The Shockers returners organized, texted, taught, reserved gym time and grabbed knowledge from the coaches to pass on.
That was their role in turning around Wichita State volleyball over the summer.
The newcomers played a crucial role, too.
"None of them said no to being in the gym at 6 a.m.," junior libero Giorgia Civita said. "They always said 'Yes, Gio, I'm coming."
The Shockers went 14-18 last fall and that memory prodded almost every moment in the spring and summer. Coach Chris Lamb brought in 11 newcomers to inject energy sometimes missing in 2018, Wichita State's first losing season since 2001.