Maryland volleyball libero Kelsey Wicinski was nervous to begin the season after undergoing hip surgery in the spring.

She had exceeded expectations during her freshman year by playing in all 33 matches but worried her performance would suffer following the procedure.

Early in the year, though, Wicinski eliminated those concerns by making the all-tournament teams in the Maryland Invite, Kansas Invitational, Georgetown Classic and Pac-12 Challenge.

“It was pretty big for me [to earn those honors],” Wicinski said. “I was really nervous about this year, and I didn’t know how I was going to be because I didn’t get to train in the spring. So that was actually a huge boost to help me bring my confidence back up.”

Wicinski has played in all 23 matches this season and leads Maryland with 4.38 digs per set. In addition, coach Steve Aird has been impressed with her work ethic and emerging leadership skills.

The Terps feature 10 underclassmen on their roster, so they need strong characters to guide the program forward. With more than a year of experience under her belt, Wicinski has taken what she’s learned from two older sisters to set a positive example for her younger teammates.

“We don’t have a team captain this year, and that’s by design,” Aird said. “We’re trying to figure out the direction of the program, and it’s clear she wants some of that responsibility … She’s grown a lot in a year and a half.”

A UNIQUE UPBRINGING

Wicinski found inspiration for her volleyball career in her childhood home. The youngest of three sisters in Geneva, Illinois, she grew up surrounded by family members who loved sports.

In college, her father, Rob, played football at Northern Illinois. Meanwhile, her mother, Gina, played volleyball at the same school.

As a little kid, Wicinski attended her mother’s rec league matches with older sisters, Lauren who also played volleyball and Jessica, who plays now at Quincy University.

“[Our lives] very much revolved around sports,” Lauren said. “It was the whole culture of athletics and what it means to us — teamwork and holding yourself accountable and responsibility. They raised us on that.”

With the encouragement of her parents, Wicinski tried out several sports, ranging from basketball to baton twirling in the school marching band. More than anything else, though, she wanted to play volleyball like her mother and older sisters.

Whenever she could, she asked Lauren, an outside hitter who became a two-time All-Big Ten team member at Michigan State, to provide tips and practice with her. Like Lauren, she dreamed of one day playing at the Division I level.

“I would not be the player I am today without my two sisters,” Wicinski said. “Growing up I went to their volleyball tournaments, so I learned the game through watching them play. They would always help me.”

Though Wicinski was in middle school at some of those high school tournaments, she was eager to gain knowledge that could help her improve. She sat behind the bench at Lauren’s games and asked questions.

“I was like, ‘What are you talking about? How do you even know what’s going on?'” Lauren said. “I always tell people she has a way higher volleyball IQ than I ever did. That’s because she was always watching.”

Lauren lives in Texas now, but she streams Maryland’s matches on her laptop. She said it’s weird to see the girl who once cried when competing with her sisters in the backyard find success with the Terps.

“It’s kind of incredible to see that transformation,” Lauren said. “I’m just so impressed with how she handles herself and how much I’ve seen her improve.”

After each contest, Lauren picks up her cell phone and calls Wicinski, who often asks her older sister what she noticed and what she could have done differently.

Drawing on her own volleyball experiences at Michigan State, Lauren provides detailed analysis of her sister’s play.

“I’m that crazy sister that’s on the computer watching every match,” Lauren said. “She was dragged to every single one of my volleyball games … so I owe that to her and I love watching her play.”

A STRONG FRESHMAN YEAR

Wicinski did not expect to receive much playing time last season. After all, the team’s former starting defensive specialist, Amy Dion, was a player she grew up watching.

Even so, she set out to compete for the libero position as a freshman. It reflected the drive Lauren recognized from their childhood.

Lauren remembered Wicinski going toe-to-toe with her older sisters during ultra-competitive 10-hour Monopoly games. It got to the point when Rob and Gina had to tell the three girls, “You’re not allowed to play that anymore” because the contests were too intense.

But even though competing with someone older was nothing new, Wicinski believes overtaking Dion as the Terps’ libero midway through last season marked an important milestone.

“I definitely have more confidence when I’m playing now in the Big Ten,” Wicinski said. “If I make an error, it’s now like ‘Oh, OK. Whatever. Next ball.'”

The decision to replace Dion wasn’t easy for Aird, but he’s glad he switched to Wicinski, who he viewed as “an elite serve receiver” with great touch coming out of Geneva High School.

“Those are hard decisions as a coach,” Aird said. “We had a senior captain libero, and about halfway through the season her numbers were similar [to Wicinski]. I thought it was important to give Kelsey the opportunity, and I think that’s really paid off.”

AN UNEXPECTED SETBACK

As Wicinski adapted to the libero role toward the end of the season, she started feeling pain in her hip. She didn’t miss any time during the year, but the problem grew too uncomfortable to ignore after the final match.

She opted to have surgery in the spring, which she called the most difficult setback of her life.

“It was just extremely painful,” Wicinski said.

The operation weighed on her, as she was forced to sit in bed and watch teammates go to practice. At a time when she hoped to improve her game and cement her spot in the squad, she felt stuck.

“Not being able to lift and not being able to condition or do anything in the spring held me back,” Wicinski said. “It was hard, but I knew I had to get the surgery in order to be the player I am today.”

Lauren understood it was difficult for her sister to miss time, so she provided frequent encouragement.

“Hey, it’s going to be OK,” Lauren told Wicinski over the phone. “You’re going to get through this.”

Wicinski used the time she couldn’t spend in the gym to her advantage. She improved her court vision by watching film and talked with coaches about how to read plays.

In turn, she advanced her digs per set average from 2.93 to 4.38 this year.

“I made a pretty big jump because even though I was out with my hip and I wasn’t able to work out, I was able to work on my eyes,” Wicinski said. “In spring practice all I did was watch, which definitely helped me this entire year.”

Wicinski’s ability to get better despite that unforeseen obstacle impressed her teammates.

“It set a great example,” middle blocker Hailey Murray said. “She worked really hard to come back and make sure she was ready to go for this season. I hope some of the younger players learn from that if they have an injury.”

BECOMING A LEADER

Wicinski, who was accustomed to looking up to siblings for advice, committed to an enhanced leadership role this season. Through the first two months, players have noticed her taking increased command of the squad.

Murray said she is much more outspoken on the court now, which helps the team find direction when facing adversity.

“[Wicinski] is great,” Murray said. “She’s vocal, and she is not scared to say what needs to be said. I really respect that. She can back her talk up with her play, which is important.”

Wicinski tries to set an example for her younger teammates in the same way her older sisters once provided a model of excellence for her growing up. In particular, she said she has grown close to freshman outside hitter Gia Milana and freshman defensive specialist Nell Drummey.

“There are a lot of freshmen, and in the next coming year we’re going to have even more young players,” Wicinski said. “So knowing that I was one of the only players that had experience in the Big Ten from last year, I felt like I had to step up and kind of take some people under my wing to try to help them through navigating it all.”

Wicinski believes the Terps (10-13, 2-9 Big Ten), who have the No. 16 freshman class in the nation, are prepared to make major strides in the near future. On Wednesday night, they upset No. 19 Ohio State at Xfinity Pavilion for their first win over a ranked team this season.

They will look to earn a third straight victory on Friday night in a rematch with the Buckeyes (14-9, 4-7) at St. John Arena.

“I’m excited [for the future],” Wicinski said. “I’m pumped for it. Just seeing in the gym now the change from the past year is crazy. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like when we get the next recruiting class in.”

Wicinski’s older sisters served as role models growing up, inspiring her to pursue a career in volleyball. Now, Wicinski is a focal point for the Terps’ program moving forward.

A comment from a young fan on Wicinski’s Instagram emphasized that maturation.

“You are such an inspiration to me,” the girl wrote. “I want to be libero for the Terps too, and I work hard for it every day.”