Head volleyball coach M.J. Engstrom knew she had a special player in senior outside hitter Caley Carter, but now Colonel volleyball fans, the Southland Conference and opposing players know as well.
Carter, a transfer student from the University of Tennessee who sat out last season, made up for the time she missed by leading the Colonels and the Southland Conference in kills and points scored this year.
When asked if she had any individual goals at the start of the season, Carter said her main goal was to just get better.
“I had goals, but not as far as percentages and numbers, it was more of what I wanted to get better at,” Carter said. “I wanted to get better at shots because I’m more of a power hitter, and I wanted to get better at passing.”
After sitting out for her first time last year as transfer athletes are required to do, Carter said she was more than excited to get back on the court and travel with her teammates.
“It feels great,” a smiling Carter said about playing this year. “It killed me sitting out because I have never sat out. I couldn’t travel, so it was bad. I was a little depressed for a while.”
A former Tennessee Volunteer, Carter said the driving force behind her coming to Nicholls was that she could play for a coach that she wanted to play for.
“The best part about playing for coach is she just let’s me play; she gives me a lot of room as far as not being too controlling,” Carter said. When asked what’s the worst thing about playing for coach Engstrom, Carter playfully declined to answer.
Being a senior and leader on this season’s team, Carter said there are several things that she wants her younger teammates to learn from her game, but she said she would rather lead by example.
“I lead as a player; I wouldn’t say anything to them that I wouldn’t do myself,” Carter said. “I would like them to learn from me not only on the court but off the court as well.”
A power hitter, Carter said she’s almost sure she has hurt someone in a game.
“I’m pretty sure I have., I think I hurt a girl the last time at UCA,” Carter said.
When asked if she expected Carter to make such an immediate impact on her program, Engstrom said Carter had big shoes to fill.
“Yes, when she came here we knew she only had one year of eligibility. She had to sit out, so I wouldn’t have brought her in other wise,” Engstrom said.
When asked what she would like her younger players to learn from Caley, Engstrom said she would like them to have the same work ethic.
“Caley comes to practice every day ready to work. She loves working hard, and she’s a very, very intense player,” Engrstrom said. “She doesn’t have any excuses for playing badly or not being ready, so I think all the younger players have learned from her intensity.”
When asked what the team has this year that it didn’t have without Carter, Engstrom said Carter is the terminator on this team.
“Caley replaced Kui Fletcher; every team needs a terminator, and we had that in Kui last year, and Caley comes in this year and she gives us that,” Engstrom said. “We had this hole to fill, and Caley came in and filled it.”
Engstrom said she thinks Carter has a good chance of winning quite a few.
“Caley is still in the running to beat Kui’s season record for kills; she’s at 450 right now, and the record is 549. We have at least five more matches to go, hopefully more. So she has a good chance of beating that,” Engstrom said. “She’s leading in points, and she’s leading in kills per game. I think she’ll be front runner for New Comer of the Year and probably first team Southland Conference, and depending on our place in the league, she’s going to be nominated and hopefully be a strong candidate for player of the year.”
When asked what her plans are after her collegiate volleyball career is over, Carter said she will explore several options.
“I’m not sure yet, I think I might try to play overseas, but if not, I might try to be a graduate assistant.”
In the meantime Carter will try to get one more win for the Colonels as they take on Northwestern State University tomorrow at home at 7 p.m.