As lights illuminate Reynolds Coloseum’s Valvano Arena, graduate setter Kristen McDaniel takes the stage in her fifth and final season at NC State. Since joining the Wolfpack in 2019, McDaniel has lit up any hardwood floor she steps on, showing exceptional defensive and offensive talent.
Hailing from Mililani, Hawaii, McDaniel started her career in the red-and-white as a defensive specialist who also entered games as a setter. She recorded 128 digs as a defensive specialist in 2019 and reached a then-career high 13 digs against Georgia Tech.
“It definitely was hard at first, just with the culture shock,” McDaniel said. “ I’m sure every person from Hawaii can say that; it’s a very different culture that we grow up in. The lifestyle is different, everything there is very chill and slow paced. Coming into college athletics where everything is fast, you have to adapt very quickly.”
While she wasn’t a starter her freshman year, McDaniel made her mark on NC State volleyball in a monumental way. She opened her collegiate setting career with 22 assists against Kansas State, the most assists for an NC State setter in a collegiate debut since Aug. 24, 2007. Her work ethic and prominence on the front court earned her the starting setting position in 2020, starting all 17 matches and ranking fourth in the ACC with 602 assists by the end of the season.
“It’s hard to say in what areas she did not impact our program,” said head coach Luka Slabe. “She went with us from day one, through the transition from the previous staff to probably thinking, ‘Who is this guy?’ She’s done it all through all the ups and downs of change. She’s been supportive throughout and she’s been growing up … We couldn’t be more thankful to have her.”
The spring of 2020 was the first time Slabe got to coach the team after he was hired in February 2020. After two years with USA Volleyball, Slabe secured his head coaching chance with a budding program at NC State, and McDaniel was a key part of his team from the very start.
Throughout her junior and senior seasons, McDaniel was consistently one of the best players on the court. She led the team with 811 assists and 22 service aces during her junior year and played in all 29 matches, and she appeared in 100 sets her senior season. When the time came to decide what happens after senior year, McDaniel made the decision to stay at NC State for her fifth and final season.
“She was a little baby, and now she’s not a little baby anymore, you know?” Slabe said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to see that growth. In four years, you will see changes. Yeah, they’re just different human beings.”
On the court, becoming a skilled player requires juggling many tasks simultaneously, and through her four years with the red-and-white, McDaniel’s mastered the madness of volleyball. You need to know where the ball is at all times, the setter’s offensive plans and call out who’s picking up the blocker coverage — all while tracking the other team’s movements. McDaniel is one of the few players that can do all of these things, making it all seem effortless.
In the world of the transfer portal, it’s becoming more common for athletes to transfer from school to school for their graduate season. In 2022, the transfer portal recorded an increase of student-athlete entrants compared to the 2021 totals, with 20,911 students entering in the past year alone. Of those 2022 numbers, 30% of the student-athletes were graduate students.
“The reason why I came here was because I love the people and the program,” McDaniel said. “I just want to have as much fun as I can this last year and cherish every moment I have with the team. Just trying to make sure I continue to lead by example and leave the girls behind me with how special this program is. No matter what we’ve been through, we can all get through it.”
With the 2023 season already underway, it is safe to say McDaniel and the Wolfpack have already left a strong mark on the court. With a 13-2 record, including a 3-1 record in the ACC, and a historic upset against No. 5 Louisville, the red-and-white is on a roll with no end in sight — all with McDaniel leading the charge.
