“The balls kill themselves”

There are many things that have made Cullen a special player for the Mustangs, both on and off the field.

She joined SMU after posting 762 assists in 17 starts for the Spartans as a sophomore.

In her first year with the Mustangs, she started 31 games and scored 1,148 assists, an average of almost two assists per set more than a year earlier.

Cullen was then named American Athletic Conference Setter of the Year in 2023, leading the league in assists (1,207), assists per set (10.59) and a career-high 67 kills.

Cullen made the move to the ACC league her senior year and leads the league in assists while averaging 9.93 assists per game, which ranks third in one of the nation’s most talented volleyball conferences .

On November 3, Cullen moved to 5th in all-time assists for an SMU player, up to 3,239 and counting.

She is also in top form on the service line. Cullen scored two aces last season and now has a career-high of 20 to 89 sets.

For Cullen, it’s largely a product of getting comfortable with a team built through the NCAA transfer portal over the past few seasons.

She had the advantage of playing alongside all her external and co-stars in 2023 and developing a strong bond.

“In general, we are all very close. We have very good relationships with each other,” said Cullen. “By going back to the feedback loop together, we were able to build that relationship on the field, because we are so strong off the field.”

The Mustangs added much of their top talent through the transfer portal this offseason, but they have had no problem being sandwiched between primary hitters Maya Tabron and Naya Shime.

With Cullen orchestrating the offense, it has been a seamless effort to get everyone on offense and thriving.

“The balls are killing themselves,” senior outside hitter Jamison Wheeler said. “Really and truly. I joke that I could headbutt one of her sets because it’s such a good set.

Worse has praised Cullen’s work ethic and character as major reasons why she has become such an important part of what SMU has built in just three years.

When Worger or the Mustangs need to get something done, they turn to Cullen because she’s “reliable that way.”

During matches, Cullen displays an intensity that has become contagious to her teammates and pulls them along.

Even in games they lose, the Mustangs always fight until the last point.

When SMU extended No. 5 Stanford to a final 35-point set, Cullen scored big with 14 assists in that set alone.

Beyond just being an emphatic competitor, Cullen is making the most of her final season.

It forces them and the rest of a team full of veterans to play with everything they have on every serve, set and peak.

“It’s a big part of our senior years and we don’t want to leave anything on the table. We don’t want to leave with any regrets,” Cullen said. “But we are also focused on really enjoying this last year. Those two things – finding joy and pleasure and giving everything because we don’t have much time left – go well together.”

SMU and Cullen on the rise

Joy has surrounded SMU this season with their five wins and highest ever AVCA Poll ranking.

There is also a growing interest in Mustang volleyball.

SMU set numerous attendance records this season, hosting 6,773 fans against Nebraska.

Since that home opener, they have passed the 2,000 attendance mark three more times, something they have never done in a home game this season.

For someone like Cullen, who was there before the Mustangs moved to the ACC, the boost in support has meant a lot.

“The Dallas community has really rallied around us,” Cullen said.

Seeing young fans come to games at Moody Coliseum was especially rewarding for Cullen and her teammates.

“We all remember sitting in their seats and watching a game like that,” Cullen said. “It’s really cool to give something back.”

The Mustangs are in prime position as a top-10 team to not only make the NCAA Tournament this season, but also host the first two rounds in Dallas if they get a top-16 seed.

SMU prides itself on being a deep team that can elevate everyone in any given game and push the Mustangs to victory.

Yet during all the big games of hitters and blockers, Cullen always takes center stage.

The Mustangs are becoming a prominent volleyball program for the first time and Cullen’s efforts will be synonymous with their rise.

The statue may have to wait until Cullen and SMU complete a 2024 season with a lot of potential.