Stanford libero Morgan Hentz ready to take the floor at Final Four

For a position that’s only been part of college volleyball for about 15 years, the libero can be critical. Being a defensive specialist takes a special skillset — the reflexes of a hockey goalie, the nimbleness of a gymnast and the guts of a ski-jumper.

Morgan Hentz, Stanford’s first Pac-12 Libero of the Year since the award’s inception in 2011, wraps it all up in a 5-foot-9 package. And she can’t get enough of the position. “I love making a dig when we put it away,” she said. “That’s the best feeling ever.”

She and her teammates on the defending national champion Cardinal are the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Final Four in Kansas City. They play No. 2 Florida in the semifinals Thursday at 6 p.m. after No.