In late August, Raegan Durbin found herself in a familiar position — back in school, in Indiana and on the volleyball court. But this year was different.

Instead of wearing a blue and red uniform with the moniker “Stars” labeled on the front, Durbin wore a blue and white uniform with a Pegasus emblem on the chest, preparing to start her first collegiate game for the MTSU Blue Raiders — a decision made by first-year head coach Alexa Keckler. 

“Reagan arrived early last spring,” Keckler said. “I think that was really helpful for her to gain confidence and understand the level of play that she was going to have to play at. She’s a gamer and loves to compete. She’s not going to let something take her down. I appreciate that as a coach. As a fellow competitor, it’s pretty cool to see that in her.”   

When Durbin found out that she would start as a freshman, she was thrilled.  

“I don’t ever really think that my main goal was to be a starter,” Durbin said. “I was excited, and it meant a lot. We have a really good opportunity this year. It’s easier to have confidence in yourself when your teammates and coaches do.” 

Despite it being her first collegiate game, Durbin triumphed in Middle Tennessee’s season-opening victory against Purdue University Fort Wayne, recording her first career double-double with 14 kills and 10 digs. 

While Durbin relished the team’s opening win and her debut performance, playing in her home state and in front of her family and friends meant a little more.  

“It was awesome,” Durbin said. “I’m super close with my family, so it was really good to have a huge crowd there supporting not only me but our whole team.” 

Durbin’s impressive debut was only a small glimpse of what was to come. Since the season opener, she has more than made her presence felt as a member of the Blue Raiders.   

Currently, the Indiana native leads the team with 157 kills, 179.5 points and six double-doubles, while ranking sixth in Conference USA in points and eighth in kills.  

In Keckler’s 20 years of coaching, she’s witnessed some amazing young talent, but Durbin ranks among the best.  

“I can probably count on one hand the amount of years that I’ve coached that I’ve had a player like her,” Keckler said. “It’s her work ethic, her drive, competitiveness. She’s going to lay it all out there. She’s a great team player, and it’s cool to see that leadership from her.”  

As the season progresses, Durbin is building chemistry with her teammates and becoming more confident in herself.  

“Ever since our first tournament at Butler [University], I’ve continued to remind myself you’re here for a reason,” Durbin said. “I’ve worked really hard day in and day out to be where I am. I think, again, confidence comes from belief in my coaches and what they’re saying. They’re super uplifting, and it’s easy to have confidence in yourself when the people around you do. “ 

Although Durbin’s early collegiate success is impressive, it doesn’t come off as a complete surprise.

Before arriving in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Durbin had been a part of one of the more premier high school volleyball programs in all of Indiana at Western Boone Junior-Senior High School. 

Under the leadership of then-head coach Laura Bragg, who recently retired after 14 years, Western Boone amassed 338 wins, nine conference finals, 10 sectional titles, three regional titles, two semi-state titles and the program’s first state championship.  

In the final four years of Bragg’s tenure, Durbin was a key pillar to the program’s dominance and its first-ever state title. 

“High school was super fun, “Durbin said. “It was a really small town, so everyone was super close. It was really cool to have the opportunity to make an impact not only on the volleyball court, but in the community as well.  I’m so grateful for my time there, and I miss everybody a lot.” 

Durbin graduated from Western Boone as the all-time leading kills leader with nearly 2,000, along with 912 digs and 224 aces.  

“It was insane,” Durbin said of winning the championship. “We were at state my freshman year, and we lost. So, to win my senior year meant a lot, and to do it with my best friends was everything.” 

While Durbin left the Stars program with a championship and records, learning how to lead on the court, uplift others and work hard have played a key role in her early success as a Blue Raider.  

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