Mike Belcher admitted he was nagging his daughter. A father always knows best, right?

Thanks to a DVD made by her father, Columbus Academy senior volleyball player Molly Belcher drew interest from Lafayette College. On Nov. 11, Belcher signed to continue her career playing at the Division I school located in Easton, Pa.

"He's going to want me to say he turned me on to Lafayette," Molly Belcher said. "He kept nagging me to email all these schools. Lafayette never actually saw me play, but when I sent them a DVD of me playing, they contacted me."

Mike Belcher, who grew up in Pennsylvania, didn't want his daughter to discriminate against schools outside Ohio.

"There are a lot of schools in Pennsylvania that are jewels," he said.

Molly Belcher was a four-year player for the Academy volleyball team. She played in every match for Academy since her freshman year and finished this season a first-team all-MSL-Ohio Division and first-team Division III all-district selection for the third consecutive year.

For her career, Belcher averaged 170 kills a season, had a serving percentage of 95 and a serve receive of 86 percent. Belcher expects Lafayette to use her as a setter, where she averaged four assists per game during her career with the Vikings.

"Molly reads the ball very well," Academy coach Vicki Phillips said. "She's probably one of the best I've seen as a player. She anticipates what's going to happen off the hitter."

Setter is one of many positions Belcher played for the Vikings en route to the program's first Division IV district title in 2006. They beat top-seeded Newark Catholic 25-19, 25-20, 25-22.

"(Lafayette coach Terri Dadio Campbell) likes how I can play all the positions," Belcher said. "I'm a setter, but I've always hit so that helps with the Lafayette offense. My strongest position is setting, but I love hitting."

Lafayette was 13-12 before last Friday. The Leopards, who compete in the Patriot League, have had six consecutive seasons of double-digit wins under Campbell.

Belcher also excelled at basketball and lacrosse. She had an opportunity to pursue lacrosse in college, but opted for volleyball.

"I've played volleyball since fourth grade," she said. "It's been a part of my life for so long I didn't want to give it up."