With 184 kills and counting, freshman Darian Stedman is already making her mark on the volleyball court.

Stedman grew up in Springfield, Oregon, living in the same house for her entire pre-college life.

She began to play volleyball in a local youth league in third grade and went on to play until sophomore year when she gave it up for softball.

Stedman continued to play for her high school team, earning a total of nine varsity letters from volleyball, softball, and basketball.

She originally chose to attend Linfield in order to play for the softball team, and decided to join the volleyball team as well when Coach Shane Kimura reached out to her.

Kimura describes Stedman as “focused, a good communicator,” adding that she “has good energy and encourages her teammates.”

He also pointed out her ability to make good plays and earn points even when the team is out of system, which is a valuable attribute for a volleyball player.

Kimura noted that “she’s not the tallest but because of her athleticism she can do a lot of stuff for us at the net.”

Stedman contributes to more than just the team’s statistics, helping raise the their energy level as well.

Her teammate ErykaKeoho, ’19, said, “Darian is a great teammate and she has a very positive attitude on and off the court.”

Stedman reflected on the volleyball season so far, saying, “We’re learning, and I think everyone can see that. We’re going to be pretty good in the next few years and I’m excited for that.”