Kristin Lux

IS READY FOR ANYTHING

By Lindsay Auld An arm injury in the spring of 2017 did not stop freshman Kristin Lux of the West Virginia University volleyball team from earning a spot in the Mountaineer starting lineup. A three-sport athlete at North Bend Central High, Lux led her team to the 2016 Nebraska volleyball tournament for the first time in 20 years. She then joined her club team in the spring ready for anything, but was forced to leave the court due to injury. However, the 6-foot-1 outside hitter did not let pins and bolts throughout her entire arm keep her away from the court for too long. Lux punched the time clock, working twice as hard with hopes of making a comeback. “I was able to do things so well before, but with the injury, I had to change the way I did things,” Lux said. “Gaining the strength back in my arm was hard, but the actual skills part was easy. I have been playing for so long, it just felt natural.” The North Bend, Nebraska, native came back stronger than ever as a senior, becoming the first member of the school’s 1,000 kills club. She also collected first team all-conference honors as a member of the girls’ basketball team and won the Class C state championship in the high jump. “At first, I thought it (the injury) had a negative impact, but then I grew as an athlete, and I knew that it could positively impact me,” Lux said. “I came to West Virginia, and now, I am doing things that I didn’t think I could do. It has allowed me to think positively about it.” Lux has put in years of hard work to get to where she is today, and her love for the game inspired her not to give up. At West Virginia, she wanted to prove the doubters wrong and show everyone what she was capable of doing. Her uncapped potential is what drove her to keep playing. In all, the countless hours of hard work and practice have paid off. Lux made her collegiate debut vs. Georgia Southern on Aug. 24 at the WVU Coliseum and has never looked back. “I am very grateful for the opportunity,” Lux stated. “There are not a lot of people from a small town like me who can say they did this. There are a lot of people who have supported me along the way, and I am very grateful for all of them. They have pushed me and showed me my potential, but they know that I’ll keep working at it. I can always get better.” Her freshman campaign has started strong, as she has played in every set for the Mountaineers and ranks among the team leaders in kills. However, despite that early success, Lux still has several personal and team goals to hit. “My personal goal is to just help my team,” Lux said. “I want to find my potential, find my confidence and keep trusting the system. As a team, we want to come out on top and keep winning. We want to prove that we are more than just the underdogs. We want to get to the postseason, so we are going to keep working at that and keep working on winning.” An arm injury can be detrimental to someone with a love for volleyball, especially for an outside hitter. However, Lux did not let that stop her from doing what she loves. She still has a long way to go, but she continues to strive on the court and prove herself to her team and Mountaineer Nation.

Lindsay Auld is a student assistant in the WVU Athletic Communications Office.

KRISTIN LUX

Lux