Over the last three years the Pam Pack volleyball program has gone from being a laughingstock to winning laughers, and that’s in large part due to the play of senior Megan Corey.
This year the Washington middle hitter was no joke, as she smashed a career-high 333 kills, while blocking 71 shots and handing out 47 assists to lead the Pam Pack to a 17-8 record and its first playoff win in over a decade.
Playing on a short-handed Pack team, a lot was asked of Corey in her final season and she delivered on a nightly basis, which paved the way for the WHS star to be named the Washington Daily News Volleyball Player of the Year.
“With 333 kills and 71 blocks she was getting it done this year and had a huge impact on the team and was a big part of our success this year,” said Washington’s third-year coach Kelly Slade. “She also has been a key component in helping build the volleyball program. She he’s helped mentor the younger girls, she’s helped teach skills to the others and she’s just been all-around helpful and key in getting the program where it is.”
It may seem like ages ago now, but it was only four years prior that the Pam Pack struggled just to win sets. However, in 2010 Corey and Slade made their debuts with the varsity team and changed the course of the program.
This season the Pam Pack made its second straight playoff appearance, placed second in the Eastern Plains Conference with an 8-2 record, beat 4-A power J.H. Rose and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since Corey was a kid.
“It’s somewhat unreal,” Corey said. “Our group of girls worked really well together because we’ve grown up playing sports together and I think that helped a lot.
“… This year was a lot of fun. We got further than we did last year and that was one of our goals. The girls were a lot of fun to play with.”
While her 300-plus kills were instrumental in Washington’s success, Slade said her play on defense cannot be overlooked.
“As good she is offensively, she’s that good defensively,” Slade said. “She’s just an all-around great player. Sometimes you just have great hitters or great setters or great servers, but she just has it all.”
Aside from being a force up front, the 5-10 senior also played a pivotal role as the team’s leader.
Willing do to do anything for the team, Corey played setter for a while when needed despite being the team’s best hitter, and always lent a helping hand in practice.
“Not only is she very skilled at volleyball, but she also helps the other girls on the court,” Slade said. “She helps teach in a constructive way when she’s on the court and that’s been a big benefit to the team.”