On paper, Allison Kearney is a freshman.

But the players on the volleyball team don’t look at her like that at all.

‘I’m impressed that she doesn’t play, act or lead like a freshman,’ senior Corey Domek said of Kearney. ‘She is a leader out on the court and very verbal. You know, you never know what you’re going to get with a freshmen when they come in, whether they are shy or not, and she definitely is not, so that’s good.’

Graduating from high school a semester early, Kearney-who was the only BG player named to the Best Western Falcon Plaza Invitational all-tournament team last weekend-came to BGSU last spring to get a head start in college and volleyball.

Kearney was not connected with Triway High School in any special way, so she thought leaving early was her best option.

‘Looking back, I think it was a really good decision that I made,’ she said. ‘I was fine coming here early and I think it gave me an advantage. Knowing what coach was like, knowing what the staff and players were like was a big advantage.’

Entering college early and presenting herself like she does is something coach Denise Van De Walle is extremely impressed with.

‘Her maturity level is high and she carries herself much older than she is,’ Van De Walle said. ‘She has gained the team’s respect with her work ethic. She is a very hard worker in the gym, she’s competitive and plays hard every day. She’s invested in the program.’

Van De Walle, Domek and the rest of the volleyball team see how mature she is everyday, and Kearney is not afraid to admit she finds herself to be a very mature person, too.

‘I had to deal with loss a lot when I was younger,’ she said. ‘So, I think doing that makes you more mature and makes you realize what life is all about. That was a big part in making me grow up a bit faster.’

While her maturity level and work ethic has impressed others, her numbers on the court have too.

Kearney is leading the Falcons in assists with 362, an average of 10.97 assists per set and in serving with a .868 hitting percentage. Also on her resume this season are 37.5 points and 22 kills.

While Kearney is happy with the role she is playing this season and how she has performed, she is also very pleased with the other players on the team.

‘The upperclassmen have been doing a good job of leading and keeping everyone on task, but I try to do my part as a freshmen setter,’ Kearney said. ‘As a setter, your normal tendency is to lead, so I try to lead by example.’

But she won’t take all the credit in the setter she’s become.

‘I have learned a lot from junior setter Sam Fish,’ she said. ‘We talk on a regular basis and she tells me things to do, so I think she’s taken me under her wing as an upperclassmen setter.’

‘We actually do communicate and we do have a good friendship. We agree with a lot of things that go on, out on the court, so it works out pretty well,’ she added.

Though Kearney has learned a lot from several players on the team, Domek thinks she’s handling her role very well and players are even looking up to her.

‘She’s actually taking some of the freshmen under her wing and showing them some of the ropes that we taught her when she came early,’ Domek said. ‘I’m really excited to see what she does this weekend.’

Kearney is excited for this weekend, but in the back of her mind, there are goals she still wants to accomplish.

‘My goal is just to play the best I can for my team,’ she said. ‘[I want to] do my role, fulfill my job and lead my team in ways which I can as a setter. I’m blessed to be on a team that doesn’t put a lot of pressure on me.’