half of the team’s sets as a freshman, collecting 73 kills and 28 digs.
Bellar was a three-time All-County selection in both volleyball and softball at Greenbrier High School, recording more than 400 kills in her GHS career. She received her bachelor’s in Early Child Growth and Learning, Pre-K, and is currently enrolled in the master’s program for Education at CU. She is also the mother of three-year-old Tristen C. Bellar-Jones, born December 2007.
PLAYING CAREER
2010 (SENIOR): Garnered TranSouth Scholar-Athlete honors … Played in 35 of team’s 37 sets, tallying 138 kills, 10 service aces, 123 digs and 17 blocks … Recorded double-digit kills twice and double-digit digs two times … Posted eight kills and three aces against Brescia Univ. … Tallied 10 kills versus Embry-Riddle … Served two aces against St. Catharine College … Collected season-best 10 digs against Bethel Univ. … Notched only career double-double in regular-season finale versus Union Univ. with 13 kills and 10 digs.
2009 (JUNIOR): Named TranSouth Scholar-Athlete … Played in 28 matches (87 sets) … Tallied 130 kills and 18 blocks … Recorded season-best 11 kills at Bethel Univ. … Finished with 10 kills versus Union Univ. … Also posted eight digs in both contests … Registered three blocks against both Lyon College and Union Univ. … Named to Dean’s List.
2008 (SOPHOMORE): Tabbed TranSouth Scholar-Athlete for both basketball and volleyball … Played 112 games in 36 matches … Tallied 12 kills and 10 digs against Pikeville College and had a match-high 19 assists versus Lyon College … Voted Most Improved Player … Also played in 18 basketball games, scoring a season-high eight points against Shorter College … Named to Dean’s List.
2007: Redshirted … Named to Dean’s List.
2006 (FRESHMAN): Played in 22 matches (57 games) … Recorded back-to-back 12-kill games against Univ. of the Cumberlands and Lambuth Univ. and finished year with 79 kills.
HIGH SCHOOL: Played basketball, softball and volleyball at Greenbrier HS … Three-time All-County selection in both softball and volleyball … Named All-District Tournament in softball twice and three times in volleyball … Also selected as MTSCA All-Star in softball … In volleyball, recorded most blocks as sophomore and most aces as both junior and senior … Recorded more than 400 kills in each of last two seasons … Selected Robertson County Scholar-Athlete … Member of Beta Club, National Honor Society and Academically Outstanding Athletes … Graduated in Top 50.
PERSONAL: Samantha Kay Bellar … Mother of Tristen C. Bellar-Jones … Daughter of Ronnie and Brenda Bellar … Born December 21, 1987 … Majoring in Early Child Growth and Learning, Pre-K.
