Volleyball Feature -- Lindsey Hunter
10/2/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Oct. 2, 2003
Lindsey Hunter wasn't always destined to be a setter.
After all, the quiet, shy kids tend to stay away from the positions that demand vocal, outgoing leaders. And in volleyball, the setter is the quarterback on the court. The catcher who calls the plays from behind home plate. The one everyone thinks must have eyes in the back of her head because she can take in all the action on both sides of the net.
Some kids might stay away from that role, but not Hunter. As a high school junior, the Papillion, Neb., native didn't really have a choice. It was either be the vocal leader, or give up her dream of playing volleyball at a Division I school.
It's safe to say the quiet kid made the right decision.
Since then, the Missouri sophomore's performance on the court has been anything but silent. More like an ear-piercing scream that continues to echo through the Hearnes Center.
Last year as a freshman starter at setter, Hunter joined teammate Christi Myers as an All-Central Region selection, becoming the first in Missouri volleyball history to earn All-Region honors. In addition to being named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, Hunter also set a school record for assists in a season with 1,690.
While Hunter has not always been the most outgoing person, it is a characteristic she has developed in order to be an effective leader on the court. Now, she welcomes her role on the team.
"Being the leader just comes with the nature of being a setter," said Hunter, who is averaging 12.65 assists and 1.84 digs per game. "Your teammates look to you because you always know what rotation you're in, where everybody is, what plays we're running. It's like you're the coach on the court, and I really like that about the position."
Hunter, who started playing club volleyball in fifth grade, started out as an outside hitter. During her sophomore year in high school, her coaches asked her to try being a setter because they told her she had good hands. She stuck with the position, and her determination paid off.
"I knew I wasn't tall enough to play as a hitter, so I tried to really concentrate on it in high school, being a setter, because it was my best shot at going to a Division I school," Hunter said. "I guess it all worked out."
Because Hunter is from Nebraska, one would think she might have chosen the Huskers over Big 12-rival MU. However, Nebraska did not recruit her because they already had a setter. When looking at schools, it was important to Hunter to stay in the Big 12 and to be close to home. Mizzou turned out to be a perfect fit, especially since she had the chance to come in and play her first year.
Initially as a freshman at MU, Hunter took her time in adjusting to the position. Instead of taking charge on the court, she found herself resorting back to her old high school mentality of letting the older, more experienced members of the team assume the leadership role.
"Christi Myers was a leader, and we had Lisa Morris and Kat Wingert, who were both seniors as well. They all did a nice job leading the team," Hunter said. "I was a leader through my actions, but I didn't really have to say anything because they took care of it."
But that was last year, and things have changed. Those three are graduated, and now the Tigers are a fairly young team with only two seniors on the roster. Hunter knows it is part of her job to hold her teammates accountable.
"This year, I definitely have to embrace that role and be a leader and be loud, no matter how old I am," she said. "Everybody responds really well to the way I lead the team. Playing all last year gave me some good experience, and people know what I can do. They trust me, and I think age really isn't a factor right now."
If Hunter's actions are any indication of her leadership ability, cover your ears the next time you go into the Hearnes Center.
