It took Kailey Carissa McMahon about a year. 

Highly recruited out of Fountain Hills High School in Phoenix, she came to Wyoming a year ago with a suitcase full of honors and records.

"It didn't take me very long to realize that everyone was as tall as I was, and everyone hit the ball hard on this level," McMahon says. "I had a lot to learn, I had to understand my role and I had to get used to coming off the bench.  There were some difficult times, but I did learn a lot, and I'm still figuring it out.  It really helps to have great coaches and teammates."

A year after arriving in Laramie KC, as everyone calls her, has had a very positive impact on the program. She finished the regular season leading the Cowgirls in kills (318).  She produced 218 of those kills in conference play when it mattered most.  She led the Cowgirls in kills in seven league matches.

The rest of the league's coaches were certainly sold on her. She was one of four Cowgirls to earn All-Mountain West Conference honors.  And, just a sophomore!

McMahon is one of the big reasons that the Cowgirls are in the post-season.  They were invited to host the first and second rounds of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC). The tournament begins this evening with Boise State and Weber State matching up first, followed by the Cowgirls hosting Northwestern State at 6:30 p.m. in the UniWyo Sports Complex.

"It's been fun seeing KC's growth," says her head coach, Chad Callihan.  "It takes the young players about a year to really understand that there's so much that goes into being successful, like diet and rest.  You have to take care of your body. Those things contribute to how you compete on the floor.

"KC has learned a lot on the floor as well.  Like any young player she is learning how to be successful at this level, things like how to shape the ball, and how to swing higher.  I'm sure she would say she has plenty of room for improvement, but she's getting there.  She has a very high ceiling."

McMahon has all the tools to be a dominating player, and she has demonstrated that in just her second year in the program. Her arm strength, for instance, is a special quality. 

"I have had to make changes," she says.  "I focused on hitting, changing up my shots, while getting stronger.  I've worked hard at blocking, and I think I'm getting better there.  Every position on the floor is a challenge.  Hitting and blocking is a challenge, and I've really enjoyed taking on those challenges."

When KC came on her visit to Wyoming, during her senior year of high school, she had 10 more visits scheduled from universities everywhere.  "What I found at Wyoming was a great place," she says.  "I loved the girls, I loved the coaches.  I just loved everything about it, so I called and committed to Wyoming, and didn't make the rest of my trips."

The fact that she really loves the outdoors contributed to her decision.  That love has led to her hobby, photography.  She loves hiking and taking pictures, and enjoys doing that in her spare time.  At some point she might like to get a little more serious about that hobby.

"I took a couple of photography classes in high school, and I think it is a great past time to have.  I don't have equipment and I'm not very good, but I'd like to be.  I love taking pictures of nature.  There is so many great subjects around here with the mountains, and the sunsets."

In the meantime, KC is leaving her options open as far as college is concerned.  "I'm still deciding," she says. "I'm interested in teaching, working with kids, but I've also thought about something in the health field.  Which way I go will be interesting."

In addition to volleyball, McMahon played golf, sand volleyball and basketball.  Her dad's side of the family are golfers and she enjoys playing.  She admits that sand volleyball was her favorite.  

Right now, she loves being a Cowgirl.

By design, the coaching staff put together an extremely challenging early schedule.  While it obviously made the Cowgirls more battle-tested for conference play, it did create a slow start.

"We've always had the capability," she says of the Cowgirls, "but it took us a little while to get going.  Once conference play began, we got into a rhythm. Our seniors have been amazing in helping put together the kind of season we have.

"Certainly CSU is the standard everyone in the league wants to reach," KC continues.  "I really think we are right there.  They have an amazing program, and I love their mentality.  They don't let things bother them.  We are getting there, and I like the direction we are going.

"We are really excited to be still playing," she says about the NIVC.  "I think we are getting very close to the NCAA Tournament which is everyone's ultimate goal.  We know we are capable of that. But we are in the post season, and we are still playing, and that makes it special. 

"It's even better having the opportunity to play at home," she continues.  "Like everyone, we play better here.  There is so much energy from our crowd in the UniWyo that you want to play your hardest. It's the best home court advantage of any we see all year.  I'm sure it's very difficult for opponents to come here and play well. We have a great atmosphere."

These Cowgirls have created that atmosphere by the way they play.  They are never out of a match, and have proven that time-and-again this season.

Plan on the same resolve and the same UniWyo excitement as the Cowgirls compete in the post season this week.  And plan on KC McMahon being right in the middle of it for years to come.