When Kim Kuzma isn't break dancing in the locker room, she's on the court taking a beating from her opponents.
The sophomore libero on the No. 21 UW volleyball team is a self-proclaimed glutton for punishment, taking on the barrage of opponents' kills night after night.
I love it. I'm competitive so it's me against the hitter,"" Kuzma said. ""Then, when you dig it up, you're like 'Oh yeah, what else you got?'""
The libero, though a relatively new position in collegiate volleyball, has revolutionized defensive strategy for the sport. Although she wears a different colored jersey, the libero, as well as Kuzma, has become one of the most important roles for a team's success.
As a freshman, Kuzma had a role model in former Badger standout Jocelyn Wack, who set a new school record with 2,182 digs in her four seasons at Wisconsin.
""Jo was a very steady player - that was probably one of the main things she was best at,"" Kuzma said. ""On defense, she was always very still and very good at reading [the other team's hitters].""
""She was always really calm, too. Sometimes I can get angry at myself and she was good at shaking stuff off, not that she had many things to shake off, but just watching her helped me to be calm and collected.""
While Kuzma took a few notes from Wack's style of play, she has felt very little pressure to compare to her mentor's résumé just yet.
""I've been playing volleyball my whole life and I've played libero for club and with the USA team,"" Kuzma said. ""[Wack] is a great player and there are big shoes to fill, but I'm just excited to be playing the position that I'm in.""
With a veteran group of Wack, Amanda Berkley, Megan Mills and Faye McCormack heading the defensive effort last year, Kuzma could have chosen to redshirt last season. Yet, the Muncie, Ind., native refused to sit out an entire season.
""We said, 'Kim, we've got a lot of upperclassmen there, would you consider redshirting so you can play an extra year and not play behind these players?' and she said no,"" head coach Pete Waite said. ""I asked, 'Do you want to think about it overnight' and she said no. So we knew she was very competitive and she wanted to battle and get out on the court.""
Even with such a deep core of proven talent, Kuzma earned herself some quality playing time at the defensive specialist position by putting in extra time before practices.
""From the first day of practice last year when she knew she had to battle for it, we told her she needed to have a stronger serve and more consistent passing,"" Waite said. ""She put in 30 minutes extra all season long to improve in those areas and she got out there, she earned it, and she did a nice job and kept getting better.""
Unlike anyone from last years' squad, Kuzma has had to adjust to the 6-2 offense, leaving just two players to receive an attack. Kuzma and sophomore outside hitter Allison Wack have thus far taken the reigns in the back row - a move that Kuzma in particular appreciates.
""I like it because it's a lot better with communication - if it's not mine, it's hers,"" Kuzma said. ""Depending on where the server serves you say which one has the seam. There's not as much traffic.""
Waite knew that the 6-2 offense could be used this season, particularly because of Kuzma's defensive drive.
""We've gone from a three-passer system to a two-passer system in order to actually allow players like Al and Kim to have freer reign on the court,"" Waite said. ""She'd like to do a one-passer rotation if she could.
