Since transferring from a Division III SUNY Cortland team, Katie Brody has surprised just about everyone.
Not only has Brody played in every game for the Binghamton University volleyball team this season, she has led the Bearcats to their best conference record since joining the America East Conference.
“I knew Katie was very accomplished coming out of Cortland,” said head coach Glenn Kiriyama, “but throughout the season her impact has been more than I expected.”
The junior outside hitter transferred to BU at the beginning of this year so she could save money by living at home, and take advantage of Binghamton’s superior psychology department.
“My original decision to transfer wasn’t because of volleyball,” she said. “But once I found out the coach was interested in me playing here then I obviously wanted to play and keep going with my career. It was an added bonus.”
And her entrance could not have been timed any better.
“We lost two senior outside hitters last year which was a huge reason we were rated so low in the preseason poll,” said sophomore middle blocker Jacki Kane. “It’s so important to have experienced players in those positions.”
The team, which finished fourth last year and was ranked sixth in preseason poll, ended the 2005 season as the No. 2 seed. Although the coach and players alike contend that the success has been a team effort, they all agree that Brody has had a huge impact.
“Katie has been our go-to player on offense,” Kiriyama said. “She has been able to create plays out of bad situations and help us win those matches that maybe we couldn’t have before.”
“Bringing in an outside hitter like her was essential for our success,” agreed junior middle blocker Megan Hoag. “She adds a lot of power to our line.”
The transfer to Binghamton has not only improved the Bearcats, but her own game as well. Brody’s star status at Cortland — leader in kills and second in digs, as well as the recipient of multiple awards including New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association Rookie of the Year and SUNYAC Player of the Year honors — may have brought her recognition, but brought her no closer to the better player she wanted to be.
“I like it here because it’s more of challenge and at Cortland I felt like I wasn’t going to get any better over the next two years,” said Brody, who led the Bearcats in kills per game this season and finished fifth in the conference. “The people I’m playing with here are pushing me and all the teams we’re playing against are tough competitors. It’s making me a better player to be here.”
Brody intends to get a masters degree in forensics after graduating from Binghamton, and hopes to keep volleyball as a part of her life.
“I play in the YMCA leagues here, the beach leagues and club teams, and I plan on still doing that,” Brody said. “I’ll always play volleyball until my knees break and I can’t play anymore.”