Jumping to the height of 10 feet and 3 inches, junior Katie Byergo hits the ball into the court, hoping to add to her near 800 career kills in high school volleyball.

In third grade, Byergo was seen playing basketball by a volleyball coach, who then invited her to give volleyball a try. She has played on several teams, most recently on the High Performance STL 17 Royal team. However, at the end of her first year with the club, she suffered a back injury and was forced to take a break during the summer before entering high school. 

“I didn’t know when I was going to be able to play again,” Byergo said. “I was struggling, but [my club coach] Matt Sprague helped me gain confidence again. He was the reason I wanted to play in college; I just needed that extra push.”

Fortunately, Byergo healed quickly enough to play in her freshman volleyball season, and as she regained comfort on the court, Byergo began the college commitment process. Her high rankings in volleyball recruitment lists helped her to stand out among the thousands of high school players, but what got her there was her relentless determination and influence on her team.

“She’s so complex,” senior teammate Erica Conger said. “She’s put in a lot of work, and she never gives up. I think that’s why she’s so successful. Society as a whole has become insecure, but she’s not afraid to make a mistake and laugh it off.”

With such success in volleyball, Byergo struggled in different areas of her life as she found her identity outside of sports. 

“[Volleyball is] a big part of my life, but knowing that your sport doesn’t define you is so important. I’ve been told before that I need to have other things to do [besides volleyball] but I didn’t do it until I came to my own senses. After a while, I realized I needed [more] in my life,” Byergo said. “Over the years I’ve tried [activities] my friends liked and grown to enjoy new things. Outside of school, I play pickleball and golf, those are two of my big hobbies. ”

After finding this balance, she searched for a school that had the competitive drive she was searching for, along with the community of people she was looking for. Byergo found this match at Iowa State University, where she will play Division I volleyball after she graduates.

“[College is] a big decision, and it hits you all at once. I paused and took a second to realize it would [all be] okay,” Byergo said.