Novice to college commit: Plymouth North volleyball MVP signs on with Assumption

PLYMOUTH – When she started high school, Plymouth North senior Kaitlyn Montgomery played volleyball as a way to stay active and make friends. Four years later, the game has opened doors she never could have imagined.

Montgomery’s friends and family gathered at the high school Monday to watch her sign a letter of intent to play volleyball at Assumption University, where she will study biotechnology and molecular biology.

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“I started playing volleyball as a freshman and I haven’t stopped since. I don’t think I’ve had more than two full weeks away from the game since then.”,” Montgomery said. “ I love playing the game. Between the high school season, club season with MGA, and summer training I think I am always somewhere near a volleyball court.”

The 6-foot-tall middle hitter first learned the game during the shortened COVID year. There were less games to play that year and she didn’t play varsity until the third game of her sophomore year, but her passion for the game snowballed. Montgomery leaves Plymouth North with more than 500 kills as well as the season and career records for the Blue Eagles in that category.

“To get more than 500 kills in that shortened time frame is pretty spectacular,” said Plymouth North head coach Jane Burt. “She came into high school not knowing anything about volleyball, but she soaked everything up so quickly. This year she turned that corner from being a good volleyball player into a great one as well as a legitimate college-level volleyball player.

“Whether it’s academics or athletics, she is so driven in whatever she does.”

Montgomery said playing volleyball has given her experiences that she never would have enjoyed if she hadn’t taken that leap of faith as a freshman.

“Almost my entire friend group have become the girls on the volleyball team and people I’ve met through volleyball,” she said. “Doing a sport coming into high school, and now college, is huge because you always have that built-in support system available.”

Putting in the time

Montgomery was a two-time Patriot League All-Star and this season was team captain as well as the league MVP. In her free time the National Honor Society student has remained one the very top academics in her class. She’s also part of the Biomed program, secretary of the Senior Class council, and co-president of Medical Careers Club.

It all makes for a busy average day.

“I just make sure my classes come first and fit in everything else after that,” Montgomery said.

The combination of academics and athletics at Assumption came together very quickly. She made her final decision about three months ago.

“I wanted to play volleyball in college, but I wasn’t sure it would work with the academic part of the equation,” she explained. “I wanted to go to school for school and if the volleyball part made sense, that would be perfect. Around February break I got a call from the Assumption coach and she said they were looking for a middle hitter. I toured the school and it all fell into place.”

Said Burt, “She wasn’t sure she was going to play in college because academics is always going to come first, as it should. But she found the right spot at Assumption. I’ve had both family and students go up there for school and I think she’s going to do great.”

Email the reporter at dwolcott@wickedlocal.com and you can follow him on Twitter, @DavidWolcott1.