Miss Volleyball Spotlight: Cullen doing a bit of everything for Brighton
In the world of volleyball, Celia Cullen is a triple threat. The Brighton senior truly can do it all on the floor, as she is a standout setter, defender and attacker. The future Michigan State Spartan will be a setter…
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Continue ReadingIn the world of volleyball, Celia Cullen is a triple threat.
The Brighton senior truly can do it all on the floor, as she is a standout setter, defender and attacker.
The future Michigan State Spartan will be a setter in college, but for the Bulldogs, Cullen does everything.
“What makes Celia different than everyone else is that she can hit with the best in the state of Michigan and she can set with the best in the state of Michigan,” Brighton coach Scott Pitcher said. “When it comes to hitting, she’s probably in the top three. When it comes to setting, there is nobody better. There’s nobody out there that can serve, defend, hit and set like she can. She’s the total package.”
Cullen’s abilities have earned her a spot as one of the 10 finalists for the 2019 Miss Volleyball honor.
“I am super-grateful to be considered for this award. Honestly, the credit has to all go to my teammates, coaches and God,” Cullen said. “Without any of them, I wouldn’t be anywhere close to where I am now.”
Standing 6’0”, Cullen has great length for a setter, but her athleticism makes her a dynamic hitter, passer and server as well.
Celia CullenIn the 2018 prep season, Cullen had an incredible stat line of 384 kills, 100 blocks, 265 digs and 603 assists. She hit .490 on her attacks while also delivering an incredible 194 aces on 609 service attempts.
“We take full advantage of utilizing every resource she can bring to the team, and she is very happy and committed to do what it takes to help the team,” Pitcher said. “Some kids might not be that selfless, but Celia is a very team-oriented player. There are times where we need her to primarily be an attacker and there are days where we need her to be a setter. It really is about where she can help us the most in a given match.”
After her impressive 2018 prep season, Cullen would go on to win an U18 AAU National Championship with Legacy Volleyball Club as the team’s primary setter.
“It was unbelievable. It was definitely the best club season I have had in my life,” Cullen said. “Everyone on the team was very close. We were all like sisters and all very competitive, and I think that just drove us to the success we had. It was an amazing accomplishment to be able to win a national championship. I am sure its something that none of us will forget.”
Playing up in age level, Cullen was able to go head-to-head with dozens of current Division 1 talents and improve her game a great deal. Her experience has helped the rest of her teammates at Brighton this fall as well.
“The tempo on the national level is much faster and everything really has to be quick and sharp,” Cullen said. “I think that has helped this year because, as a team, we are able to beat the block quicker and be a little more creative with our attacks.”
Pitcher said he has noticed a difference in Cullen’s game this year thanks to her club season.
“Celia is a pretty humble kid and I think after winning that championship, she maybe had a better grasp of being the volleyball athlete that everyone was saying she was,” Pitcher said. “She played against the best in the country and played at a high level. It would be hard not to have confidence from that.”
The Bulldogs continue to use Cullen all over the court. She currently has 338 kills this season, while hitting .448. Cullen has also recorded 73 aces, 136 digs, 31 blocks and 308 assists.
Cullen’s ability to play every position comes through years of experience in volleyball and a desire to learn each facet of the game.
“I have been playing for so long that I ended up playing all the positions at some point and that allowed me to really work on every aspect of the game,” Cullen said. “It’s in club season that I just work on my setting skills and that has helped me be able to really improve there, but I’ve had the chance to work on hitting, passing and serving for a long time as well. That’s helped me become efficient at all the positions.”
Along with her skills on the volleyball floor, Cullen is a 4.2 GPA student at Brighton.
“There’s not too many kids in my lifetime that I will be able to say has had the intelligence and character on-and-off the court that Celia has,” Pitcher said. “Combine that with her playing ability, and I am not sure I will ever encounter someone of her stature again. She’s been an absolute joy to be around and I consider myself very lucky to get to be her coach.”