DENVER — The 2021 season served up history for the MSU Denver volleyball squad, with an undefeated conference slate and the number one ranking heading into the NCAA DII national volleyball tournament. But after a loss before the quarterfinal round, historic was still not enough.
"How we exited last year did not sit well and there's this feeling inside of them that we don't want that to be our story," head coach Jenny Glenn said. "We want something different."
Something different arrived in the package of a graduate transfer from Washburn University. Kelsey Gordon nearly tasted victory last year, playing in the DII national championship game, and ultimately falling short to the University of Tampa.
"Last year was special in its own way and I'm super fortunate to have been able to experience that, but that was last year and now it's about being able to refocus and have that experience in my pocket and then I get to experience something new here," Gordon said.
Now, the Roadrunners get to experience a new type of spirited play from the sixth-year outside hitter.
"Kelsey's a competitor. She's been a great addition to our program," Glenn said. "She's also just brought feisty competitiveness and a fiery...you see her celebrate after points and those kind of things brought a different kind of energy to the floor as well."
The decision for Gordon to join the squad was an easy one with Glenn at the helm. The 2021 RMAC Coach of the Year went unblemished through conference play twice in her career, and has the chance to do it again with only two matches left.
"Winners attract winners and you attract the people you want to be around, and that's exactly why I wanted to be here in the first place," Gordon said. "Just seeing how high of a standard she holds for not only herself but her program, that's very inspirational and something you want to be a part of."
Gordon hopes those high expectations will lead her to another national championship berth, but as that is still a whole month away, Glenn is still focusing her whole squad on the incremental wins.
"We can't hang everything on that ultimate goal, but we figure that if we train hard, we stay unified as a group, we play the game, we do the best we possibly can, we see what happens. And we can live with whatever result we have," Glenn said.