It was a phone call that wasn't taken seriously at first and has never really been discussed since that brought Kristen Schevikhoven to Texas A&M.
What Schevikhoven didn't realize at the time was fellow Coloradoan and now Aggie teammate Sarah Ammerman was serious.
"She called me in May after both of our [freshmen] seasons were over and said, 'Schev, what would you think about coming down here and playing?'" Schevikhoven said. "And I was like, 'Shoot, I'd do it in a heartbeat,' you know, just joking around. After I got off the phone with her I thought to myself, 'I think she was serious.'"
That phone call eventually changed Schevikhoven's life and accomplished Ammerman's goal.
"It's funny because we've never spoken of that before," Ammerman said. "I just remember I went home to Colorado, and a light bulb kind of went on that we could use a setter. We had kept in touch our freshman year because we were really good friends in club. I knew she wasn't happy, so I just kind of put the bug in her ear, like, 'Hey, what do you think about this?'"
A week later, Schevikhoven's former club team coach Jim Miret informed the former Northern Colorado setter that there were opportunities at her position to play for some established Division I programs.
Deciding to transfer was the easy part. Going through the paperwork and getting permission to play immediately from her former school was another issue. A stressful three months later, Schevikhoven was on her way to College Station for the first time.
"I called [A&M coach Laurie Corbelli], and she was pretty stoked, and after the release, I got to come out here for a visit," Schevikhoven said. "I was going through all this and I have no idea [about A&M]. I don't know anything about the coaches. I have a lot of trust in Sarah. We had a little bond on the court, and we still have it."
Corbelli had to have some trust of her own, having just seen Schevikhoven briefly while recruiting Ammerman and another Coloradoan Sara Quayle. Then Schevikhoven committed early to Northern Colorado, where she started all 29 matches of her freshman season and was third in the Big Sky with 10.1 assists a game.
"I just saw her in a couple of practice sessions, and then she committed, so I really didn't evaluate her with a critical eye," Corbelli said. "I just thought she was good."
Schevikhoven has been good and getting better since arriving at A&M, gaining the starting nod after the first match of her sophomore season. Her improvement from her junior to senior season has been especially noticeable.
Schevikhoven stayed in College Station during the summer and worked on her game with many of her teammates.
"It's her last year of her career where she is not going to hold back anything," Corbelli said. "She's a very responsible kid and has a great sense of responsibility toward the team. I think she's realized her role is ultra important, and she did not want to let down her team."
Extra work in the gym and improving her technique has boosted Schevikhoven's assist stats to 11.37 per game, which is second in the Big 12.
Schevikhoven gives credit to assistant coach Robyn Romansky and her own attentiveness to detail.
"Working with Robyn, she is always constantly telling us things we need to fix," Schevikhoven said. "This year, I don't know why but I've been more conscious of what I'm doing. I take more initiative to do [what Romansky says] every single time rather than only right after she tells me. I make it an effort to remember all the time that she's not telling me this just because she wants to get on me. She's telling me this because it's going to get the best outcome."
A&M has had better outcomes because of Schevikhoven's outlook.
The No. 25 Aggies are 13-5 overall and 6-4 at the halfway point of the Big 12 season, after going 16-14 and 11-9 in 2008.
The record has made the season more enjoyable for Schevikhoven.
"I hardly sleep the night before games because I just want to play," Schevikhoven said. "It's hard for me to sit in class and wait for the game. I get to the gym 30 minutes early before pregame meal just because I want to be there. I love it."
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NOTES -- Schevikhoven is seventh all-time at A&M with 2,690 assists. ... She averages 2.59 digs a game, which is fourth on the team and 0.55 higher than last season. ... Everyone wearing a Halloween costume will be admitted free, and a costume contest will be held at the break after Game 2. The A&M student wih the best costume will win a $250 book scholarship.
What: Big 12 Volleyball
Who: No. 2 Texas 16-0, 11-0 vs. No. 25 Texas A&M, 13-5, 6-4.
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Reed Arena
TV: ESPNU
Tickets: $9 for reserved seats; $7 for adult general admission; and $4 for youth general admission. Anyone wearing a Halloween costume will be admitted free.
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