As freshman Katie Rickabaugh headed down South Hill on her way to women’s crew practice, her phone rang. It was junior Ivan Dashkov, an assistant coach of the volleyball team and coach of the women’s club volleyball team.

“Ivan called me and said, ‘Donovan wants you to go to practice,’” Rickabaugh said. “And if they like you, they will offer you a spot.“

The next day, Rickabaugh was signing her NCAA commitment papers and unexpectedly became the newest member of the Bombers.

Starting the season with only 12 players on the roster, the Bombers have had to claw their way out of a serious deficiency of players. Since the beginning of the season, the volleyball team has been fending off injuries.

First came the loss of sophomore Jess Hoeffner, a powerful outside hitter who showed great potential as a freshman last season. The loss was coupled with the sidelining of sophomore hitter Chelsea Hayes, who was unable to compete for a large portion of the season. Freshman Stephanie Lavallato, who had been stepping up to fill the offensive void left by Hoeffner and Hayes, fractured her foot a couple of weeks ago and has been sidelined since. Adding to the Bombers’ injury woes, sophomore Liz Previte suffered a severely sprained ankle during Monday’s practice.

Head Coach Janet Donovan said she refuses to let theses injuries affect the Bombers. Instead, she decided to look elsewhere for possible athletes at Ithaca College.

Donovan said she was hesitant to give a young newcomer such a large role, but she felt Rickabaugh’s six years of volleyball experience had prepared her well for collegiate play.

Rickabaugh, who is in the five-year occupational therapy program, had planned on saving her first year of NCAA eligibility until her sophomore year, but because of all the injuries the Bombers suffered, she was asked to step up and fill some big holes.  

Instead of joining the volleyball team right away, she had been pulling double duty, attending practice for both the women’s crew and the women’s club volleyball team, which in the end, made the transition to the varsity team easier.

“For her it was the same net, same court, different faces, but the same game,” Donovan said.

Before seeking out Rickabaugh, Donovan turned to the women’s basketball team where she was given senior Lindsey Jones’ name. During a brief phone exchange, Jones told Donovan she had no previous experience playing volleyball, but that did not deter Donovan from making Jones a part of the team.

“If I was on the basketball team, and our coach brought in a girl that’s never played basketball in her life … I would be like ‘Who is this girl?’” Jones said. “So I was extremely nervous to say the least.”

Jones had decided not to play basketball this season for personal reasons, but she said having been part of a team for most of her life, it was a strange feeling not to have to go to practice every day.

“I’m not looking to be this all-star player, but I enjoy helping the team out in any way that I can, making them be successful,” Jones said.

When Donovan first went to Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dan Raymond for names of potential athletes, he said Jones is “a great kid with a great attitude.” Donovan said Jones has not disappointed.

“It’s fun for myself, the coaching staff and her teammates to watch somebody who just has a phenomenal attitude try something new to help us out,” Donovan said.

Donovan credited Jones’ success at picking up the new sport so quickly to her work ethic, athletic ability and coachability.

“We’ve worked really hard with her, and she’s worked even harder to get where she is,” Donovan said. “She has become our blocking specialist, and she can contribute in some of the matches in order to give some of our starters a rest. She’s done quite well in those matches.”

Upon first joining the team, it was uncertain whether Jones would ever move past the practice court. Now with injuries as prominent as ever and the playoffs lurking, Jones has already seen action in multiple matches including a match against Rutgers-Newark University during the Bomber Invitational, in which she played in all three sets. Donovan said Jones has been improving at a remarkable rate and has already gone from being a practice player to a solid backup.

“I can’t put a ceiling on Lindsey because every time she’s out there, she gets better,” Donovan said.

Rickabaugh had to make a quick adjustment as she made her first start at home against SUNY-Geneseo on Sept. 22, just a few days after committing to the team. Rickabaugh said because of her experience, she

wasn’t nervous. Rickabaugh tallied four kills and 11 digs in her debut.

“I was actually fine once I settled in … I’ve played some pretty competitive volleyball,” she said.

Rickabaugh said that joining the team late created additional obstacles, but Donovan said her new teammates made the transition smooth.

“It was wonderful to see her jump right in with the group and click with them so quickly,” she said. “I was also proud of my own players that they had no problems accepting her right in and going to her, using her skills.”

Donovan said in more than 18 years of coaching, she had never recruited athletes midseason, but this season called for desperate measures.

“With the injuries that we’ve had, I have had no choice but to think outside of the box to help this team, especially this senior class, to have the best year we could possibly have,” Donovan said.