University of North Texas Athletics
York Prepares For Last Go-Round
8/15/2018 8:58:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
DENTON - It's August 2015. A 17-year-old Karley York is weeks away from her North Texas volleyball debut and fighting through the team's grueling, three-a-day fall camp schedule. She sits in the shadow of Amy Henard, one of the program's all-time greatest setters, trying to soak up as much as she can.
"I was more excited than anything," York said. "I was nervous, of course, but excited to finally get started."
Fast forward three years. York is coming off an all-region caliber season in which she finished fourth in the nation in total assists (1,441) and sixth in assists per set (11.80), positioning her to pass her mentor on the all-time assists leaderboard if she matches her 2017 total.
"I feel like I was just a freshman, so it's kind of weird," York said. "It has been so fun seeing my growth individually since I came in as a 17-year old."
"I'm ready for this last go."
A lot has changed in York's time in a Mean Green uniform. Seeing players come and go. Orchestrating a 16-win turnaround from 2016 to 2017. One of the only constants has been a setter-minded coach with numbers to show for it.
When all is said and done this season, two of the top three assist leaders in program history will have achieved it in head coach Andrew Palileo's system. Looking back on her growth as a setter, York points to her understanding of the system as what grew the most.
"After every match, I was in his office watching film trying to see where I could improve," York said, "whether it was going over strategies for the next week based on our opponents or improving a tactical part of the game."
The development of her volleyball IQ takes a little bit off Palileo's plate to have that confidence in his floor general, even with lots of new faces and types of games on this year's squad.
"The thing Karley has a good grasp on is that it doesn't matter which player is in what position," Palileo said. "She knows what progressions to look for. For us, it's less about the hitters, but whether the setter understands the system."
In addition to being the starting setter and a second-year team captain, York has the added responsibility of passing along the torch at the end of the season to one of the team's two incoming setters, freshman Kylie Brown or Illinois-Chicago transfer Kaliegh Skopal.
But it's no added pressure for York.
"We've been working at it all summer," York said. "Kylie has been here since January and has seen how I do things as a setter. Kaliegh has been here since June. It's awesome to be the person that they can look up to and see what Pali looks for in his setters."
"I got to learn that from Amy."
Now in a similar boat as York at 17, freshman setter Brown is cherishing her one season underneath York's wing before she attempts to follow suit and etch her name into the record book.
"It's nice having her as a leader because she leads by example," Brown said. "She shows us where to go and what plays to run. She has everything organized."
As York comes full circle in the mentor-mentee relationship, she reflects and shares what she would tell her 17-year-old self.
"You can do it. No matter how hard the day is, you'll survive. It goes in a blink of an eye so enjoy it while you can."
"I was more excited than anything," York said. "I was nervous, of course, but excited to finally get started."
Fast forward three years. York is coming off an all-region caliber season in which she finished fourth in the nation in total assists (1,441) and sixth in assists per set (11.80), positioning her to pass her mentor on the all-time assists leaderboard if she matches her 2017 total.
"I feel like I was just a freshman, so it's kind of weird," York said. "It has been so fun seeing my growth individually since I came in as a 17-year old."
"I'm ready for this last go."
A lot has changed in York's time in a Mean Green uniform. Seeing players come and go. Orchestrating a 16-win turnaround from 2016 to 2017. One of the only constants has been a setter-minded coach with numbers to show for it.
When all is said and done this season, two of the top three assist leaders in program history will have achieved it in head coach Andrew Palileo's system. Looking back on her growth as a setter, York points to her understanding of the system as what grew the most.
"After every match, I was in his office watching film trying to see where I could improve," York said, "whether it was going over strategies for the next week based on our opponents or improving a tactical part of the game."
The development of her volleyball IQ takes a little bit off Palileo's plate to have that confidence in his floor general, even with lots of new faces and types of games on this year's squad.
"The thing Karley has a good grasp on is that it doesn't matter which player is in what position," Palileo said. "She knows what progressions to look for. For us, it's less about the hitters, but whether the setter understands the system."
In addition to being the starting setter and a second-year team captain, York has the added responsibility of passing along the torch at the end of the season to one of the team's two incoming setters, freshman Kylie Brown or Illinois-Chicago transfer Kaliegh Skopal.
But it's no added pressure for York.
"We've been working at it all summer," York said. "Kylie has been here since January and has seen how I do things as a setter. Kaliegh has been here since June. It's awesome to be the person that they can look up to and see what Pali looks for in his setters."
"I got to learn that from Amy."
Now in a similar boat as York at 17, freshman setter Brown is cherishing her one season underneath York's wing before she attempts to follow suit and etch her name into the record book.
"It's nice having her as a leader because she leads by example," Brown said. "She shows us where to go and what plays to run. She has everything organized."
As York comes full circle in the mentor-mentee relationship, she reflects and shares what she would tell her 17-year-old self.
"You can do it. No matter how hard the day is, you'll survive. It goes in a blink of an eye so enjoy it while you can."
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