Chloe Burdette
Editor in Chief
On Saturday, April 3, The College of Wooster volleyball team was able to hold an intrasquad match to honor their seniors in typical pandemic fashion — with a limited number of fans and a commemorative video streamed on the videoboard. Although a sudden cancellation from Kenyon College put a wrench in their senior day plans, Head Coach Sarah Davis and her squad were able to string together an unconventional, yet memorable day for Bradlee Hartman ’21, Meghan Botsch ’21 and McKenna Gassman ’21.
The intrasquad match consisted of the full volleyball team split into equal parts and they played a total of five sets. The score was held just like a typical regular-season matchup, with “Team White” winning three matches and “Team Black” winning two.
For Botsch, she didn’t truly think a season was possible, so when it was announced that volleyball could try and schedule games, they were extremely enthusiastic. “With it being such a crazy year and season, our team really had to be flexible,” Botsch explained. “Practices and games were never guaranteed, so when we were given the opportunity to play and especially compete against other schools, everyone put in extra effort to take advantage of the time we had.” Botsch added that her senior experience was different but truly showed how dynamic and dependable her team was in such an uncertain time. “We had a really different season than what was expected, but it was really cool to see everyone step up in a variety of ways, whether it was taking on a new position or role on the team. I feel extremely lucky to have had the season we did and feel supported on and off the court by each of my teammates.”
Hartman praised her team for trying to have “normal” moments regardless of the restrictions and threat of not playing Wooster volleyball at the beginning of the school year. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my coaches and teammates have been there for me no matter the circumstance,” Hartman said. “We would have virtual team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and lots of other team building events to ensure that morale and that sense of community were never lost even though the athletic season was far from ideal.”
When reminiscing on their past four years, Hartman spoke about one of her most memorable moments with the team. “My favorite memory from my time at Wooster volleyball is the match we played against Gallaudet University,” She said. “Getting to play high-level competitive volleyball against an all-deaf or hearing impaired team was something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life; it was truly an unforgettable experience.”
Botsch added that a match against Case Western in 2019 was her favorite memory. “My favorite Wooster volleyball memory was senior night 2019 upsetting Case Western Reserve University in a five-set match — the energy during this game was insane and everyone was playing super scrappy. We had nine seniors that year, so it was a really special way to celebrate them.”
As the seniors bid farewell, they each had a word of advice for incoming Wooster volleyball players. “Don’t sweat the little things and remember to enjoy the time you have with your teammates,” Botsch said. From Hartman’s perspective, she said, “never be afraid to ask questions and be outspoken about who you are and what you believe in. As a student-athlete, you bring a very unique perspective to our campus community; don’t ever hesitate to make your voice heard!”