Gallagher fills in for Granado

Freshman Katie Gallagher is doing something difficult, her teammates said. The setter is temporarily taking over for senior setter Whitney Granado, a three-year starter and team captain.

Granado is out with mononucleosis until mid to late September, IU Assistant Coach Paul Koncir said.

Granado is not being replaced by a scrub, though. Gallagher was named first team All-State by the News Gazette her senior year of high school.

Filling in for Granado has been difficult. The senior has been working with some of her teammates for three years.

Granado established herself as one of the team’s leaders this summer, IU Coach Sherry Dunbar said.

“Leadership is something developed,” Dunbar said. “Katie doesn’t quite have that yet. She’s almost invisible to be honest, and for the situation we’re in, it’s nice to be invisible and let other people take leadership.”

From Elmhurst, Ill., the 5-foot-8-inch Gallagher has been thrust into the nation’s premiere conference for women’s volleyball, as the Big Ten has more teams in the top 25 than any other conference.

Holding her own in the Big Ten this season, Gallagher leads the conference with 11.91 assists per set.

Gallagher is the only freshman in the top 10 in assists per set in the Big Ten, and she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week earlier this season by topping the 50 assist mark twice in her first three matches.

Despite all the early-season awards, Dunbar said Gallagher still has a lot to learn about the IU offense.

“Katie’s learning a lot right now,” Dunbar said. “She’s trying to learn our offense. She’s trying to learn all these hitters that Whitney’s been setting for a few years already.”

Her teammates said Gallagher has a similar demeanor to Granado’s first-year attitude.

“Katie reminds me a lot of Whitney her freshman year,” senior middle blocker Samantha Thrower said. “But she’s really doing a good job of living up to her potential.”

The main difference between Gallagher and Granado is that Granado is three years older. They have very similar styles, Dunbar said.

“Personality-wise they’re not so different,” Dunbar said. “Whitney has just grown into that position. I think Katie will do the same thing over time, and Whitney is a good role model for Katie right now.”

Gallagher does not have the luxury of being able to see her mentor in action, but instead, Granado has been a vocal leader.

“I haven’t been able to see her as much,” Gallagher said. “I haven’t been able to see her play and learn from her play, but she’s been a great leader vocally and teaching me techniques.”

With Gallagher providing the statistics, the natural question of who will be the primary setter once Granado recovers now lingers with the team. Right now, Gallagher said she only has the interest of the team at heart.

“I’ll always want to play, but you have to do what’s best for the team,” Gallagher said. “If that means having Whitney be in there, that’s what has to be done.”