How Pitt Volleyball Replaces Rachel Jepsen

The Pitt Panthers will be without Rachel Jepsen and will need to do a few things to cope with her absence.

Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers lost junior middle blocker Rachel Jepsen for the forseeable future last week, which puts the volleyball program in an interesting situation following the end of spring practices.

Why is Rachel Jepsen Gone From Pitt Volleyball?

Jepsen announced on Instagram that she would put her volleyball career on pause as she serves as a missionary for the Church of Latter-Day Saints in Paris, France for the next 18 months.

She is a Mormon, the name for members of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Mormons in their late teenage years or early 20s generally serve time as missionaries. They engage in proselytizing in their area in hopes of converting people to the Church of Latter-day Saints, growing in their own faith, and providing community service and other forms of humanitarian aid.

Many Mormons go to different places all over the world to serve. This generally involves studying at a missionary training center to learn the language, which is crucial for their work. Jepsen will learn the French language during her time in Paris and use that to engage in her missionary duties.

The 18 months is normal for woman missonaries in the Church of Latter-day Saints, so that amount of time for Jepsen is the same as others her age.

She isn't the first Pitt athlete to do this, as former offensive lineman Trey Andersen served as a missionary for two seasons, as young men spend two years as a missionary. This forced him to reclassify from the Class of 2019 to the Class of 2021.

What Does Her Absence Mean for Pitt Volleyball?

Jepsen was one of four middle blockers on the roster during the spring season in redshirt junior Bre Kelley, as well as freshmen Ryla Jones and Bianca Garibaldi.

Kelley only played four games last season before suffering a serious season-ending injury in early September. She was not at 100% in the spring season, but four extra months before the season starts should give her time to heal.

Pitt volleyball is heading into the 2024 season with Kelley off an injury and both Jones and Garibaldi with no experience at the collegiate level, aside from the few months they played this spring.

All three of these players possess great talent and will perform at a high level for the Panthers during their time with the program, but it might take time for Kelley to truly come back from her injury and for both Jones and Garibaldi to acclimate against the best teams.

Pitt played with only two middle blockers for most of last season in Chiamaka Nwokolo and Emma Monks, with both Kelley and Jepsen spending most of 2023 out injured. Serve specialist and outside hitter Cat Flood played as the emergency middle blocker at different times.

This plan got them to the Final Four for the third straight season, but you generally want three 'true' middle blockers, especially if Pitt wants to win a National Title.

The Panthers also run two middle blockers in the starting lineup and rotate them often, so having four middle blockers generally gives players rest and also keeps the team moving if there is an injury.

Where Does Pitt Volleyball Go From Here?

Jepsen is out for 18 months, which means she won't finish her missionary work until late October 2025, more than halfway into the following season. This means she'll miss the next two seasons.

She should come back to the program in 2026, but Pitt will look to add to their roster with her absence.

Head coach Dan Fisher isn't one to stray away from the transfer portal and has brought in many talented players during his time at the helm, especially recently.

This includes middle blocker Serena Gray from Penn State and right side hitter Courtney Buzzerio from Iowa, who both earned AVCA First Team All-American honors in 2022. He also brought in outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh from Missouri, who earned AVCA Second Team All-American honors in 2021.

He landed Monks as a graduate transfer from Michigan State and Kelley in from Florida last offseason.

Kelley was a big time transfer for Fisher and Pitt volleyball, especially since it came last June, later than the normal period for transfers to occur. He had previous experience coaching her at the USA U-21 level and her time playing with Pitt setter Rachel Fairbanks sealed the deal.

The transfer portal will likely serve as the place where Pitt volleyball adds from ahead of next season. It opens on May 1 and is usually open for two weeks, where anyone can apply. Graduate students can transfer at any time.

A spot to compete on Pitt volleyball ahead of next season is a lucrative one for transfer, especially for a middle blocker that is either looking for more time, or trying to improve their situation when it comes to winning.

A graduate transfer seems the most likely for Pitt volleyball, but with Jepsen out the next two seasons, maybe a junior fills that void alongside Kelley.

Pitt does have a middle blocker/outside hitter in Abbey Emch, who is a part of the Class of 2025, so them veering towards a more veteran option at middle blocker shouldn't shock anyone.

• Pitt's Blaire Bayless Named to USA U-21 Roster
• Pitt 4-Star Target Announces Commitment Date
• Pitt Named Finalist For Prized Kentucky Transfer
• Pitt Football to Host Two Recruits on Visits
• Pitt's Bub Carrington Officially Enters NBA Draft

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt