She hates being the center of attention, but if the Binghamton University Bearcats are going to succeed at this weekend’s America East volleyball championships on Long Island, Kathleen Schauer is going to have to be.

The senior outside hitter has always despised the limelight. After Sunday’s overwhelming Senior Day win against Hartford, she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her best friend Jacki Kane.

I went over to interview the pair and, as usual, Schauer relented; ‘You got this, right Jacki?’ she said, nervously grinning. She later thanked me for pinning most of this year’s post-game interview requests on her gregarious girlfriend.

Whatever reasons Schauer has for her media reluctance, it’s certainly not a lack of skill. Schauer, an outside hitter from Colorado, has tallied 292 kills this year (2.63 kpg) and leads the Bearcats in attempts with 1,014. Her 29-kill performance against Kent State on Sept. 8 is the fourth best individual performance in the America East this season.

Schauer’s hitting and blocking skills are top of the line, but she can be streaky at times. As the team’s captain, it seems that however Schauer goes, the Bearcats go.

Take, for example, the Bearcats’ four-game loss at the University of New Hampshire on Oct. 28.

Schauer had just three kills and four errors on 22 attempts (-.045 percent). Schauer’s streaky play has been more positive than negative over her decorated four-year career, with the Bearcats earning four consecutive postseason berths, including the magical 2005 season when Kat played an integral part in the Bearcats’ championship run. Schauer’s quiet leadership earned her the captaincy of this year’s team.

In the 2005 championship game, against many of the same Seawolves that the Bearcats will face tomorrow afternoon, Kat hit .333 (nine kills, one error, 24 attempts) to go along with three service aces. Of course, the success of a volleyball team depends completely on all six players on the court. Expect Bearcats head coach Glenn Kiriyama to keep a tight rotation this weekend, relying on the cogs that have gotten the team to this point.

Kane will of course play a big part in this weekend’s competition. A poor statistical performance by Kane may not be a harbinger of failure for the team, as Stony Brook has seen enough of the 6-foot-1-inch blocker over her four years to scout her and compensate for her presence.

But a back story of tomorrow’s game is the school’s all-time blocks record, as Kane currently stands six blocks behind Susan Rinde, class of 1984, for BU’s career mark.

Freshman setter Lindsey Mueller will also play a key role this weekend. Kane, Schauer, junior weak-side hitter Ash Allen and freshman Michelle McDonough all have potential for huge games, but if Mueller can get more than one of these weapons going at once, it will be difficult for the Bearcats’ opponents to get a consistent block going at the net.

A big problem for Binghamton tomorrow may be SBU’s Jackie Ahlers, who crushed the Bearcats with 30 kills in last Thursday’s playoff preview at the West Gym.

Of the top 10 kill performances in the AE this season, Ahlers has four.

In the other semifinal this weekend, New Hampshire will face Albany at 3:30 p.m tomorrow.

The championship match will take place at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Live statistics will be available through BU’s athletics Web site, bubearcats.com, starting at 1 p.m. tomorrow.