How a position switch led Slippery Rock volleyball’s Lexi Caldwell to a milestone
Lexi Caldwell did not exactly savor her first two years of playing volleyball.
“I was a libero for two years in middle school,” she said. “I tried, you could probably say I was a scrappy player, but I didn’t like playing in the back row.”
When Caldwell was a freshman, Slippery Rock coach Brandon Ferrier believed she could contribute more, and enjoy the sport to a greater degree, if she moved to setter.
“I noticed she had great hands and quick feet,” the veteran coach said. “She was eager to put work into playing the position and I saw her as a player who could grow into a leadership role.
“She was a setter on the junior varsity team as a freshman, then split time on varsity with Zoey Pankratz as a sophomore. We eased her into the position, but knew she’d be ready at some point.”
Caldwell took over as the Rockets’ top setter last year and recently reached 1,000 assists in her varsity career.
“I started getting comfortable with playing setter toward the end of my sophomore year, and I was determined to get better,” Caldwell said. “I didn’t really set getting to 1,000 as a goal. I just wanted to play and see us be successful as a team.”
Caldwell also plays setter for MVP Volleyball, a club organization for which Ferrier serves as a coach. Any success Slippery Rock (7-3) meets with this season will be due in large part to her efforts to learn everything she can about the position.
“Brandon gives me tips and I talk to other setters,” she said. “My social media feed is mainly volleyball. I follow several accounts on Instagram, try to mirror things that can help me.”
The Rockets use a 5-1 system (one setter). Caldwell tallied 656 assists in 2025, helping Slippery Rock to a District 10 Region 3 crown, and has dished out 295 of the team’s 344 assists this season. Hitters counting on her to be on her game include Gia Kovacik, Kasey Yeager, Autumn Christie and Savannah Smith. The quartet has combined for 282 kills through 10 matches.
“Savannah can put the ball where teams can’t get to it,” Caldwell said. “Kasey hits the ball so hard. ... Our team has some great hitters and they’ve all worked hard.”
Caldwell’s impact on the team extends beyond her assists.
“She helps the defense get in the right spot,” Ferrier said. “When we need to go up-tempo, Lexi helps us pick up the pace.
“You saw her out there tonight,” Ferrier said following a tight 3-2 victory over Mercer last Monday. “She was calm, cool and collected.”
