CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Cassidy Monahan needed to step up as a leader going into her senior year.

Her Sabers have faced the challenge of replacing a pair of D-1 talents in Addison Kerr, Shannon Monahan this season.

Cassidy is a team captain, leading STM in kills.

She’s committed to play college volleyball at Maryville, not far from her sister, who’s at Lindenwood.

Cassidy is looking forward to moving up to a higher level of competition.

“I’m just going to try and make an impact to the Maryville program and just do the best I can, and I think it’ll be a lot of fun,” she said.

“She’s more vocal in the huddles,” head coach Brad Dalton said. “She doesn’t have the seniors from last year to rely on to do all the speaking for us, so she’s really taking that leadership role on it, she doesn’t like to lose, she’s one of the harder workers that we’ve had in the program since I’ve been back.”

Monahan is now eligible for $1,500 cash prize we’ll give away to one boy and one girl at the end of the school year.

You can send in an athlete of the week nomination here.