“I thought I could give up volleyball and focus on nursing school,” Wischmeier said. “But I immediately began to regret it! I thought about it every day. Coach (Jose Olivo) told me the position was mine if I wanted it…and decided I had to at least try it for one year.”
And the Crimson Pride is so glad she did!
Wischmeier can often be found huddling with the team’s other middle, Kenze Bostic, as they discuss strategy and share ideas. Off the court, Kera finds support in her fellow nursing students/teammates Cora Baker and Madison Hunter—they even study together on bus rides to and from games.
At first, it took some getting used to, taking college classes and playing volleyball at the collegiate level with a new team and coaches. Understandably, she had become accustomed to her Brownstown teammates—she had played with the same group of girls since the fifth grade!
“You get used to having the same person next to you, and I had the same high school coach for all four years, too,” she said. “This is different, but it’s a good different.”
She said says various personalities on her Crimson Pride team work well together on the court, noting that a lot of volleyball is mental, and it’s crucial to trust one other. As a second-year program, she says they’re improving a lot, challenging bigger teams and only getting better.
“Kera is part of the nursing program, and her dedication to academics is a virtue. We are very happy that she also decided to play volleyball for IU Columbus!” Coach Olivo emphasized.