Whether in a professional sports team or a collegiate team, one thing cannot be avoided: injury. The women’s volleyball team is no stranger to injury this season but has been able to find help from other Milligan athletes, specifically the women’s basketball team.
This season, the women’s roster consisted of a total of nine players, but senior Marissa Langford and sophomores Alyssa Gibson and Caroline Little have fallen victim to injury.
This brought the total down to six, which is the exact number of players on a volleyball court during a match, meaning the only eligible substitutions for the volleyball team were injured.
When basketball players Rebecca Maxwell, Lexi Weddle and Cali Weddle heard about the lack of volleyball players, they approached the women’s basketball and volleyball coaches to discuss the situation.
“We went and talked to Coach Aubrey and Coach Bays, and two hours later we were at volleyball practice!” junior Lexi Weddle said.
Lexi Weddle and Maxwell both played volleyball in high school but had not played since they began at Milligan. This did not affect the girls from going out and helping the volleyball team.
“I was so excited that I don’t think I ever felt nervous. Playing volleyball has always been such a fun time for me, and especially not feeling like there were any expectations on us helped a lot to just play loose and have fun,” Maxwell said.
Lexi Weddle and Maxwell also emphasized that the volleyball team members have been very welcoming and encouraging, making the experience easier.
Maxwell, Lexi Weddle and Cali Weddle will remain on the team until winter, and then they will make the transition to basketball. While Little and Gibson are still out, Langford is slowly making her return to playing again.
Maxwell and Lexi Weddle agreed that this experience is helping them prepare for basketball season.
“Physically, it is getting me in shape, and mentally it’s preparing me to be competitive again. It’s making me excited for our season to start!” Lexi Weddle said.
Maxwell explained, “It is honestly still pretty surreal that we are playing volleyball right now; we’re just trying to enjoy it while it last.”