By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- She put the start of college on hold for a year after graduating from Whitman-Hanson Regional High School in 2022.

Lily Welch (Hanson, Mass.) had been the most valuable player of the Patriot League Keenan Division for the Panthers' volleyball team as a senior, then she was able to stay close to that sport during the year away from school.

Welch worked as the Whitman-Hanson freshman coach right out of high school in the fall of '22, keeping her involved in volleyball without playing.

"We were undefeated," said Welch. "I loved coaching those girls. It made me want to be a teacher and a coach in the future.

"It was like working with a blank slate, getting to show those girls how to playfrom the start. It was a really, really good experience."

Welch then enrolled at Bridgewater State University in the fall semester of 2023, and the sophomore is now in her second year with the Bears' volleyball team.

She enjoyed working as a coach, but she wanted to get back on the court again as a player.

"My dad would always say, 'Why don't you just stay close by, go to Bridgewater State?'," said Welch. "I would honestly always laugh it off because I never wanted to stay close to home. Now I'm so happy that I came here."

Welch, who is majoring in Spanish and secondary education, has been one of the key reasons why the Bears' volleyball team is in the midst of a successful season.

BSU won its first Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament in 16 years on Saturday and is in the NCAA Division III tourney for the first time since 2008.

The Bears (13-9) will play at third-ranked Johns Hopkins University (29-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Baltimore, Md.

Welch, an outside hitter, was the most valuable player of the MASCAC tourney after averaging 12.5 kills with a .351 hitting percentage, 16.5 digs and five blocks.

After coaching for a year, Welch is enjoying herself being back on the court.

"My dad said, 'You've got four years to play. You've got the whole rest of your life to coach,'" said Welch, "so I said that I'll try to play at Bridgewater if I can, if they will take me, and here we are.

"I missed it. I didn't feel like myself. I hated not playing. I was still around it, but it wasn't the same. Now I really feel like myself again playing."

Welch was second on the team as a freshman in 2023 with 116 kills and had 56 digs and 25 blocks.

This season, Welch is one of four captains despite being just a sophomore and leads BSU with 201 kills, is second with 51 blocks and third with 244 digs. She ranks fourth in the MASCAC with a .247 hitting percentage.

"She's come extremely far," said coach Tony daSilveira of Welch. "Last year, she was a three-rotation middle for us, never served, never played back row. Came in, hit middle only, one, two, three out.

"She came in this year and is a six rotation, the person the ball goes to whenever you're in trouble. That's where the ball goes. She's our best service receiver and never did it before. She's literally learning that position and doing a great job.

"She's such a competitor, an athlete, the mindset is positive. It's something I've never coached before. She's special."

Welch said that the year spent coaching the W-H freshman helped with the leadership skills she has developed as a BSU player.

"I think coaching in my year off has a lot to do with it," said Welch. "I'm very passionate and care so much about this sport and it carries on to caring about the team."

After not playing for a full year, Welch needed to get back in the groove early in the 2023 season for the Bears.

"It was a little bit of a slow start kind of, but it's like riding a bike," said Welch. "You don't forget.

"Volleyball's such a team sport. Since our entire team last year wasn't as good record wise, being on a better team this year makes me better as a player.

"I would say I'm a gritty player. I don't want to let the ball hit the floor. I hustle and play with a lot of passion, that's one of my biggest things."

The players that Welch coached at W-H in 2022 attended one of her BSU games.

They got to see the former coach back on the court, excelling like she did in high school.

"I'm so happy playing here," said Welch. "We're excited (about being in the NCAAs). Hopefully we'll be in this same position next year and the year after."