In a season of changes for Syracuse, senior Lindsay McCabe has been a constant.

While there’s been three injuries to starters and three position switches around her, McCabe’s continued her steady, five-year climb up the SU record books to become first all-time in block assists, third in total blocks and second in blocks per set.

“She has this kind of combination of dream of every coach,” SU head coach Leonid Yelin said. “She’s (a) dedicated student. She’s (a) dedicated volleyball player … She’s definitely one of the players who you really, really want.”

Heading into SU’s final two weeks of games, McCabe has led Syracuse (8-18, 1-13 Atlantic Coast) with her blocking success on the court and leadership off it. As a team captain, she’s fostered the development of freshman middle blocker Leah Levert, who is primed to take her place.

This weekend, SU travels to Miami (18-7, 11-3) for a 7 p.m. game Friday and to No. 8 Florida State (24-2, 12-2) for a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday. McCabe has a concussion, Yelin said, and won’t be traveling with the team, but her influence will be there.

“She’s very adaptable, she’s very open, she’s a good listener, she’s very disciplined,” Yelin said. “And I think all these qualities she has as a person has helped her to be good volleyball player.”

McCabe is first on Syracuse in every blocking category and has upped her offensive output in the wake of injuries to two of SU’s key hitters. She’s scored five or more points in all but four of Syracuse’s games this season and has had multiple block assists in all but one.

SU has experienced a host of injuries this season, forcing Yelin to move players around and tinker with his lineups. But McCabe has remined a starting middle blocker all season, and is one of only three SU players to start every match.

“There’s never a game where I feel like I’m not amped up and ready to compete because my competitiveness is something that I have in every aspect of my life,” she said.

Levert said McCabe helps her analyze her game. Levert, a strong blocker, spent the season working on her hitting and has become more consistent of late on offense.

Against Boston College last Sunday, Levert ran from her position in the middle of the court to the right corner to receive a set and smacked the ball home for a kill, giving SU its second point of the match.

In the third set down three, McCabe made a similar running kill, turned around to her teammates, let out a triumphant yell and launched her arms upwards in a double fist pump. The similarities between McCabe and Levert’s games are growing.

“She is obviously amazing at her position and looking at her, I have to focus, basically, on replicating everything she does,” Levert said.

“I think she’s an amazing hitter so the bar is really high for me. I hope I can live up to it.”

McCabe described the impending end of her career as “bittersweet,” but said she’s ready to move on. She hopes to play professionally overseas and Yelin said she has a “bright future” in the sport.

Yelin did not recruit McCabe but found himself lucky to have her once he got to Syracuse. This year, she’s made his life easier by staying healthy and producing consistently.

Said Yelin: “I hope our young people looking at her, they look up to her, but not only on the volleyball court but in school too.”

Published on November 20, 2014 at 12:06 am