An All-American her senior year of high school, fifth-year senior setter Bryanna Weiskircher wasn't used to sitting on the bench. But upon arriving at Penn State, she sat behind senior setter and All-American Micha Hancock on the depth chart.
Weiskircher redshirted her first year in State College, and while it wasn't easy, she understood the value of an opportunity to learn behind a player like Hancock.
"It was tough, but at the same time I traveled, I practiced, I ran B side, I did everything other than play in matches," Weiskircher said. "I was warming up, I was doing everything and it was knowing that if something were to happen and I would have to step in and throw my redshirt away, then I was willing to do that to help the team. But yeah, I definitely really wanted to play. It helped me to the point I'm at now where we have eight freshmen and I have to be the 'adult' of the group."
In addition to learning from Hancock, redshirting helped her understand the game of volleyball more and be ready for when her time came to lead this year's crop of young players, especially reserve setter Gabby Blossom.
"(Gabby's) crazy," Weiskircher said. "She's a lot of fun and goes really hard and it's been great to have someone who wants to learn from the older kids. She wants to get as good as she can be while she can, because she's going to be the older setter next year and it's going to be one of those things where she has a short amount of time to grow up. I was kind of the same way with Micha."
Weiskircher did have the benefit of not going on this five-year journey alone, as redshirt senior outside hitter Nia Reed was there with her along the way, allowing them to create a special bond.
"Nia and I knew each other before and we both committed sophomore year of high school," Weiskircher said. "We were friends, hanging out, going to camps together and playing each other and all that. So it's been a lot of fun, just getting to know her and being with her and knowing her personality, just knowing that we were going to be in this together through the full five years. She's a character for sure."
A native of Rockford, Illinois, Weiskircher has a chance to return this weekend as the Nittany Lions travel to face Northwestern and Illinois. While she's in a fifth year and doesn't necessarily know a lot of the current players from club, it still presents an always-anticipated chance to return home.
"I know some of them from watching film, last year I knew a few more of the girls because they were my age and I was playing with them and against them in high school and club."
More than anything, Weiskircher is excited to return to the hub of culture and life that is Chicago.
"It's really exciting. I wish it was like a month ago so I could see all my family since they're coming for senior night, but it's a lot of fun and I absolutely love Chicago," Weiskircher said. "Being here is completely different from being in the city where everything is just like bright lights and excitement. I love State College and everything, but it's nothing like Chicago."
Coming toward the end of the season, Weiskircher and the other seniors only have so much time remaining on the team. While that sense may be overwhelming, Weiskircher tries to table it for the most part.
"I try not to think about it, but sometimes I'm at home and I'm like 'Wow, I only have like a month of guaranteed practices left.' It's one of those things where you try to tell the younger kids that it goes by really fast, and that's something you hear all the time as you go through the program, and then it finally gets here and you finally understand how fast it went. We have to understand that we can't take anything for granted, because who knows what's going to happen."
Only so many opportunities remain, and despite deep runs into the NCAA Tournament the last two years, the team understands that nothing is given this late in the season.
"It's crazy that we only have three weeks left of conference," Weiskircher said. "You only have so many practices and for-sure games left. It's that time of year when we're trying to put together some finishing touches and it's tough because people aren't always healthy and we can't always do everything. But everyone is really excited and everyone is to the point where it's time to turn it on and get going."
With her season and career winding down, Weiskircher reflected on how she thought she would never leave Penn State, but now that the time has come, she understands how special her time in University Park is and how much she appreciates it.
"I knew after my freshman year that I was going to be here for five years, and that really felt like forever," Weiskircher said. "(Head) coach (Russ Rose) jokes and tells me that I've been here for nine years now and I'm like yeah pretty much. But it feels like just yesterday that I was a freshman, coming into the Penn State program and just getting after it. It's something you don't quite understand until you experience it."
