While having a prestigious record broken in only six seasons may be disappointing for some athletes, Amber Howard takes it all in stride.

With Tera Lobdell’s 21st kill in the third game against Bowling Green Sept. 25, she passed Howard’s 1998 mark to become the all-time kill leader.

For Howard, accolades never mattered as much as the success of the team and the relationships developed on and off the court.

A self-described emotional leader on the court, Howard was an offensive force at left outside hitter for the Huskies from 1995-98. Her 431 kills in 1996 rank sixth all-time, and her 1,484 career kills broke Gina Graf’s career mark set in 1986.

“Records are made to be broken,” Howard said. “It was just a matter of time. I broke a 12-year-old record when I played. Women’s volleyball is getting more popular, so the female athletes keep starting younger and getting better.”

Under coach Pete Waite, the Huskies averaged 24 wins per year and made three NCAA tournament appearances from 1996-98. Doug Hodges served as student assistant coach and team manager during their run and observed the close bond between Howard and her teammates.

“They were a very chemistry-driven team,” Hodges said. “Everyone got along really well and had the mentality that losing was not an option. The NCAA’s is a whole other step up, and you have to compete at a higher level in every aspect.”

Tamara Stutheit was a teammate and roommate of Howard’s when they both entered NIU as freshmen in 1995, and the two quickly became good friends.

“She was very intense, to say the least,” Stutheit said. “Her style was very aggressive, and she went for the big points.

“But Amber [Howard] worked really hard to be the best, and she always had that outgoing personality and big smile that lit up the court.”

Although her competitive and tenacious mentality made an impression on the court, Hodges said Howard’s personality as a good teammate and a better friend always came through.

“She was my best friend on and off the court,” Hodges said. “She’s a wonderful person who gives her heart in everything she does, and she always looks out and cares for her friends. We’re still great friends to this day.”

After graduation, Howard remained in the DeKalb area and worked for the NIU Athletic Department as a Champs Lifestyle Coordinator for student-athletes from 2000-’04.

Howard also served as a public address announcer for Huskies home volleyball matches and saw Lobdell’s development up-close. Although they both play the same position, Howard said comparisons between the two are like night and day.

“Tera [Lobdell] is laid back and methodical on the court,” Howard said. “We have different kinds of intensity. Whenever I got on the court, I was on a mission.”

Despite their variances in style, Lobdell shares Howard’s team-first mentality.

“I would take team success over personal success for sure,” Lobdell said. “It’s not like basketball where one girl can score all the points and make the team win. Volleyball is a momentum game, and you need your teammates to succeed. I’d rather hit in negatives every game and win.”

After resigning her post in February, Howard now works as an assistant buyer for Tiro Industries in Fridley, Minn. But not a day goes by that Howard does not think back to her playing days.

“I miss it every day,” Howard said. “I do some volunteer coaching up here in Minnesota, and I’ll be joining U.S. Adult Volleyball soon. But it’s not the same as competing at that high level anymore.”