Megan Albidrez Inducted into Saint Francis Athletics Hall of Fame
The associate director of NC State’s Academic Support Program for Student Athletes is the first NCAA Division I Red Flash women’s volleyball player to be inducted.
On July 30, 2022, Megan C. Albidrez, associate director of NC State’s Academic Support Program for Student-Athletes, was one of seven inductees to the Saint Francis University Athletics Hall of Fame. More importantly, she is the first women’s Division I women’s volleyball player to be inducted.
Albidrez played volleyball for Saint Francis University from 1996-99, where she was the first player in program history to register 1,000 kills and one of only two players to reach the mark before rally scoring. She left Saint Francis as the program’s all-time leader in kills (1,240), hitting percentage (.243) and blocks, and ranks second in total attacks (3,080) and third in digs (999). Albidrez still ranks in the program’s Top-10 in each category. A three-time All-NEC first-team performer and 1999 NEC Player of the Year, she helped the Red Flash to a 26-8 record in league play and participated in the NEC Tournament in each of her seasons, including advancing to the title bout in 1997 and 1999. Saint Francis went 10-0 in league play in 1997 and was the only team to post a 10-0 mark in the circuit before the format was changed 12 years later.
“Being the first women’s volleyball player inducted into the St. Francis Hall of Fame is one of the greatest honors I have received thus far in my career,” Albidrez said. “I am a huge advocate for females in sports because I saw firsthand how playing volleyball molded me into who I am today. Sport helped me to become a much more confident, tenacious and gritty female. I had great teammates and great support staff at St. Francis while I was there, and thanks to them I was able to be a very successful student and athlete.”
After earning her undergraduate degree in health science in 2000, Albidrez continued her education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she earned her master’s degree in student affairs in higher education. While working towards her master’s degree, she served as a graduate assistant for the University of Pittsburgh’s Academic Support Program. After graduating in May 2002, Albidrez worked at Florida State University as an assistant academic advisor for baseball, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball. Albidrez started working at NC State in January 2003, where she now serves as associate director of NC State’s Academic Support Program for Student Athletes.
“Playing college volleyball definitely has helped me understand the demands and rigors of our student-athletes’ schedules,” Albidrez said. “I feel like I can relate to our students and understand their struggles because I went through similar struggles. I have told many of my students that I had to change my major my senior year because I wasn’t passing my Human Anatomy class and I needed it to graduate. So, I had to go and see my academic advisor on campus and figure out what my options were without adding time to graduation. That was a very pivotal point in my career as a student-athlete because, before that, I thought I had my whole life figured out. I then had to do some deep diving and investigate different careers that I was interested in pursuing which led me to Academic Advising for Student-Athletes.”
Student-athletes and NC State Athletics leaders alike are grateful for Albidrez’s dedication to the academic success of the Wolfpack — and proud of her success as well.
“Being the first Red Flash women’s volleyball player inducted into the Saint Francis University Athletics Hall of Fame is quite an honor, but one that Megan earned with her record-setting play,” said Boo Corrigan, NC State director of athletics. “She has been an invaluable member of our academic support staff for 20 years, and we are proud of her accomplishment and so glad that she is a part of the Wolfpack family.”
Watch the full induction ceremony here (Albidrez’s introduction starts at 25:06).