photo by: ZeloMedia c/o Columbus Fury

Columbus Fury outside hitter Reagan Cooper goes up for an attack against the Vegas Thrill on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.

A former Kansas volleyball standout has established herself as a breakout player in a brand-new professional league.

Reagan Cooper, who was picked by the Columbus Fury in the second round of the Pro Volleyball Federation’s inaugural draft last December, concluded her debut season by receiving the league’s Rising Star Award, “given to a rookie who is considered a rising star in the sport of volleyball,” as well as second-team all-league honors.

Cooper, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Rowlett, Texas, tallied 339 kills, the league’s fourth-best mark, while hitting .266 in 82 sets played on the year. She was the league’s fifth-ever player of the week following an impactful stretch in late February that included 22- and 21-kill performances against Omaha and Vegas, respectively.

The Fury finished the year at 8-16 and Cooper was Columbus’ only player to receive an award or all-league nod.

Pro volleyball allows for fewer substitutions than the NCAA (in the PVF’s case, eight as opposed to 15). That means it is more important for players to have a wider variety of skills to stay on the floor as much as possible, and in turn Cooper has had to take on increased responsibility as a passer when she is playing in the back row. According to a team press release, she ultimately accumulated eight double-doubles on the year, averaging 2.48 digs per set.

“It’s been an adjustment, honestly, especially in the beginning with serve-receive and the back row rotations because I didn’t play that in college,” she told the Fury’s website in March. “I was comfortable with hitting and blocking, but everything else was still pretty new to me, so I can really credit the coaches, training staff, and my teammates for helping me and having faith in me and trusting me even though I’m still kind of figuring it out.”

Cooper played just one year at KU as a fifth-year senior after spending the rest of her collegiate career with Washington State and Texas Tech. She excelled, racking up 3.86 kills per set on a .346 hitting percentage and earning third-team All-American honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

After the Jayhawks’ season ended with a second-round home loss to Penn State in the NCAA Tournament, Cooper said she had no regrets about coming to KU and had enjoyed her experience.

She did not necessarily expect her volleyball career to continue beyond that point, as she detailed in her interview with the team website, because she didn’t want to play overseas and hadn’t responded enthusiastically to PVF teams.

The Fury drafted her anyway, with the No. 14 overall pick, and it paid off.

photo by: ZeloMedia c/o Columbus Fury

Columbus Fury outside hitter Reagan Cooper rises for an attack against the San Diego Mojo on Friday, April 12, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.

photo by: ZeloMedia c/o Columbus Fury

Columbus Fury outside hitter Reagan Cooper goes up for an attack against the Vegas Thrill on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.

photo by: ZeloMedia c/o Columbus Fury

Columbus Fury outside hitter Reagan Cooper is jubilant during a match against the Atlanta Vibe on Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.