Merrimack's Coffey leaving her own legacy in girls volleyball

For Jo Coffey, the biggest thing was making her own legacy.

The Merrimack High School senior spent two years playing volleyball along with her older sister, Jen, helping the Tomahawks to a Division I championship a year ago, along with a semifinal appearance the year before.

But while Jen Coffey was the two-time D1 Player of the Year, and one of the top hitters in the state during that time, Jo Coffey wanted to find her own way.

"As a freshman, (volleyball) was something that my sister did and I wanted to do it," Jo Coffey said. "I was a really big basketball player, but in sophomore year, I started to get good, I started to notice what I could do.

"I didn't want to follow in Jen's footsteps. I wanted to make my own path. She definitely pointed me in the right direction. I wanted to leave my own legacy in this program."

Last week, Jo Coffey did that, and more. With her 44 assists in last Monday's win over Spaulding, Coffey broke the state record for career assists, which had been set at 1,671 in 2009 by Inter-Lakes' Mary McGourty.

And since joining the varsity as a sophomore, the Tomahawks (12-1 going into Wednesday) have won 51 out of 56 matches, including the postseason.

"As a sophomore, I never thought I'd do that," Coffey said of the record. "It's a great accomplishment to do it in three years and it means a lot to me.

"Definitely my sophomore year, we were in tryouts and (coach Tammy Lambrou) said 'I think you could go far in this game' and I felt so, too. That's when I knew I wanted to play volleyball in college and I want to play for as long as I can. That's when I stopped playing basketball and focused on this. Ever since then, I was with my foot on the gas."

But up until now, it had been with her older sister at her side. This season has been admittedly weird for the younger Coffey, as she's adjusted to not having Jen on the court with her. One thing that hasn't changed their has been her desire to lead.

"As a junior, I was vocal, and this year, I don't shut up on the court," she said. "I like being the court captain and it gives me a good feeling. It gives me motivation to do well. My teammates, I can always rely on them. It's not just me, it's the whole team that I can count on."

Coffey will look to lead the Tomahawks again Wednesday, as Merrimack faces a tough opponent in Bishop Guertin (10-3) on the road.