Kristen Liberty, Colorado College, Volleyball

KRISTEN LIBERTY OF COLORADO COLLEGE, a junior middle and outside hitter on the women's volleyball team from Dallas, Texas, has been selected the SCAC Character & Community Female Student-Athlete-of-the-Week for the week ending November 17, 2013.

When Colorado College dedicated the El Pomar Fitness Center and the Adam F. Press Fitness Center on May 3, 2012, it came as no surprise that Liberty was selected to speak on behalf of the college’s student-athletes.

Though only a sophomore at the time, Liberty was perfectly at ease and delivered a superb performance in what for many others could have been a very stressful situation.

Addressing a group of dignitaries and donors that included some of the most influential leaders from the college as well as the city of Colorado Springs, Liberty impressed everyone in attendance with her heart-felt remarks that were delivered without the benefit of notes.

But coming through in the clutch is nothing new for the junior captain of CC’s nationally-ranked volleyball team which recently made its 16th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

During her first three seasons, Liberty has helped the Tigers post a 91-22 overall record and a 33-5 mark in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.

One of her most memorable performances occurred during the final set of the 2012 SCAC Championship against Trinity at Reid Arena. With her team trailing 23-21 in the third set, Liberty smashed a pair of kills, blocked a shot and then had the assist on Kate Squire’s title-clinching spike.

Her leadership was especially important this season when Colorado College had no seniors and only two juniors among its primary 11-player rotation.

The young squad followed Liberty’s example and finished the 2013 campaign with a 35-5 record, the second most victories in a single season that was first set in 1983 and equaled for a second time in 2009.

While Liberty’s leadership has been an integral part of the team’s success, those skills are not confined to the court.

For the last two years, Liberty has volunteered with the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center’s Adaptive Ski & Ride School, teaching mentally and physically disabled people to ski and snowboard.

An avid backpacker, she also is trained as a Wilderness First Responder (WFR).

Liberty has served as a tournament director for Rocky Mountain Region USA Volleyball tournaments that have used Colorado College’s facilities, and coached on a volunteer basis with Team Colorado and at CC’s summer volleyball camps.

With the conclusion of the 2013 volleyball season, Liberty will begin working as a volunteer at Planned Parenthood.

A neuroscience major with a 3.3 grade-point average, Liberty is on a pre-nursing track and plans to pursue a career as a mental health nurse practitioner focusing on therapy work with young adults.