Sophomore outside hitter Caity DuPont began playing organized volleyball in fifth grade. By the time she graduated high school, her accolades included a 2005 State Championship, three all-Southeast Conference MVP awards and two all-state first team honors. She was also named MVP of the 16-open division at the 2004 USA Volleyball Junior Olympics - about the time UW head coach Pete Waite noticed the outstanding athlete from Muskego, Wis.
When we started watching her as a sophomore in high school, we noticed her intensity,"" Waite said. ""She was so serious on the court. We knew it was something she would bring to us at the college level.""
DuPont's passion for the game followed her to the Field House, and her teammates noticed immediately. They describe DuPont as an intense competitor and an energy booster on and off the court.
""Caity brings a lot of energy to the team,"" sophomore outside hitter Brittany Dolgner said. ""She brings a great jump serve, great blocking and great shots out of the left side. She can pull off those line shots that Al and I are still working on.""
""Caity is very vocal - she is probably he most vocal of the three outsides,"" freshman outside hitter Allison Wack said. ""She's just a screamer. She makes it known that she wants the ball. She hits a really heavy ball and really brings a lot of heat.""
Thus, when DuPont got the call to start at outside hitter at the Loyola Marymount University Invitational last weekend, she showed her intensity and re-established herself as a dominant force at the net. She broke her career-high in kills against Columbia with 10 Friday night, and then topped her high mark again Saturday afternoon against Tulane with 13.
Waite was also pleased with DuPont's weekend tournament play, as he gave the sophomore some valuable court time.
""The weekend in L.A. was great for her because she's getting more experience on the court,"" he said. ""She's working really hard and becoming a more alert and smart blocker. Offensively over the weekend she brought some heat and got a lot of kills and got us those two wins.""
That court experience is exactly what DuPont treasures most.
""Losing Maria [Carlini], who was such a great player and had so many years on the court ... coming in and filling her shoes is a big job,"" DuPont said. ""I'm just learning how to block out there and filling that spot to the best of my abilities.""
As serious as DuPont is on the court, she assumes an entirely different role once the team is back in the locker room.
""I have played ball with Caity for six years, and she is the mother, absolutely,"" Wack said. ""She, even in club, would say, 'If you guys are sick, don't high-five anyone.' She constantly has a box of Kleenex with her, and [is] always the one who wants to take care of everyone.""
According to Dolgner and Wack, DuPont also holds an interesting fascination with a famous late-1980s TV show.
""She is completely obsessed with the Golden Girls,"" Dolgner said. ""Her car is named Blanche, so that says everything right there.""
Perhaps it is surprising then that DuPont chose to play at UW rather than St. Olaf.
