The Bounce Back: Kendal Muxlow
This athlete has been making waves in the volleyball scene since her debut outing in her freshman campaign. She has grown from a player with natural raw talent to one of the best volleyball players in the area. She’s the…
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Continue ReadingThis athlete has been making waves in the volleyball scene since her debut outing in her freshman campaign. She has grown from a player with natural raw talent to one of the best volleyball players in the area. She’s the last remaining member of Brown City’s legendary 2016 team that saw the Green Devils sprint all the way to an MHSAA Class C Championship Match.
Losing such a class like the one of the 2016 class. They saw the lossage of 1st team All-Class C members, outside hitter Becki Krause and setter Alexia Mason, seeming to be quite a setback. But Kendal Muxlow would experience an even bigger one post a successful junior campaign, an ACL tear. An injury that typically ends an athlete’s career or sets one back with at least nine months of recovery time. This wouldn’t faze the volleyball and basketball all-state athlete.
Over the course of Muxlow’s career, she has been making just as much noise on the volleyball court as she has the basketball court. The two sport starlet has been a bright commodity for coach Jenna Welke for the past four seasons.
Kendal was welcomed into a mix of a stellar team as a 6-rotation outside hitter as a freshman. She’d help this squad go onto its second consecutive run to a Final Four finish in Class C. She’d put down 261 kills on a .148 hitting clip to go along with 85 aces and 162 digs for her first go-around.
When asked about Kendal’s play since her induction Coach Welke stated. “For 4 years, Kendal has been a crucial piece of our team. As a freshmen, she started every single game and hasn’t left the floor since. She’s always been a 6 rotation player.”
Settled in and molding her play, Muxlow would be a part of the legendary run in Brown City volleyball. She’d be 1 of 5 key returners to the program that’d see them make the next step to a championship match. After being denied to the last game of the season the previous two years. Muxlow and company would not be taking no for an answer! En route to a runner up finish, the Devils would see themselves secure a record of 45-10-5. In contribution to this run, Muxlow would begin to show off her prowess. On the season, notching 337 kills on the season to go along with 116 aces and 216 digs.
“When we made our 2016 run, she was a key part of our team. She was just starting to be able to hit her shots at the net. Her freshmen year she was raw athletic talent. She would go up and swing hard and get great kills.” Welke spoke on the athlete during the stellar 2016 season. “As the 2016 season really started to roll, she was perfecting her swing and really starting to hit gaps, pulling the ball back line and hitting sharp cross on demand. She was seeing holes in the block and not backing down. Her aggressiveness down the stretch really pulled us out of some tight spots. “
After losing such a class including three All-Staters, Muxlow would be the lone returner from these big runs. With the experience under her belt and her talent molded. She’d use her junior campaign to show off what she was truly made of. Leading her squad, Muxlow would boast a .334 hitting percentage to knock down 525 kills. While in the back court, Muxlow put up 51 aces and 334 digs. Although the devils would lose in the regional finals to fellow Thumb team Unionville-Sebewaing. Kendal would lead this team to a 33-9-6 record that’d include yet another conference and district title for the Lady Devils.
2017 would see Kendal achieve all state status in both her sophomore outing in basketball and junior volleyball season. As the reigning All-Thumb Player of the Year in basketball, Muxlow would look to repeat in her junior season. Not even halfway into her campaign the star would experience an ACL tear that’d leave her sitting out the rest of the season. Meanwhile, putting her remaining volleyball career at question due to recovery. To the delight of the Brown City volleyball program, Muxlow has never been one to not rise to the occasion.
Now as the 2018 volleyball season is in full swing, so is Kendal Muxlow! In her senior crusade, the star is all over the court as if she’s never left. Coach Welke would go on to give a sigh of relief her four-year player is back for a last go-around.
“When she tore her ACL during basketball season, I wasn’t sure if she was going to even be back for her senior season. She had a pretty bad tear and an injury like that can take a toll on your body. (Muxlow) worked her butt off in PT and I thought she was joking when she told me she was getting the “all clear” just a week after tryouts. She bounced back like nothing ever happened and has been rolling ever since.”
When asked about her injury, Kendal was nothing but determined! “(The injury) was scary, but having the start of volleyball be at the estimated time I could return gave me a goal to shoot for.”
Kendal continued to speak on her play post-injury. “As I’ve gotten my confidence back in my knee, I don’t think it has affected how I approach the game.”
Not only has she not seem to skip a beat, but she’s been improving. In senior play, Muxlow has increased her hitting percentage even more than years past. This season hitting .388 with 263 kills so far. Not only this, but she’s on pace to best her previous season tally for digs and aces. With less than two months left of play, Muxlow has put up 218 digs and 31 aces.
Kendal is undecided on where her future is, but knows it’ll include a basketball. “I’m hoping to play basketball in college, having lost the summer AAU season I’m not going to know all my options until after this basketball season.”