Athlete Recognition: Kendyl Wagner

By LIZZY KUBANCEK

For the week of Oct. 27, Kendyl Wagner, junior defensive specialist and libero, earned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference [PSAC] West Player of the Week for Women’s Volleyball after a sweep against PennWest California. 

Wagner showed-out and shut down with a 16 point serving run against PennWest Cal., as well as 54 digs, nine assists, and five aces. “That run of 16 is an NCAA record,” said Head Volleyball Coach Richard Hall. “I’ve been coaching forever and I’ve never had a kid serve 16 in a row, and that was against a very good serve receive team,” said Hall. 

Earning player of the week “felt really good,” said Wagner, furthering that she “never got an award for something before in college.” 

“She’s the backbone of our team. … I think it was very well deserved that she got that from the PSAC,” said Hall. 

“I feel like it is obviously good to get that many serves in a row but also that goes back to the team. The team had to play really good, flawlessly for 16 points. I don’t feel like it was just because of me,” said Wagner.

“If I make a mistake I just tell myself like, dude, you’re fine. And then it kind of just clears my mind and I want the ball to come to me again,” Wagner said.

Keira Dunn, sophomore defensive specialist, said, “She [Wagner] doesn’t really let anything get her down. Anytime a ball comes over the net she knows she can get it. She goes after everything, she doesn’t let anything drop without trying. Her confidence is just on another level.”

“To be quite honest, I’ve never seen her down in two and a half years,” said Hall. 

The award “definitely motivated me more than anything,” said Wagner. “Just continue to do well, and for me it’s doing my job on the court and making sure I’m not only being a good player, but a better teammate.”

“I was going over video [footage] the other day, and it doesn’t matter what happens, when it happens, or where it happens, she is always smiling. Her personality really helps the team,” said Hall. 

Wagner said that she doesn’t usually “experience a lot of anxiety during the high-pressure moments [of the game],” and gets “most nervous right before the games start,” said Wagner. “I’ll have such bad anxiety but it usually goes away once we get into the flow of the game.”

“She’s good for the team. You know, I’m sort of crabby, and she doesn’t care. She’s just wonderful for the team and the coaches to be around because of her demeanor,” said Hall. 

Hall attributed a lot of Wagner’s skillset to her club and high school coaching. “Usually for kids that try to commit as a freshman [in college] and play, it’s the speed of our game that gets them. We’ve had a couple great kids, including Kenny [Kendyl], that have just caught up to it right away. And so that’s how she got to play right away,” said Hall. 

As a freshman, Wagner appeared in 29 games, had 11 starts, and led the team in digs with 321 on the season. She finished the 2024-2025 season with 290 digs, and currently has 325 and counting for the 2025-2026 season.