Resilience is everything, especially when it comes to sports.

Whether a team is down by 10 points and needs to come back or the program is dealing with outside noise, perseverance is an essential part of the game. And a player who can show up for their team despite the circumstances can be crucial, as they lead by example. At least, that’s what head coach Emily Kohan recognizes.

“When things are hard and we’ve had some other hard things happen on our team, there is a precedent of the older girls saying, ‘Hey, we’ve had to do it, too,” Kohan said. “This is the standard when things aren’t perfect, or maybe when you are injured, that you still look for ways to give to the team and make sure that the mission statement comes first.”

“I feel very proud of her and all the work that she’s put in because she hasn’t played volleyball for a long time. (It’s a) testament to (her) just being a really hard worker. I can see that, and I just know that she wants to be involved in the game no matter where she is. … She wants to work hard,” –Aine Doty, CSU volleyball libero

And although Colorado State volleyball is filled with young leaders, it is one of the older players who continues to lead through adversity, despite having difficult circumstances constantly thrown at her: Riley Simpson.

After being out for most of the season due to health reasons, Simpson learned to approach the game from a different angle after spending time on the sideline, bringing an outsider’s perspective to the court rather than the mindset of someone who had been fully immersed in the action.

“It’s easier to see the forest when you’re not in the trees,” Simpson said. “It’s like watching film but not on yourself. So it was a great opportunity just to learn … (and) observe a lot of different things and then apply them when I am playing.”

Although Simpson might not have had as long as she wanted back on the court, she got her opportunity to shine and seized it. In her first game back against Air Force Oct. 16, she reinforced the Rams’ depth when it came to front row defense. She racked up six blocks, the second-highest total of the night for CSU.

As Simpson came late in the season with established starters, she filled the right-side position and proved that, no matter where she was on the court, she could perform. And just two games later, she was able to get in the double digits for kills.

“Riley is a really versatile player (who) can be an outside hitter or can be a right side, and I’ve appreciated that,” Kohan said. “It was a huge curveball — her medical condition — and she still looked for every way that she could to contribute. … I thought she did an excellent job still being engaged as a leader and a teammate, and she always came in with a pretty peppy personality.”

And with the Rams having Eve Wilson return to middle, an opposite hitter was needed, and Simpson was cleared to play again, putting together the puzzle pieces for a fierce, winning team.

In her return to the green and gold’s middle, Wilson has since flourished, getting her season high against AFA with 12 blocks. And despite a rotation shift, the team quickly fell into place and managed to go on a series of wins.

Not only do other teams have limited film of Wilson and Simpson in the positions, making them hard to scout, but they have been able to capitalize on this, making them some of the most powerful front row weapons for CSU.

“I think if (Simpson) picked (a position), she would probably pick outside hitter, but … the need was for Eve to go back to that middle and to be able to have Eve hitting the slides, and we needed somebody to step in as an opposite,” Kohan said. “And Riley’s eagerly trained at both blocking and attacking over there.”

As one of the more seasoned players on the roster, Simpson’s presence extends beyond her versatility and leadership. With her collegiate experience, she’s able to guide newer players to the team — especially as the Rams rapidly approach the Mountain West Tournament.

It’s a standard reflected by fellow soon-to-be graduating player Aine Doty, whose perspective underscores how the team’s leaders are driving the collective effort.

“No matter what, every single play, every single point, we’re giving full effort because we are chasing after that championship,” Doty said. “By us working hard, it can influence and inspire other people, other teammates, to also do the same. … This is our last year, so we give everything we have (and) leave everything on the court.”

Yet just a few weeks after being cleared to play, Simpson injured her ankle during the third set of CSU’s recent game against UNLV Nov. 15. Her status is still being determined, but with less than a month to go, it could force her to sit out the rest of the season.

Although it wasn’t an ideal start or end to the year, she continues to be nothing less than a supportive pillar of the team. If Simpson can’t be a leader on the court, then she’s a leader on the sidelines. But wherever she is, she’s encouraging her teammates.

“I feel very proud of her and all the work that she’s put in because she hasn’t played volleyball for a long time,” Doty said. “(It’s a) testament to (her) just being a really hard worker. I can see that, and I just know that she wants to be involved in the game no matter where she is. … She wants to work hard.”