Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Rylee Burmester, MSU-N volleyball

After a season that was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team's seniors got the chance to play one more season this fall. One of those super seniors will be Rylee Burmester who hopes the Skylights can make a jump in her final year.

"So far this year, it's been a lot smoother and I think we're connecting better as a team and we're pushing each other," Burmester said. "I'm really hoping to get a lot more wins this year and hopefully make it to Nationals so that we can prove to everybody and ourselves that we can actually make it there and do well."

This will be Burmester's third and final year with the program. She is originally from Star Valley, Wyoming, where she was a state champion and all-state player in high school volleyball. She then went on to play at Central Wyoming Community College where she originally planned on finishing her volleyball career. However, she was encouraged to keep with the sport.

"I got a lot of pushback from a lot of people down there saying that I should keep going and I started looking out there," Burmester said. "Jerry Wagner reached out to me and he was very persistent. I just came up here on a visit and I liked what Northern had to offer."

Over the course of two years, Burmester has become integral to the team as an outside hitter. While the Skylights have faced plenty of adversity over the past two seasons, Burmester believes she has learned plenty from her time in the program.

"I definitely learned how to make friendships and talk to those people that I didn't think I would be friends with," Burmester said. "Also to push through all the hard things that keep happening. We're pushing through and are able to look at the past and learn from it and be able to move on and really just start working better together."

At MSU-N, Burmester majored in business administration which she hopes will help her land a job that does not require her to sit behind a desk. Once she is finished with college, she plans on moving back to Wyoming to begin her career.

So far in her final season as a Skylight, Burmester has recorded 168 kills and 14 total kills. She also has 141 digs and 12 assists.

The MSU-N volleyball team has completed the non-conference part of their schedule this season with a record of 8-5. The Skylights will next play in the Preseason Frontier Conference Tournament this weekend at home at Armory Gymnasium. Before Burmester hits the court this weekend, the Havre Daily News got the chance to ask her five questions.

HDN: What was the experience like of winning a state championship in high school?

Burmester: "We had a really good coach. He was the head coach at Idaho State University for a couple years and then he came down to Star Valley, Wyoming. We had a really good group of girls, too. We worked really well together, trusted each other. It was overwhelming because we worked so hard throughout the year to achieve the state championship and when we got it, it felt very good that all of our hard work paid off."

HDN: Do you have a favorite volleyball memory?

Burmester: "It's not my favorite but definitely a memorable experience. Last year, I was playing University of Providence and one of the girls hit the ball hard on the floor and it bounced and hit me in the face and it hurt really bad. I felt like I was sucker punched."

HDN: What are the challenges of playing outside hitter?

Burmester: "It's definitely hard. If I'm struggling in one category, I definitely need to pick it up in another one. It's like a lot of body-consuming things. You're going hard constantly the whole entire time and you never get a break. But it's nice because it's rewarding once you've put in all that effort to get a win or to play really good. So it's nice to have that effort pay off."

HDN: As a senior on this team, do you feel like a leader?

Burmester: "I like to take that leadership role and help all the other players out on the court and be able to put my input in there. Give them all my best so that it helps them do their best as well and pushes them to do their best so that we can get a win."

HDN: Over the years, what do you love the most about volleyball?

Burmester: "I love that it's not just me individually playing. It's my whole entire team. I can't just win it for all of us and I love the relationships I'm finding when I'm with all my teammates that I'm playing with. I like finding new competition every time and trying to be better than my opponent."