For senior Kasey Rhyne, this is a volleyball season that will not be taken for granted. The defensive specialist was almost stripped of her opportunity to play this year due to an NCAA rule. The rule claims a season played with the club team as exhausting a year of eligibility for a varsity team.
“I’m happy that I got my year back. Last year I could have been done,” Rhyne said. “That would have been really upsetting because club has nothing to do with varsity sports at all. It’s completely separate.”
Rhyne, a former standout at Brevard College, transferred to N.C. State with the hopes of walking onto the team. During her first semester at State, Rhyne participated in some tournaments with the club team.
“I wasn’t eligible to play my first semester when I came here,” Rhyne said. “Instead, I played club just to stay in the game and play.”
Rhyne was unaware of it at the time, but the three tournaments she participated in with the club team nearly cost her a full varsity season.
The NCAA dictates that any season spent representing your school in a sport will be considered equally, regardless of the level of play. Whether a student-athlete participates in varsity, junior varsity or even club sports, they will be using a year of NCAA eligibility.
This rule was particularly frustrating to Rhyne, who only participated in three tournaments with the club team her first semester at State. After she made the team in the spring 2005, Rhyne spent the following summer appealing to the NCAA to reinstate her fourth year of eligibility.
Rhyne’s appeal was partially granted. While she did get her senior season back, the NCAA required her to sit out six matches to make up for the club tournaments she played in. Rhyne said she does not see why her club experience was even relevant to her eligibility as a varsity player.
“Club has nothing to do with the varsity team here,” Rhyne said. “To get my year of eligibility back was great, but it puts me at a disadvantage, because I had to miss six matches.”
While Rhyne may not be entirely satisfied, her teammates are just happy she is still with them. Sophomore setter, Allison Davis, said the team looks to Kasey for leadership and energy.
“Kasey is the epitome of having a passion for volleyball,” Davis said. “There is nobody on our team — and nobody I’ve ever played with — that matches her passion and energy on the court. Every day she comes in willing to work her butt off. No matter what happened during the day, she comes into practice willing to work.”
The team will need Kasey’s experience this season. With 10 freshman and only three seniors, this year’s team is exceedingly youthful. Kasey said she tries to lend a hand to the freshman whenever she can.
“I do have some experience behind me, so I try to help them out and try to answer any questions they might have,” Rhyne said. “I remember what it was like to be a freshman and not understanding everything about the dynamics of being on a college team.”
With all the new talent surrounding the program, the team is optimistic that it can start to compete in conference play. Rhyne said the Wolfpack can be one of the top six teams in the conference this year, which would be an improvement from last year’s winless conference record.
“Coach brought in a whole new level of players than we had last year,” Rhyne said. “I think it has definitely brought in a heightened passion for team play.”
Davis said the setbacks of the 2006 season can only make the returning players stronger for having gone through them. She also said when the team encounters tough times this season, they know who to turn to.
“Kasey is strong and steady,” Davis said. “She’s got a good head on her shoulders. If you ever need anything, you can go to Kasey.”
