Injuries hit the Ball State women's volleyball team hard this spring, but it looks like the recovery process has gone smoothly for one of its most important players as the summer months have unfolded.
Now that junior setter Jacqui Seidel is seven months removed from tearing her ACL, coach Steve Shondell can breathe a sigh of relief. He said her rehab has gone well enough for him to be sure she'll be available at the start of the season.
"We're expecting [Seidel] to be at 100 percent by opening practice in August," Shondell said.
Since Brittany McGinnis graduated, Seidel is expected to take over as the team's starting setter this year.
Even for Shondell, who's had so many different girls play under him in his decades as a coach, Seidel's return to action has been special in his eyes. To prove it, he said Seidel is reaching the same height on her jumps that she did before her injury.
To complete that task in only seven months is something Shondell said he has never seen before.
"She's come back as fast as any athlete as I've ever been around," he said.
Shondell made sure to give the entire coaching and training staff credit for Seidel's recovery, indicating it took an entire team effort to bring her back so quickly.
"It's also because of the Ball State trainers that have rehabbed her too," he said. "Rachel [Henry], and the student trainers that have worked with her, it's really a compliment to everyone involved. But it begins with Jacqui."
Seidel is one of seven players on the team who has stayed in Muncie over the summer working out in the facilities.
Seniors defensive specialist Lauren Schlaker, outside hitter Kara Bates, juniors outside hitter Kylee Baker, libero Catie Fredrich, middle blocker Mindy Marx and redshirt freshman outside hitter Marquita Marshall are working out alongside Seidel.
The seven players account for nearly half of the roster for next season, which Shondell said is the most he's had around during the summer since he was hired as the team's coach in April 2010.
With his mind at ease regarding Seidel, Shondell is now concentrating on a more concerning injury to one of his middle blockers in redshirt freshman Kelly Hopkins.
Shondell said Hopkins is still recovering from a stress fracture in her foot that occurred during the spring.
"She missed around six weeks of spring training and she still has some pain in that foot," Shondell said. "So that really concerns me right now if she'll be able to go in August. Right now, it's still a question mark."
Shondell indicated that when healthy, Hopkins will be in contention for a starting spot at middle blocker to replace either Kelsey Brandl and Jennifer Boyd. Both players graduated this spring.
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