DENVER – Mikaela Kubiak (Kalamazoo, Mich./Portage Central) wasn't lost.
 
But after 18 months without appearing in an official match, some navigation skill was required.
 
"The first time I was out on the court again, it felt foreign," Kubiak said. "I felt like I was on another planet, in a different dimension. It was really weird."
 
Kubiak, MSU Denver's redshirt freshman, made a return from a second consecutive major injury the weekend of Sept. 21 and 22, playing in three sets on a road trip.
 
Then, last weekend, she moved into the Roadrunners' starting lineup and – sharing setting duties with Jessa Megenhardt (Berthoud, Colo./Berthoud) -- averaged 6.4 assists per set in a pair of victories.
 
Not bad at all considering what she has been through.
 
"Mikaela is a special athlete, and her determination, her leadership – I've never coached a grittier athlete who just refuses to give in," MSU Denver coach Jenny Glenn said. "That's what I love about her, and that's what the team loves about her."
 
Kubiak said she's still trying to knock some of the rust off her game, and that will continue this weekend when she and the rest of the Roadrunners (10-6 overall, 6-2 and fifth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) head to Utah for matches Friday at 6 p.m. against Westminster (5-12, 3-6 and tied for 11^th) and Saturday at 4 p.m. against Dixie State (13-3, 8-1 and tied for second).
 
Kubiak's injury history, in fact, includes four major setbacks, three from high school and another after matriculating to Metropolitan State University of Denver.
 
It started with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee as a high school freshman. Then she had the exact same injury a year later. Then there was a torn right ACL during the spring of her senior year that led to her redshirting her first season at MSU Denver.
 
And, finally, she suffered a torn Achilles' tendon in her left ankle last spring, which ultimately caused her to miss the first 12 matches of this season.
 
Physical pain is one thing. But mental anguish can be more difficult.
 
Still, like a good setter will, Kubiak distributed assists throughout her network for making it through.
 
"Overcoming the mental hurdle took a lot of support from my family and friends, my coaches and especially my teammates," she said. "They couldn't have been more supportive. They were there for me. I was on a scooter and couldn't walk for six weeks, and they always had to lift my scooter in and out of the car.
 
"Truthfully, if I was doing it by myself, it would have been 10 times better. Jenny and the coaches always asked how I was doing and made me talk through it, which helped me. And our trainers did a great job of helping with recovery and easing the mood and giving me perspective."
 
Glenn said Kubiak never checked out mentally, despite all of the setbacks.
 
"Even though she was out all last year, she still contributed to the team in huge ways with her leadership off the court," Glenn said. "I've never coached an athlete who has been injured and on the sidelines and still was so engaged every day. I never had to tell her, 'Hey, stay engaged in practice.'
 
"The perspective she brings to our group is incredible."
 
Kubiak came to MSU Denver from Kalamazoo, Mich., after playing at Portage Central High School – not exactly typical recruiting ground for any Roadrunners athletic program.
 
But Glenn spotted Kubiak at a major club tournament in Orlando, Fla., and things took off from there.
 
"I still needed quite a few players for the 2017 class, and I was looking at how to replace (All-American setter) Brandi Torr," Glenn said. "I knew the club she played for (FarOut Volleyball) always produced good setters, so I walked up to the court they were playing on to check it out."
 
Still liked what she saw.
 
"I ended up talking to a coaching friend of mine from that area who spoke really highly of her," Glenn said. "We got her out to camp and she was able to compete with the girls and we offered her (a scholarship) at camp. We knew right away she would be a good fit."
 
After missing last season, just how Kubiak would fit in this season was unclear. Kubiak was able to do some stationary position work beginning in July but couldn't participate in practice more fully until the end of August, after the season had started.
 
And, with Megenhardt and Morgan Weatherwax (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain) setting, there was no clear path to court time for Kubiak.
 
"I wasn't sure," Kubiak said. "I knew there was potential, but nothing is given. I knew I wouldn't be given anything and that I had to earn it. I just wanted to give everything I had and play for my team."
 
Last week, Glenn continued shuffling her personnel while trying to find the right fit. She settled on a 6-2 offense with Kubiak and Megenhardt setting.
 
"We're running a 6-2 because we have a lot of firepower," Glenn said. "We want to use as much of that as possible. We have three good setters who provide different things. It gives us a lot of options if we want to switch to a different offense."
 
Though none have been able to post eye-popping individual numbers, the Kubiak-Megenhardt-Weatherwax triumvirate has contributed to the Roadrunners' ranking third in the RMAC with 12.6 per set. Consistency of sets throughout the match led to MSU Denver going with Kubiak and Megenhardt.
 
"Their styles are a little similar," Glenn said of Kubiak and Megenhardt. "The ball is coming out from them similarly. The tempo it takes to get from hands to hitter is a little more similar. Morgan is a great setter as well, she just has a different style."
 
Kubiak remains thankful that the coaching staff stuck with her throughout her injuries.
 
"I'm really grateful and truly blessed to be part of a program that is so invested in me," she said. "Jenny and the coaches have always been so supportive. It's awesome because I love how my teammates interact with me. Being back out there on the floor is one of the best feelings in the world."