Volleyball captain Erin Collins (’17) has excelled tremendously this fall. The outside hitter, who has played on the varsity team for four years, as well as on a club team for 7 years, led the team this season to finish out with a season record of 18 wins and 2 losses.

“Erin is a really talented player. She always gives it her all in practice and in games,” teammate Sophie Benson (’18) said. “She has a great attitude, and makes everyone pumped up when we aren’t playing our best.”

Volleyball is something that Collins was exposed to at a young age since her sister, LeAnne (’14) played the sport as well. Luckily, the sport was something that she picked up easily and enjoyed.

“My favorite part about playing is definitely the fast pace and the skill needed,” Collins (’17) said. “Volleyball is oriented around precision and the ability to know the game well, which I have always enjoyed.”

“The first quality that I think about in Erin is her intelligence towards the game,” volleyball coach David Schreiner said. “She is definitely one of the smartest players that I have coached when it comes to the game and being able to make decisions in a split second based on the placement of players on the other side of the net.”

Collins says that she particularly loved the outside hitter position because it was a great feeling when she could “get a kill” for the team.

The 3-year captain also led the team to the Maryland state-semifinals the past two years. However, on Nov. 17, the season ended for the team as they faced a tough loss to Rising Sun in the state-semifinal match, which was held at University of Maryland, College Park.

“This year, individually and as a team, I think beating Dulaney was our greatest accomplishment,” Collins (’17) said. “Since my freshman year we never beat them, so beating them and having one of my best games was an amazing feeling.”

“Erin was a versatile player for us,” Schreiner said. “She started as an opposite hitter and then moved to outside during her sophomore season where she played as a senior.”

Although Collins seemingly has the skill to play volleyball at the collegiate level, she says that she won’t due to the fact that she recently signed with Rutgers University in New Jersey to play softball at the Division I level next year.

“I will most likely not play in college since I’m playing softball,” Collins (’17) said. “But I am planning on playing in some beach doubles with my sister this summer.”

Collins’s skills, talent, and presence on the court will be missed next year for sure.

“It can be hard to replace someone that has been a major contributor on the varsity level for the past four years,” Schreiner said.