The transition from being a redshirt player to taking the court against some of the top teams in the nation would be difficult for anyone.

That’s exactly what ISU redshirt freshman Morgan Kuhrt has been experiencing this spring, as she has started getting consistent playing time for the first time after being redshirted last fall.

Kuhrt, a native of Waverly, Iowa, has handled the transition this spring stepping into her new role at outside hitter with confidence against some of the best teams in the nation.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been too difficult of a transition,” Kuhrt said. “It’s pretty familiar to compete and stuff, so I’ve felt pretty comfortable easing into it. But sometimes it is a little nerve-racking going out there, just because I haven’t really competed on a big stage for a while.”

In high school, Kuhrt won two state titles in 2009 and 2011 with Waverly-Shell Rock High School, where she averaged more than four kills per set as a senior.

This spring, she has shown that she’s still got it.

Kuhrt led the Cyclones (3-2) offensively against Nebraska-Omaha on April 13, 2013, leading the team in kills with 13. She also recorded four kills against rival Nebraska in just one set and picked up eight kills against Creighton in her first match as a Cyclone.

While her play has been solid, ISU senior libero Kristen Hahn said the hardest part of the transition has been trying to evoke intensity from Kuhrt.

“Morgan [Kuhrt] is very shy,” Hahn said. “She’s a very quiet girl, and so trying to get emotion out of her [has been difficult]. I think coaches have been trying a lot, too, and to make her feel more a part of the team. As a redshirt, you don’t always feel as a part of the team because you’re always on the training side and you don’t get to play in the games.”

The task of making Kuhrt and fellow redshirt freshman Natalie Vondrak feel more a part of the team has fallen largely on the shoulders of Hahn and senior Tenisha Matlock since they are the only seniors on the team this season.

Hahn and Matlock have become role models for the redshirts, helping them better understand things from a more intellectual standpoint, both on and off the court.

“On defense, I ask Morgan [Kuhrt], ‘Do you see why you need to be here?’ or ‘In this scenario, this is where we need to be,’” Hahn said. “Those are the things that they might not pick up on, that I’ve had experience with and been told from my coaches.”

Just above Kuhrt and Vondrak is a large sophomore class, consisting of six of the team’s 11 players. This class has been improving all spring and is creating a buzz about what could be coming this fall and beyond if they mature properly.

“They’re obviously going to be a huge part of what we do next year,” said ISU coach Christy Johnson-Lynch. “At times, we are young — we’re going up against Minnesota and we’ve got five freshmen out there, so we have to still be smart and make up for maybe a little bit of lack of experience with just being smart and being aggressive.”

The Cyclones’ final competitions of the spring season are set to take place this weekend in Minneapolis, where they will play three games on April 20.