ADAMS TWP — Indiana University of Pennsylvania volleyball coach Zach Shaver treats last season as a minor interruption in the program's run of NCAA Tournament appearances.

Kelsey Rovnan can identify with that.

The Mars senior treats being victimized by an automobile accident two years ago as a minor interruption in her life.

Now the two are joining forces — with nothing but major success in their plans.

IUPfinished 16-22 overall last season, 1-9 in PSACplay, ending a streak of seven consecutive NCAA tourney appearances.

"We had eight seniors two years ago, so last year was just a blip on the screen," Shaver said. "We've got a young, talented team with some good recruits coming in.

"All positions are up for grabs and our incoming freshmen will have a chance to earn starting positions. Kelsey will be going after the most competitive position on the team in middle blocker. We've got five girls going for that spot."

No problem for Rovnan. She's overcome odds before.

Mars has won three section titles over the past three years with three different head coaches — Kevin Walters, Karen Martini and Dan Mountain.

Rovnan was a key performer on each of those teams. She led the Planets in kills and blocks each of the past two years, compiling 162 kills and 62 blocks her senior season.

She was named MVPof her section this past season.

"We won the section all four years,"Rovnan said of her prep volleyball career. "I don't know how we did it. All of those coaching changes got annoying after a while, but I liked all of my coaches."

And Rovnan loved volleyball, so much so that she ignored a doctor's recommendation to give up the sport following a car crash in October of her junior year.

The accident left Rovnan unconscious and she was rushed to the hospital by ambulance.

"They said I had severe brain damage, the worst kind of concussion you can have,"Rovnan said. "I underwent all kinds of tests and experienced some short-term memory loss."

While only hospitalized for 24 hours, Rovnan was not permitted to attend full days of school while her brain healed.

"I had a lot of trouble with my memory all year," she admitted.

As for volleyball, doctors told her that if she got hit on the head a second time, it could be life altering.

"I might not wake up if I got hit hard enough ... That's what they told me,"Rovnan said.

Two weeks after the accident, right before the WPIALplayoffs, the Planets needed a player.

So Rovnan stepped on the court.

"I just told my parents I was playing, that I couldn't imagine my life without volleyball," she said. "They said it was up to me and how I feel. They weren't crazy about it, but what were they going to do?They couldn't lock me in my room for the rest of my life."

Rovnan hasn't quit playing since. She is headache-free and is the only Mars female athlete to receive an athletic scholarship so far this year.

An honor student, she carries a 3.2 grade point average and plans to major in education at IUP.

She has played for the Pittsburgh Elite AAUvolleyball program the past two years as well.

"Kelsey is friendly, energetic, a strong, vocal player who loves to win,"Pittsburgh Elite coach Linda Scahill said. "She works out constantly. She's not a really tall girl, 5-foot-11 or so, but she makes up for it with her athleticism."

Rovnan works out at the YMCAon her own time.

"I lift, I run ... I'm going to work my butt off this summer because I want to play right away (at IUP)," she said.

"I play volleyball all winter, all summer, whenever I can. It's my anti-drug."

Rovnan wasn't even considering IUPbefore Shaver actively recruited her. She was looking at Clarion, Bethany and West Virginia.

Her Pittsburgh Elite team won a bid tournament at IUPrecently, with Rovnan's future teammates in the stands cheering her on.

"I know that meant a lot to her," Scahill said.

It means a lot to Rovnan just to be playing.

"I do feel fortunate,"she said. "I'm blessed to have the athleticism that I have. A lot of people never get this chance."