After starting in just nine matches as a freshman, senior Molly Lohman has made her way into a leadership role despite a reserved presence.
“Most people would say she’s pretty quiet,” said head coach Hugh McCutcheon. “She’s probably more of an introvert”.
However, this quiet behavior does not limit Lohman’s role on the court.
“She’s very consistent,” McCutcheon said. “In terms of her leadership, she operates from a position of authenticity.”
Her consistency has landed Lohman preseason accolades as an All-Big Ten selection.
“Consistency on the court,” said senior outside hitter Alyssa Goehner. “Consistency in the classroom and doing her job, which is great for teams.”
Lohman comes from Mankato West High School, where she finished with 853 kills, 51 assists, 94 aces, 250 blocks, and 307 digs. She then came to the University of Minnesota, and began with minimal playing time during her freshman year.
This changed during her sophomore season, when she appeared in every match, while starting in 27 of 35 of them. She also participated with the Team USA collegiate national team as one of 12 members on the 2015 China Tour.
“It was quite a journey for me to get here,” Lohman said. “I’m not the loudest person on the court, and I’ve worked really hard to be a leader, because that’s what they need this year.”
During her junior year Lohman continued her upward growth in the sport, being named honorable mention to the All-Big Ten team. She again participated in the Team USA collegiate national team, which won gold in Europe in 2016.
With her newest accolades, McCutcheon maintains the goals are consistent for Lohman.
“One of the things that I think is wonderful about [Lohman] is that every day she [makes] small improvements that are going to help us,” McCutcheon said. “She was doing things yesterday she wasn’t doing the day before.”
When asked about moments when Lohman gets more vocal, Goehner said Lohman has a role with team logistics.
“The leadership roles with how the team works, with schedules, and speaking up to the team about that kind of stuff,” Goehner said.
In addition to dealing with practical matters, Lohman provides support and assistance to the younger players.
“She serves as a great resource for the younger girls to come to her about school, what it’s like to manage a Division-I sport, as well as a high-functioning team, [and] advice personally with family” Goehner said.
Among returners, Lohman ranks first in blocks and second in kills. She will look to improve on past success as Minnesota plays No. 5 Texas, among other teams, in the Texas Tournament over the weekend.
