Watching junior outside hitter Katie Johnson on the volleyball court, you would never know she spent much of this year recovering from surgery on her elbow.

In a match against Illinois last December, Johnson collided with teammate Nicole Colaluca. As the two fell to the ground, Colaluca rolled over Johnson's extended left arm, tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in her elbow.

"It was one of those things where she played the rest of the game, so we thought it was okay," junior defensive specialist Miken Trogdon said. Nobody immediately realized the extent of her injury, Trogdon said.

"I knew, as soon as I found out it was torn, I knew that I would have to have surgery," Johnson said.

Meanwhile, her teammates struggled to fill the void Johnson's injury left on the roster.

"People had to take different roles on, but everyone stepped up and made the changes. It was good," head coach Cathy George said.

As the team was making its adjustments on the court, Johnson had to adjust to life without use of her left arm. Not only did it affect her as a volleyball player, but also it hampered her personal life.

"I couldn't do my own hair. My boyfriend at the time had to do my hair for me," Johnson said. " … My left arm — I hardly ever use it, but I learned that you use it more than you think."

Johnson's physical rehabilitation consisted of exercises ranging from wrist curls to forearm strengthening. The exercises were tedious, but Johnson's recovery was faster than expected. By April, she was practicing again, while wearing a brace on her elbow.

Now, Johnson is back to being a major force for the Spartans' attack. She's averaging 4.80 kills per game, which ranks first on the team and 24th in the country. MSU leads the nation in kills per game.

Despite occasional stiffness, Johnson said her elbow doesn't bother her anymore — a good sign if the Spartans are to continue their early season success.

"For the most part, no complaints," Johnson said. "It's good to go."