BCR Volleyball Player of the Year: Kate Salisbury provides new coach with floor leader

MANLIUS - When Saige Barnett returned to her alma mater to coach the Bureau Valley volleyball team this season she knew right where to turn to find a team leader.

Senior Kate Salisbury was a returning two-year varsity starter at setter and provided the leadership the first-year Storm coach was looking for.

“Kate had an impressive season for us this year. She was a senior setter that we could rely on in those tough moments,” Barnett said. “She was a threat at the net, but also was able to utilize her hitters in an impressive way. She is a student of the game and is learning more each time she steps on the court. She will be missed in the coming years, but I couldn’t be more proud.”

She is a student of the game and is learning more each time she steps on the court.”
— Saige Barnett

Salisbury lived up to all her new coach’s expectations and then some.

The senior setter dished out 450 assists (6.0) with 35 blocks (0.46), 98 kills (1.3) and 23 aces (0.30).

She was one of four unanimous Three Rivers East All-Conference selections.

For all of her accomplishments, Salisbury is the 2023 BCR Volleyball Player of the Year.

“She was honored with unanimous first-team all-conference recognition and that speaks for itself,” Barnett said. “The TRAC East has many talented girls and for her to be recognized by each of the coaches for the talent that she has is special.”

Salisbury admittedly was a little nervous having a whole new coaching staff with Barnett succeeding Caitlyn DeMay, the coach she played for, as head coach.

“I kind of had to step back and not get so stuck on our old habits of what we used to do. Learn a bunch of new drills, how we warmed up even. (Learn) her coaching style compared to what we had,” she said. “I think it was good that we had a completely new start. It gave girls a chance that maybe didn’t play the year before that maybe they could prove themselves. Overall, I had a fun year with the new coaching staff.

“A little bummed how far we went in the postseason, but the game we ended on (regional opener vs. Rockridge) was very competitive and it was a very close game (25-23, 25-21). And I think all the seniors went out very strong how they wanted to.”

Bureau Valley’s Kate Salisbury sets the ball against Newman Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023 at Newman. She is the 2023 BCR Player of the Year. (Alex T. Paschal)

It took the Storm a little bit to get over the awe factor that Barnett, who is perhaps the most decorated BV female athlete in school history, was going to be their coach.

“Once it hit season, she made it clear, ‘I’m coach. No more Saige. It’s coach.’ After that, no one struggled with it at all. We learned pretty quickly,” Salisbury said.

As Salisbury matured on the court and gained confidence, her game took off.

“I gained a lot of confidence throughout the years, which I think has helped tremendously on the court, she said. “Whenever I’d make a mistake sophomore year, I was never able to bounce back. I’d get nervous that I just made a mistake. But as a senior, it was, ‘Ok, it’s just one. Go get the next one.’”

Salisbury put a notch on her belt this season when she joined the 1,000 assists club for her career, ranking among the top 4 in school history.

“I remember looking at the records my freshmen year. I didn’t really know what a good number was back then,” she said. “As I went on, sophomore year, I had 300 and I thought maybe I can get this. When I hit a thousand it was just a really good feeling.”

Salisbury would like to continue to play volleyball and a recent change of plans for her future endeavors may allow her to do so.

“I was thinking about going into nursing, but I wasn’t sure if I could handle nursing and also be playing a sport because nursing is a lot and college sports is a lot,” she said. “But recently, I’ve been thinking about switching my major into something that’s not nursing and a little less overwhelming. So, I’ve been looking more into playing now that I’m switching.”