Kate McCullagh spent her club years looking onto a court from the bench.

As a member of Sky High Volleyball, she never thought of herself as great. She was just another player on the team. She never dreamed she would be named the Northern Star’s No. 5 athlete.

It was NIU coach Ray Gooden who helped create the opportunity for McCullagh, as he brought the freshman into his program.

The two spent countless hours emptying baskets of balls, as the coach tried to unleash the ability that was locked inside her.

“The potential was there,” the fourth-year coach said. “She had the natural athletic ability, it was just getting the number of reps to perform at this level.”

It was during McCullagh’s sophomore season that she witnessed the power of one, as Tera Lobdell set an NIU record, 713 kills in a single season.

It was then McCullagh knew the Huskies needed a new leader who would run the team not by words, but by example.

McCullagh did everything she could to fill the void. She dug out balls, provided blocks and took over where Lobdell had left off.

On Sept. 31, 2005, McCullagh reached a new plateau when her 5.98 kills per game made her the national leader in the statistic.

But McCullagh didn’t feel any exhilaration or excitement internally from the accomplishment.

It was only when she talked to those around volleyball that she knew the relevance of triumph.

“The girls I played club [volleyball] with at Penn State were excited for me,” McCullagh said.

McCullagh finished the season with 690 kills, 24 shy of the NIU record, and seventh in the nation in kills per game.

McCullagh remains modest about her accomplishments, but Gooden believes this former bench player has earned the right to be proud of her achievement.

“The proof is there,” Gooden said. “She’s definitely one of the best in the country.”