By: Athena Salcedo
KENNESAW, Ga. - Senior Caroline Chastang found her final season with the Kennesaw State volleyball team as the peak of a journey grounded in perseverance and friendship.
"My volleyball journey started literally before I was born," Chastang said. Her mother played volleyball at the University of Alabama, and her older sister Lauren was a standout player for Kennesaw State.
She began playing competitively at the age of eight and quickly found her stride. In high school, she played all four years, winning four state championships. "[My coach] taught me … attitude, effort, work ethic," Chastang recalls. "She really shaped me as a person and a player."
Chastang originally attended Mississippi College before transferring to KSU at the end of her sophomore year. She is the only transfer ever in the volleyball program under Head Coach Keith Schunzel.
"I mean, I've known her since she was eight … there are pictures of me and Caroline with Lauren on the court … the history with that family is really special," Coach Schunzel said. "We haven't really had a family that's connected through the years to our program … having her here these last two years has been incredible."
This season, Caroline is embracing her role as a leader. She wants to give everything to her teammates. "Whatever y'all need me to do … I'll do it because it's my last year … let's give it one last go," Chastang says.
Putting pressure on herself used to be something she struggled with, but over time, she's learned to have a new perspective. "Volleyball is a team sport … once I stopped trying to prove something and leaned on my teammates, it changed everything," she reflects.
As she entered the final stretch, Chastang became more intentional about slowing down and appreciating the everyday moments that come with being part of a college team. The long practices, bus rides, and time spent in the locker room are all moments she's learned to cherish. She says she has tried to soak in the relationships she's built, knowing how rare it is to be surrounded by a group that cares as deeply about one another as they do about the sport itself.
Though her volleyball future is still unfolding, Caroline knows she's not done yet, "[This sport has] impacted me so much … I just can't see myself leaving it behind."
When asked how she wants to be remembered, she doesn't mention her stats. "I hope people remember who I was and how I held myself … I want to be remembered for how I made people feel," she says.
Chastang has one last chance to make more memories of her time as an Owl, as Kennesaw State opens play in the Conference USA Quartefinals on Friday night when they take on Jacksonville State.
