Emily Engel’s road to playing collegiate volleyball could have been easy. She would have been a top player on numerous other college teams, but she didn’t want to take the easy road.

Instead, she chose MSU - a much bigger challenge. And four years after walking on to the squad, Engel finds herself as a Spartan co-captain.

Her journey started sooner than most. She was eyed before ever stepping foot inside a high school gym.

Word of Engel’s talent spread throughout the area when she was only an eighth-grader.

MSU assistant coach Todd Dagenais was one of those who caught wind of this mysterious player.

Dagenais wasn’t at MSU then, but as a Bay City High assistant, he went to scope Engel out.

“With Emily, the first thing we saw was her unyielding spirit,” Dagenais said. “I mean, she had above average skills for an eighth-grader, but she had this wonderful spirit and people just loved her.”

Engel was put on the high school’s varsity squad, and from then on, her talents began to grow, molding her into a potential collegiate athlete.

But she knew that even with her polished skills, she was going to have to work her way onto the collegiate court. And that was going to take some time.

Engel didn’t find the floor much in her freshman and sophomore years.

She played nine matches in her first two seasons, combining for 14 digs and four service aces, not bad for a defensive specialist.

However, last season was her breakout year, and it started before the Spartans faced off against an opponent.

“Just having two years under my belt of practice, I just really felt comfortable on the court,” Engel said. “I was jump serving at the Green & White match, and it was really on for me. I think that got me on the floor, and from there it just built my confidence.”

She wasn’t just on the floor, she became an offensive threat other teams focused on in their game plans.

Engel played in 101 of a possible 105 games, notching 65 service aces on the year, second in the Big Ten. Her average of 0.64 service aces per game ranked her 19th nationally as well.

She isn’t on a record pace with her service aces this season, but she does have a team-high 15 through Wednesday.

After an injury in the lineup forced head coach Chuck Erbe to shuffle his lineup, Engel played as a left-side hitter for the first time in her Spartan career against Iowa on Saturday.

The 5-foot-8 defensive specialist was more than an asset. She pounded a career-high five kills and also scored a familiar service ace, turning the momentum in the game.

“When our team is struggling, our team can get a lot of momentum off of her serving,” defensive specialist Emmy Miller said. “When she gets an ace, it instantly fires us up.”

Following the numbers she put up last season and her attitude, she was an easy choice for her teammates to vote as co-captain this season.

“Emily is a very intense player on the floor,” Miller said.

“When we get in slumps at times, she’s the first to tell people to pick it up - that’s what you need in a captain.”

Erbe said he loved her numbers a year ago, but he loves the fire she brings when she steps on the floor.

“She’s one of the team leaders as far as competitive intensity goes,” Erbe said.

“She demands a great deal out of herself, but she also demands a lot out of her teammates, too. And I think as a result of that, she was recognized as a strong force which you want your leaders to be.”

Dagenais said it’s remarkable to see the progress Engel has made. And he’ll never forget how valuable a player she turned out to be.

“That is a pretty long road to go from being an eighth-grader at Bay City High School to being a captain of a Top 25 program,” he said.

“You look back and you always have special kids. However this ends, I am always going to look back and say Emily Engel was one of those special, special kids.”