Sean Garvin comes back a champion

Sean Garvin, who played volleyball for the Lady Raiders until an injury sidelined her in 2017, won a national championship on Saturday in Kansas with the College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles.

Garvin's high school injury had dashed plans for a full-ride scholarship to Western Washington University. Not giving up hope, Garvin underwent physical therapy, applied to more colleges, and accepted a full-ride scholarship to CSI.

The National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Volleyball Championship was held in Hutchinson, Kansas, where the second-seed Southern Idaho team defeated the number-one seed Miami-Dade in three sets with the scores 25-22, 25-12, and 25-23.

To get there, the Golden Eagles had to defeat Laramie County, Tyler, and Seward County in the tournament.

CSI now holds the record for most national titles in Division I volleyball with 12.

"Sean was a starter for CSI most of the season, running a 5-1 offense," explained Kasey Garvin, Sean's mother. "She held a top-five national ranking in assists per set during that time, reaching as high as number two. Late in the season, CSI changed to a 6-2 offense, where Sean shared time setting."

"When I picked her up from the airport," Kasey continued, "I asked her what it felt like to be a national champion. Her answer was, 'it still hasn't sunk in yet.'"

"I'm so glad that [Sean's father] Shawn and I could be there to support her," Kasey added. "She's overcome so much this past year, I don't have the words to describe all the emotions. She persevered through her knee injury recovery, a rolled ankle in her first- and second-season tournaments, and a fractured finger just a day before regionals and a week before nationals. She's a tough kid. I love that about her."

Sean Garvin received a national championship medallion and will be ordering her national title ring when she returns back to Twin Falls, Idaho, where CSI is located, after Thanksgiving break.