For three years, senior guard Kelsey Bolte sat and listened to the pregame and halftime speeches of her more experienced teammates. Now, as the only senior on the team, it’s her time to make her voice heard.

In order for the Cyclones to be successful this season, coach Bill Fennelly is going to need her voice to be a loud one.

“Every senior wants their last year to be their best,” Fennelly said. “Kelsey Bolte has played on three NCAA Tournament teams. It’d be nice to say you’ve played on four. It’d be nice to be the one to stand out there and gives the senior speech and talk about being on a great team.”

While Fennelly doesn’t expect Bolte to average 25 points a game this season, he does have expectations about her work ethic.

Fennelly said every coach’s dream is to have their best player be the hardest worker and most committed to the overall team goal.

Fennelly also said that a large part of being good at what she does is stepping up to the challenge.

“I think she’s done a great job of accepting it, and I think she’s done a great job of understanding what we expect of her, and if she does that, she’ll have a great year,” Fennelly said.

The Ida Grove native made an impact right away for the Cyclones.

Bolte became the first freshman in Big 12 history to score 20 points or more in the first four conference games. She also scored in double digits 15 times.

Bolte also holds the title of Iowa State’s all-time leader in free-throw percentage while becoming the 22nd player in ISU history to reach 1,000 career points in her junior season.

Last season, Bolte averaged 12.3 points, five rebounds and two assists per game.

With Bolte being largely in the shadow of Alison Lacey last season, she is well aware of what is expected of her this season.

“I’m willing to take the responsibility, and I want to try to do a lot more for my team,” Bolte said.

“I’m excited to take on the leadership role and be there for my teammates when they need me and do whatever I can to help them on and off the court,” she said.

While Bolte is the team’s unanimous leader for the first in her ISU career, Bolte feels that being a leader will come naturally to her.

Bolte is one of the more vocal players in practice and during the team’s other preseason workouts.

Bolte hasn’t associated the word pressure with her new role on the team, but she also feels it might just not have set in yet.

“I havent really thought of it as a pressure situation,” Bolte said.

“I’m sure I will once the start of the season comes, and if we’re having a lousy game, I’ll have to step up both vocally and on the court,” Bolte said.

The Cyclones are made up primarily of sophomores to go along with three freshman, three juniors and Bolte being the lone senior. With such a young squad, Bolte knows she is going to have to keep the team on an even keel in order for them to be successful.

The younger players’ approach to the season is something Bolte is going to have to keep in check.

“I’m sure it’s keeping their heads on their shoulders and to just take it one game at a time,” Bolte said. “We need to have positive energy all the time. I think they’ll be OK. Most of our sophomores are pretty experienced.”

Part of Bolte’s role is showing the newcomers the “Cyclone way.” Bolte will have help doing this thanks, in part, to a new NCAA rule allowing the teams to start practicing two weeks earlier than in previous seasons.

“We’re just going to have to do some little things,” Bolte said. “Attention to detail is the biggest thing. We’re going to have to do everything we can – hustle at all times, play harder than anyone else on the floor and know where we have to be in all situations.”

While being a leader is going to be important for Bolte, that isn’t the only thing she’s working on. Bolte worked on her ball-handling skills in the offseason just to get a comfort level in anticipation for a new point guard.

Lauren Mansfield, one of the newcomers for the Cyclones and an Adelaide, Australia, native, is confident in having Bolte as a leader.

“She definitely helps us,” Mansfield said. “Even at running, she’s always encouraging us. I think she’s going to help us work together and be a great leader for us.”

With the Cyclones’ first game action last Thursday in an exhibition contest against Minnesota State-Mankato, and the first official game against Western Illinois on Nov. 13, Bolte’s debut as the senior leader is already began.

While Fennelly praises Bolte on being a great teammate and always willing to make the extra pass, he would like to see his senior look for her own shot more this season.

“The thing that makes Kelsey a great player is the same thing that keeps her from being a great player,” Fennelly said. “She’s got to take tough shots; she’s got to not pass the ball so much. You’ve got to be willing to be selfish in a way that helps the team. That’s what leaders do.”