May 28, 2024

Karlen named 2024 April Unsung Leader presented by Golden Oak Sedation Dental & Implant Center

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Coming back from an injury can be a daunting task. Beyond the physical therapy required to properly heal and strengthen the body, there is a mental hurdle and battle to overcome as well.

By TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Coming back from an injury can be a daunting task. Beyond the physical therapy required to properly heal and strengthen the body, there is a mental hurdle and battle to overcome as well.

Just focusing on yourself when going through rehabilitation is understandable, but being able to channel that focus into the team as well takes a leader and special teammate. That's just what Jordan Karlen brought to the table for the Tennessee Tech beach volleyball team this season.

"Jordan is one of the hardest workers at her craft of anyone I've ever coached," Tech head coach Zach Weinberg expressed, "but thankfully, she does not have a ton of experience in being injured. Most players struggle through extended absences from their sport because so much of their identity is tied to it. Jordan is no exception, and while being injured has been a struggle for her, I am so proud of the way she has attacked her recovery and how she found a way to be an extremely valuable asset to our team this year."

Unable to compete for the purple and gold during the year due to surgery following the indoor volleyball campaign, Karlen used her time around the beach to the team's advantage. Beyond just the encouragement and feedback, she took on a near-coaching role for the Golden Eagles, assisting the staff when they were working with other teammates.

"While disappointed she couldn't be honing her craft in her time of recovery, Jordan became a de-facto third coach on staff," Weinberg explained. "When not attacking her recovery head-on, she was always prepared to enter balls, give feedback, and do whatever was needed to make the team run smoothly. Even though she didn't suit up for a single practice this spring, she was always the first person to arrive to help get everything set up and was the first person on the sand taking care of the facility. She also asked for weekly video sessions, outside the scope of practice, to make sure that she was continuing to learn and get better mentally for her return to the court. Jordan is the ultimate worker, and while she didn't score points for her team this spring, she absolutely embodied our season motto of 'Raise the Standard.'"

In the opening tournament of the season at Berry College, Karlen took it upon herself to be the coach on the court for the exhibition pairing. While NCAA rules don't permit a player in the coaches box in the Nos. 1-5 pairings, they have no such limits on the No. 6 position, and the sophomore took it upon herself to assist her teammates. She continued the practice for the remainder of the season, providing great feedback and coaching for her teammates.

"Having Jo as an additional pair of eyes for [assistant coach] Fran [Bolletino] and I was so helpful," Weinberg added. "Due to the nature of her position indoor and some of the accolades she has received as a volleyball player in her career already, Jordan has never been considered 'unsung' in her time at Tech. This year, she did everything she could from the sidelines to contribute to our motto of 'Raise the Standard' and she laid the blueprint for how injured athletes can still make their team better even when they can't be on the on the court."

It is for these qualities and dedication that Karlen is the recipient of the 2024 April Unsung Leader Award presented by Golden Oak Sedation Dental & Implant Center.

The Unsung Leader Award is selected from student-athletes who have been nominated by their coaching staff or members of the TTU Athletics Department for exemplifying outstanding leadership qualities during a given month. The leadership can be shown on the field, in the weight room, at practice, in the classroom, in study hall, on campus, in the community or for a student club or organization.

The award honors a varsity student-athlete who has made a positive impact on their team and the Tennessee Tech community as a whole, through his or her dedication to demonstrating leadership traits, such as: