Freshman volleyball player Megan Rehmer, who was born in Chicago and went to high school in Greenwood, Ind., didn’t know much about N.C. State. When volleyball coach Charita Stubbs watched her play at Junior Nationals in summer 2006, Rehmer didn’t really know who Stubbs was.

But now Rehmer is one of the top contributors on a Wolfpack team looking to end its 35-match ACC losing streak. The freshman outside hitter, who was ready to go to Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., before a call from Stubbs, said it didn’t take long for her to change her mind about what college to choose.

“I got a feeling this was the place for me,” Rehmer said. “And she’s the type of coach that I would love to play for.”

But coming into a program that has struggled with losing matches and players in recent years, it hasn’t been anything easy for Rehmer to get acclimated.

Stubbs said that’s because the team has needed her to play multiple spots on the court.

“Just coming in and having to pass and play all six rotations was a lot on any freshman to have to do, a lot of demands,” Stubbs said.

With those expectations, Rehmer said she’s struggled with how to execute her role at times.

“Rita’s expectations for me were a little unclear. She told me that there was a lot of pressure on me to do really well, and sometimes she’ll say do one thing in practice. And I’ll try to do it, but it’ll turn out that I don’t do it right,” Rehmer said.

“So that’s one area that we butt heads, but all we have to do is just talk about it after practice and really figure out what she wants from me and what I want to give. And that way we get along great.”

Stubbs said the two are continuing to improve their understanding of how to work together.

“It’s an everyday growing process. She’s young, and the demands are greater than she’s ever had before,” the coach said. “So I’d say, all in all, she’s responding about as well as any freshman would.”

Rehmer is tied for the team lead with nine starts in 11 matches, and she ranks second on the team with 86 kills.

The freshman previously participated in track and field and basketball before deciding to focus on volleyball late in her high school career. Her mother, Jacque Rehmer, said her experience in those other sports carried over to her volleyball career.

“She was always very strong. She just had great athletic ability,” Jacque Rehmer said. “When she started playing volleyball, that just helped her all the more.”

And Megan said that ability is one of the main contributions she thought she could make in her first season.

“I didn’t really get to see them play much last year,” Rehmer said. “But I really felt like I could bring my athleticism and knowledge of volleyball since I’ve been playing for so long.”

Stubbs said Rehmer is trying to improve her range of shot selection, while Rehmer said she is still adjusting to a new defensive system and aiming to make better passes.

Meanwhile, Rehmer said it is a help to her transition that the team’s first three ACC contests are at home. She added the team is hoping it can break through soon with a conference win.

“ACC play is a big motivator. We don’t want to be in the bottom of the ACC anymore, and that’s a huge motivator in itself. We do discuss it,” Rehmer said. “We know our ACC games are very important.”