PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers have announced that one of their best returning volleyball players will be leaving the team, making the future of the program interesting.
Middle blocker Rachel Jepsen announced on Instagram that she is putting her volleyball career on hold to serve as a missionary with the LDS Church in Paris, France, for the next 18 months.
Jepsen is a Mormon and a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Mormons in their late teens or early 20s typically serve as missionaries. They work on proselytizing efforts in their communities in hopes of converting people to the Latter-day Saint Church, growing their faith, and providing community service and other humanitarian aid.
Many Mormons travel to various locations around the world for service. This usually involves studying at a missionary training center to learn the language essential to the job. Jepsen plans to learn French while in Paris and use it to engage in missionary work.
Jepsen did not play much in his freshman season in 2022, appearing in 11 games and 17 sets overall, but did not appear in the postseason.
She entered 2023 as one of the starters and ready to go, but played just eight matches and 22 sets overall, her last match in early October. She was injured the rest of her games with her foot in the boot and missed the remainder of her season.
Jepsen will be a major absence for Pitt volleyball as the team aims to advance to the Final Four and win a national title. Her 18-month absence means she will miss not only this season but also 2025. This is because her missionary period lasts from October to November, more than half of the season.
Redshirt junior Bre Kelly is the only middle blocker returning from last season. The Florida transfer appeared in just four games before redshirting against Kentucky State in early September and suffering a season-ending injury.
Freshmen middle blockers Laila Jones and Bianca Garibaldi will be Pitt's three players to fill that position for next season.
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