Volleyball Feature-- Katherine Wingert
11/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2002
By John Pizzitola
Media Relations Student Assistant
Despite having a Missouri volleyball career riddled by injuries, senior defensive specialist Katherine Wingert still loves the competition when playing for Mizzou.
Wingert transferred to Mizzou from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Penn. at the end of her freshman year. She wanted a school that would be able to challenge her on the volleyball court, as well as in the classroom. She found those qualities in Missouri's volleyball team and journalism school.
"The journalism school brought me here, and I wanted to be challenged with volleyball," said Wingert. "I wasn't challenged a whole lot there (Lehigh) and I knew that coming to a Big 12 school, I would definitely have to compete for a spot. Plus it's a much higher level, so I wanted to be challenged like that."
At Lehigh, Wingert played outside hitter. In the 91 games she played at Lehigh, Wingert had 190 kills and 263 digs. Upon transferring to Mizzou, Wingert was switched to the defensive specialist position, where she averaged 2.24 digs per game and had six service aces last season.
The transition from outside hitter at Lehigh to defensive specialist at Mizzou has been difficult at times for Wingert, but she has been able to make the transition successfully.
"I had to get used to going in and out of games and being ready off the bench," said Wingert. "Sometimes I'm cold, and sometimes I have to get myself geared up because I'm not in the game the whole time. Hitting and blocking and playing all the way around are also a lot of fun. It took a little of adapting, but I think the challenge makes up for what I lost."
Wingert's past two seasons at Mizzou have been interrupted by injury. In 2001, Wingert missed 15 matches due to an early season injury. This season, Wingert has only been able to play in 14 games. She missed approximately three weeks of the season as a result of surgery to remove her appendix.
Having her season interrupted in mid-season and then having to get back into the swing of things to finish the year has been difficult.
"It's frustrating," Wingert said. "But luckily this time I wasn't out for too long, only three weeks. But it is frustrating. You get in shape and are ready to go, and to have something interrupt the season, then you have to come back afterwards; that's hard. It's hard mentally and physically."
As one of three seniors on the squad, Wingert is able to take on a leadership role for the younger girls to look up to.
"My role is usually to lead by example and just kind of pave the way for what they should be doing and things they should be taking care of," said Wingert. "It's kind of weird having them look up to me in that way. Being through three years of doing everything it's just knowing what to do and showing them."
Wingert's leadership on the team has shown true, as the freshman on the team have been able to excel. Wingert's leadership has helped lead Mizzou to its current No. 24 ranking.
Wingert's senior class is now the winningest class in Missouri history with a total of 74 wins and growing as MU looks to build on that record tonight taking on the Colorado Buffaloes.
