Since she arrived in 2014, senior Cheyenne Spell has become the poster child of Bulldog volleyball: hustle, heart, passion and grit.
Know Your Bulldogs: Cheyenne Spell
September 04, 2016 | Volleyball
Throughout the 2016 season, HailState.com will be featuring stories on all 14 volleyball Bulldogs, giving you an inside look at who they really are. Our first edition, which appeared in the Mississippi State vs. South Alabama football gameday program, features senior Cheyenne Spell of Diana, Texas.
By: Austin Coats, Mississippi State Media Relations
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It's the end of practice, the balls need to be put away before MSU's head volleyball coach David McFatrich lets the team leave for the day. What does senior defensive specialist Cheyenne Spell do? She snipes a perfect serve into the ball basket.
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"One of my specialties is serving. That's what defensive specialists do, we serve and we dig balls," Spell said, laughing.
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It certainly isn't the most glamorous job for a volleyball player, but Spell has embraced the position since her youth.
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The 5-4 senior grew up in the small town of Diana, Texas, where she captained her high school's varsity volleyball team for two of the four years, and received Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) First team All-State Honors her senior season. After high school she played volleyball at Tyler [TX] Junior College for one year before accepting an offer from Mississippi State.
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Spell had initial interest in playing for Mississippi State, but it was her visit that really convinced her that she wanted to spend the final three years of her collegiate career in Starkville.
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"I loved [the campus], it was beautiful," Spell said. "I got to meet all the girls and they were very welcoming and it just felt like home as soon as I got here."
 And even through a coaching change, it certainly was a great decision as playing under coach McFatrich has improved her game exponentially, according to Spell.
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"When I'm on the court I just feel like I have a swag about me," Spell said. "He gave that to me."
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Just as coaching changes are an inevitable aspect of the game, so too are injuries. Spell was sidelined for two-and-a-half weeks in the 2015 season after sustaining a concussion, and Spell remembers having to spend the duration "in a dark room" to recover. However, she returned to the squad feeling like a new player.
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"It was like I hadn't skipped a beat," Spell said, "I was so refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to get back on the court."
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When Spell came back from the injury, she was immediately tasked with starting at libero, the first time she had played the position all year. She had played the position before in her long career, but her best friend, junior Payton Harris, usually wears the libero jersey for the Bulldogs. While they sometimes battle position wise, Spell says it doesn't affect the relationship at all.
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"It's cool for us. We have a very competitive vibe on the court," Spell said. "But off the court we don't think about it; we're best friends and we push each other to be better."
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Besides being a defensive force for the Bulldogs, Spell is also active weekly around campus with Love Your Melon, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the M-Club. She is currently finishing her degree in exercise science.
By: Austin Coats, Mississippi State Media Relations
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It's the end of practice, the balls need to be put away before MSU's head volleyball coach David McFatrich lets the team leave for the day. What does senior defensive specialist Cheyenne Spell do? She snipes a perfect serve into the ball basket.
Â
ÂMeet @Cheyy23, the @StephenCurry30 of volleyball. #Buckets #HailState pic.twitter.com/6OTetT0vIi
— MSU Volleyball (@HailStateVB) August 19, 2016
"One of my specialties is serving. That's what defensive specialists do, we serve and we dig balls," Spell said, laughing.
Â
It certainly isn't the most glamorous job for a volleyball player, but Spell has embraced the position since her youth.
Â
The 5-4 senior grew up in the small town of Diana, Texas, where she captained her high school's varsity volleyball team for two of the four years, and received Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) First team All-State Honors her senior season. After high school she played volleyball at Tyler [TX] Junior College for one year before accepting an offer from Mississippi State.
Â
Spell had initial interest in playing for Mississippi State, but it was her visit that really convinced her that she wanted to spend the final three years of her collegiate career in Starkville.
Â
"I loved [the campus], it was beautiful," Spell said. "I got to meet all the girls and they were very welcoming and it just felt like home as soon as I got here."
 And even through a coaching change, it certainly was a great decision as playing under coach McFatrich has improved her game exponentially, according to Spell.
Â
"When I'm on the court I just feel like I have a swag about me," Spell said. "He gave that to me."
Â
Just as coaching changes are an inevitable aspect of the game, so too are injuries. Spell was sidelined for two-and-a-half weeks in the 2015 season after sustaining a concussion, and Spell remembers having to spend the duration "in a dark room" to recover. However, she returned to the squad feeling like a new player.
Â
"It was like I hadn't skipped a beat," Spell said, "I was so refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to get back on the court."
Â
When Spell came back from the injury, she was immediately tasked with starting at libero, the first time she had played the position all year. She had played the position before in her long career, but her best friend, junior Payton Harris, usually wears the libero jersey for the Bulldogs. While they sometimes battle position wise, Spell says it doesn't affect the relationship at all.
Â
"It's cool for us. We have a very competitive vibe on the court," Spell said. "But off the court we don't think about it; we're best friends and we push each other to be better."
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Besides being a defensive force for the Bulldogs, Spell is also active weekly around campus with Love Your Melon, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the M-Club. She is currently finishing her degree in exercise science.
.@Cheyy23 just went full beast mode, nbd. ???????????? #HailState pic.twitter.com/8ULKIRcnuV
— MSU Volleyball (@HailStateVB) August 8, 2016
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