When Natalie Foster made the decision to play her final season of college volleyball at SMU, she didn't know just how much of an impact it would make.

By the time Foster played her final match for the Mustangs, she had set two school records, was part of a historic season and was drafted into the Pro Volleyball Federation, where she would win the championship in her first season.

Much of that could be traced to another decision, this time by SMU head coach Sam Erger and her staff, to let Foster serve. That was something she had done little of during her college career, but it changed everything.

"It was very, very cool for me to be back there," Foster said of serving. "To be given the opportunity to serve throughout the whole season was really awesome considering, in the past couple of years, the coaches haven't held that trust with me and like that they believe in me. … It was a great start to something really, really cool that I've been able to do, and it's definitely built my confidence in other factors of the game."

In four seasons at Wichita State, Foster had a total of 54 service aces. In one season at SMU, she had 64 to set a new record for most serves and .54 aces per set to set that school record, too.

"I used to be defined as a middle hitter, and now I can also be a serving middle and a middle hitter on top of that," Foster said. "And now I'm just working on the blocking part, but we're getting there."

Foster also had 204 kills on the season, averaging over 1.7 per set, to finish fourth on the team. Her .360 attack percentage was highest of anyone with at least 100 attack attempts. 

And with the added weapon of serving, Foster was drafted 14th overall in the 2024 PVF Draft by the Orlando Valkyries. The draft, held on Nov. 25, came with two matches left in the regular season and the NCAA tournament. Foster was one of three Mustangs drafted, tying for the most picks from one school, coming just after Naya Shime (13th, Grand Rapids) and ahead of Maya Tabron (23rd, San Diego). Nnedi Okammor was signed in the preseason by Indy and Celia Cullen was signed by San Diego during the season.

"It was really cool to have them by my side through that process," Foster said. 

But there was unfinished business at SMU. Two days after the draft, the Mustangs swept No. 21 Florida State in Tallahassee and just a week later they were playing in the NCAA tournament. 

It was SMU's fourth trip to the NCAA tournament and second-straight appearance, but it was the first time those matches would be played at Moody Coliseum. The Mustangs earned the right to host after a 25-win season, including going 7-4 against ranked teams, with wins against No. 1 Pittsburgh and No. 2 Nebraska — who reached the Final Four and were the national runner up, respectively.

SMU reached as high as No. 10 in the country and was the No. 2 seed in Pittsburgh's region.

"I definitely think the things we did surprised me, but I knew walking into the gym the very first day, that there was something really, really special," Foster said. "The intensity and mindset that a lot of the girls had, and the expectations they had, I just knew that this is going to be a special team, regardless of the outcome."

That was what the Mustangs needed going into their first season in the ACC. Just like SMU, Foster was coming from the American and wasn't entirely sure what to expect in the more competitive conference.

Foster and SMU proved they belonged. The Mustangs swept No. 13 Georgia Tech in Atlanta to open conference play and went from there.

"To have that kind of entrance into the ACC, just like right off the bat, was super cool," Foster said. "I think we definitely made our mark in (the ACC). … It was really, really cool to be a part of something so special. We didn't have the longest run in the NCAA (tournament), but it was a season that I think, I hope, people will never forget."

While the Mustangs felt like their second-round exit from the NCAA tournament was early, there wasn't time for players like Foster to think about it. She was off to Orlando and another season that was about to begin.

"It was crazy. I don't think I ever expected to get there, to get to pro volleyball," Foster said. "But I like to live every day, almost day by day or week by week, in a sense. I don't look too far ahead. So, the season ended at SMU and within the next week I was finishing up my finals and figuring out how to pack up my apartment and move out to Orlando."

Foster played her first professional match on Jan. 9, a 3-0 sweep of San Diego. She, fittingly, got her first career ace in that match. 

Serving not only helped get Foster to professional volleyball, it was also how she eased into things at the next level.

"I didn't start in a couple, I don't know how many games it was at the beginning of the Orlando season, but I was a serving sub for a couple of them," Foster said. "So that was something when I was drafted, they're like, 'We really love your serve. We're excited to have you on the team.' And I think it was cool to have that implemented right away at that level, for sure."

Foster would earn more and more time on the court, and not just at the service line, finishing fourth on the team with 183 kills.

But her serve continued to make history. 

On Feb. 12, Foster was named PVF Player of the Week. One of her many highlights that week was a six-ace performance, tying the PVF record for most aces in a four-set match. Then, on March 10, just 15 matches into the season, Foster broke the league record for aces in a season with 34 and 13 matches to go.

Foster ended the season with 64 aces — more than doubling the previous league record — and 23 more than the next highest this past season.

"Even going into the season, I was just like, 'Well, I mean, we'll see how my serve works in this league,'" Foster said. "You never know going into a new conference or a new league what the level of the different teams are. I could watch all I want, but it's different being on the court and playing those teams."

On top of everything else, Foster and the Valkyries won the PVF championship, defeating Indy 3-1 in the championship match. 

And it all started with faith and belief at SMU.

"I think it was super cool that SMU was able to pick and choose, kind of, what my serve was going to be from what it had been, and they were able to manipulate it in a way that it was effective," Foster said. "And it's something I can do in the fall (at SMU) and then bring it into the pro league and still have it be just as effective there."