Full circle: Serfas back in the rotation

Nearly a year after being carried off the court in the first set of the second-last game of the season, Kodiaks women’s volleyball outside hitter Kourtney Serfas (third year, Bachelor of Nursing, Turin, Alta.) is set to return to conference play.

Serfas partially tore her ACL and damaged the surrounding ligaments after landing awkwardly at the net during a home match against the Briercrest Clippers, bringing a sudden end to a breakthrough season. In just her second collegiate year, the Kodiaks outside hitter had already established herself as one of the team’s most impactful players, taking on a major role in the lineup and becoming a consistent presence on both ends of the court.

Before she got hurt, Serfas led the team’s outside hitters in points and ranked second overall in scoring, trailing only a fifth-year veteran on the right side. She also ranked third on the team in both service aces and digs, underscoring her value as an all-around contributor.

Her performance played a central role in the Kodiaks’ success during the second half of the season, which included two big wins over top-ranked teams in the division, one of them against Briercrest.

When Serfas went down early on the opening night of a back-to-back home series against the Clippers, the Kodiaks were unable to respond and dropped the match. Less than 24 hours later, she returned to the gym wearing a leg brace, unable to play but unwilling to be absent. With Serfas on the bench, the Kodiaks delivered their final game of the season, an upset over the top-ranked Clippers.

This weekend, Serfas will return to the court for the first time since that moment. Fittingly, her comeback will be on the road against Briercrest in a back-to-back series.

When the season ended

When the season was over, Serfas was left with little time to process what had happened. What had been a year defined by growth, responsibility and momentum quickly became a year defined by uncertainty.

“I think a lot of people in my position might have walked away from the sport entirely, knowing they already had two years of college athletics under their belt,” she says. “I’m a very goal-oriented person, so I took action immediately after my injury by booking appointments with my doctor and physiotherapist.”

That sense of urgency carried her through the earliest stages of recovery. With competition suddenly off the table, Serfas shifted her focus to regaining control in whatever ways she could, setting short-term goals and committing fully to the work ahead.

The transition was not easy. Going from playing a central role in every match to watching from the sideline forced her to confront the mental side of injury just as much as the physical one.

Still, she refused to disconnect from the sport that had shaped her identity.

Leading from the sideline

For Serfas, the months that followed required a complete redefinition of her role. Accustomed to contributing through points, serves and defensive effort, she now had to find value away from the stat sheet.

“I usually lead by example,” she says. “Being injured meant I had to change my approach.”

With a large recruiting class joining the program, many of her teammates had never seen her compete. The absence was not just physical, it was relational. Serfas had to establish trust and credibility in new ways, often without the benefit of performance to speak for her.

“I made it a priority to show up not only physically, but mentally as well,” she says. “I watched practices closely and helped wherever I could, staying as involved as possible. If I noticed something that could help the team improve, I shared positive feedback. I wanted my teammates to know that I was invested in our success, whether I was playing or not.”

She remained consistently engaged, attending practices and focusing on building relationships with teammates who were navigating their own transition into collegiate volleyball.

“Showing up mentally was just as important as being there physically,” she says. “Being someone the team could rely on mattered.”

The shift was uncomfortable at times, but it forced growth. Leadership became less about visibility and more about consistency, being present even when the role was unclear.

The recovery process

Rehabilitation quickly became Serfas’ new routine; one defined by repetition, patience and progress that often felt invisible. Early on, the focus was not on volleyball-specific movement, but on regaining basic strength and function.

She lost a significant amount of muscle in her quad and wore a brace that prevented her from fully extending her leg. When the brace was finally removed, even walking normally required intentional effort before she could begin thinking about running or jumping again.

“Nothing ever came easily,” she says. “Because the injury wasn’t visibly painful, I often felt ready to come back before I actually was.”

That disconnect proved mentally taxing. Each small step forward was met with restraint, a reminder that readiness and clearance were not the same thing. Trusting the process became as important as the physical work itself, a lesson reinforced daily by those guiding her recovery.

Unable to compete, Serfas looked for ways to maintain her edge.

“I spent a lot of time weight training and pushing myself in the gym to get stronger than I was before my injury,” she says.

Throughout the process, Serfas says her trainers played a critical role in keeping her grounded and focused on long-term recovery. She was consistently challenged in strength and conditioning but never rushed.

“I never once felt pressured to come back before I was ready,” she says. “That support made a huge difference.”

Progress came slowly, measured in controlled movements and incremental gains, but the environment allowed her to commit fully to the work without fear of reinjury or expectation.

Still, the challenge extended beyond the physical side.

“In the bigger picture of rehabilitation, it hasn’t just been about physical recovery,” she says. “It’s also been about rebuilding my confidence. Learning to trust my body again and having faith that I’ll be able to do everything I could before my injury has been one of the most important parts of the process.”

Rehabilitation, she says, became less about returning to where she was and more about believing she could get there again.

A new perspective

Time away from competition gave Serfas a perspective she had never needed before. Watching from the sideline stripped the game down to its simplest form and forced her to confront what it meant to her beyond performance.

“When you’re playing, it’s easy to get caught up in wins, losses or mistakes,” she says. “The sport can start to feel more like a job than a passion.”

Being removed from the daily rhythm of competition changed that relationship.

“Having the game taken away from me made me realize how quickly everything can change,” she says. “Moving forward, I want to truly enjoy being on the court and competing alongside my teammates and friends, because that’s what the sport is really about.”

That realization reshaped her approach. The focus shifted from outcome to experience, from expectation to presence, a mindset she plans to carry with her as she returns.

Looking ahead

With her return to competition now within reach, the opportunity to play again carries a different weight.

“Being so close to playing again feels almost surreal,” she says. “It will have been over 11 months since I last played in our home gym in front of our fans and community.”

Rather than focusing on immediate results, Serfas said her attention is on competing with composure and bringing a steady presence to the court.

“I want to bring a mature presence and simply compete,” she says. “I hope my competitive energy becomes infectious for the team.”

As she returns to competition, Serfas says part of the challenge will be balancing expectations with patience.

“I can be very hard on myself,” she says. “So, part of my focus is learning to give myself grace while continuing to push my performance.”

Full circle

This weekend’s return carries added meaning. Serfas will step back into conference play against the same opponent, this time on the road, and with a year of perspective behind her.

For Serfas, success in her return will not be measured by numbers on the stat sheet.

“For me, a successful return means continuing to love the sport,” she says. “As long as I’m enjoying the game and competing with passion, that’s what I consider success.”

Her return reflects not just recovery, but the growth that came from learning to lead, waiting and trusting the process.