By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Rottinghaus name was already a familiar one in Washburn University volleyball lore before Taylor Rottinghaus ever stepped on campus, with her older sister Faith a five-time All-American, a national NCAA Division II runnerup and the Ichabods' all-time digs leader.
Taylor Rottinghaus
But in just one season Taylor is well on the way to carving out her own legacy at WU, earning All-MIAA Tournament and all-conference second-team honors in 2023 as a freshman defensive specialist/libero.
A former three-sport standout at Shawnee Heights, Taylor Rottinghaus played in all 28 matches (96 of 103 sets) for the 17-11 Ichabods last fall while leading the team in digs with 444 on the year (4.63 average per set) and also recording 78 assists with seven service aces.
If Taylor felt any pressure being the little sister an Ichabod legend, who played the same position, Rottinghaus said it quickly dissipated.
"Coming in I felt a little pressure, but I would say the pressure was gone within a week and nothing regarding Faith happened at all last year -- it was only Taylor,'' Rottinghaus said.
And although Faith was around for support if needed, Taylor said her sister remained in the background.
"She left me alone and she let me do my own thing, which I really appreciate,'' Taylor said.
Former Shawnee Heights multi-sport standout Taylor Rottinghaus earned second-team All-MIAA recognition as a freshman libero for Washburn volleyball last season. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Rottinghaus, who received All-United Kansas Conference recognition in volleyball, basketball and track at Shawnee Heights and was a Class 5A state medalist in track, admitted that there were a few growing pains making the jump from high school to college, but said she was pleased with her season overall and is looking for bigger things for herself and her team this fall.
"I feel like it was a pretty good freshman season,'' Rottinghaus said. "Obviously our team overall wasn't as good as I feel like we could have been, but we worked really hard and pushed ourselves and I feel like coming in last year as a freshman and playing and now being a sophomore this year I'll be able to be a better leader for my girls out on the court.
"I feel 100 percent more comfortable, especially with these girls. I've been around them and we only lost a few, and with all these (eight) freshmen coming, in I feel like we're pretty close already.''
Washburn will open its season Sept. 5-7 in the Kansas City Classic, facing Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sept. 5), Winona State (Sept. 6) and William Jewell (Sept. 7).
The Ichabods will not play at home until Oct. 3, opening a three-game homestand with an MIAA tilt against Pittsburg State.
