Kendall Cygan has no shortage of experience under her belt, and she’s going to need it this season, since she is the unquestioned leader on this young team.
Cygan, 21 years old, is the longest-tenured member of the U’s volleyball team. She has competed in 101 matches during her three seasons. With all that experience comes a big responsibility.
“I feel like a leader.” Cygan said. “Having the experience I have and knowing how the conference works and how the game works, I think girls look up to me as a leader.”
Cygan is looked up to as the experienced veteran on this team and certainly feels some of the pressure. Although it can be straining on top of everything else she has to accomplish, it is something she embraces.
“Of course there is pressure, especially when a lot of eyes are on you, to perform well, [and] to help the team perform well,” Cyan said. “But it’s good pressure, and I’m able to handle the pressure well.”
This isn’t the first time Cygan has assumed a critical role for her team. As a captain setter at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, she helped lead her team to three straight Trinity League championships. She was also captain on every club team she played on, including the T-Street Volleyball Club and the Southern California High Performance team.
Not only has Cygan been placed in leadership positions for other teams, she has filled a crucial role for the Utes these past three years. Cygan has been a permanent fixture as a setter in the rotation and has been pulling her weight, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the Utes’ assists in that time span.
“I think that being a four-year starter [at] setter, that’s leadership to begin with, because the setter kind of controls what goes on on the court,” Cygan said. “Even when I was a freshman I had a little bit of a leadership role.”
Head coach Beth Launiere has been with Cygan her entire journey, knows what she is capable of and has seen her grow throughout her career at Utah. However, Cygan is finally taking over this year.
“This year she has understood her role and the importance of her being a leader,” Launiere said.
All of the time with Utah has added up. Cyan entered the 2,000 career assists club this past weekend when she recorded 26 assists against Montana in Spokane. Now, she sits in the seventh position on Utah’s all time career assists list, and by the end of her career she hopes to be in that sixth spot.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Cygan said. “It’s amazing that being four years here I’ve made my name, and it’s just a great feeling, but [I attribute it] to my team.”
Cygan is already helping out the younger players on this team. Berkeley Oblad, a freshman out of Henderson, Nev., is definitely grateful for how Cygan has welcomed her to the team and trusts she can go to her with any questions.
“[Cygan] was one of the first people to help me feel comfortable with [the team],” Oblad said. “When I was a freshman [in high school] on a non-official visit, she showed me around. She remembered me [after all this time] and helped me figure things out.”
Not only has she been a vocal leader, she has stepped up in big games. Last year Cygan recorded 22 assists and six digs in the second round of the NCAA tournament. She also helped lead the Utes to a victory over No. 2 Washington with 24 assists and eight digs. She shows the younger players what it takes to win against tough Pac-12 opponents.
Cygan’s impact can be felt in every aspect of this team, both on and off the court and she will lead her teammates to success as the season progresses.
g.hanson@dailyutahchronicle.com
@Twelvegage96