Full Great Women Great Danes Interview Transcript
UAlbany's Great Women Great Danes is a series that will be published during Women's History Month. The series will feature Great Danes, past and present, and celebrate the women of UAlbany.
Q: Can you tell me about your experience as a student-athlete here?
A: My time as a student athlete here at UAlbany … it was amazing! I loved my coaches; loved the girls that I played with every single year … my sophomore year was definitely my favorite - winning the America East Championship, going to Texas, being in the NCAA [tournament] with everyone … it was so special and so meaningful. It’s definitely something that I’m going to take with me for the rest of my life.
Q: Can you go into a little more depth of the experience that year – winning the AE Championship and going to the NCAA tournament?
A: That year, the girls on that team … we wanted it so bad. I remember it so vividly - being in that arena. It was almost like we knew it was going to happen. It was like a different feeling, a different kind of vibe with that team and those group of girls. Stepping out on that court, it was … it seemed like a fever dream, honestly, because it’s something you can’t really put into words, how special it was. And that was the same thing with the NCAA tournament - seeing all of the amazing volleyball players there, walking into that arena and feeling the environment especially with crowd and the fans … speechless … that’s all I could’ve really said with that one. It was my one thing, my one goal throughout my time being [at UAlbany]. I wanted to go to the NCAA tournament, and I wanted to win the America East Championship for my team and for my coaches so being able to do that … just amazing, it was special.
Q: Throughout your career, you had more chances to get to win the AE Championship. What did it feel like to have that opportunity in so many different seasons?
A: Hard. I have to say - very hard … heart breaking to say the least. Being able to be on that championship court numerous times and always on the downfall, it’s not a good feeling. But, we worked so hard and we gave it all for each other on that court and that’s all I could’ve ever asked for … we worked as hard as we could, we had a lot of great competitors. Falling short, it didn’t really mean as much because we were trying our best doing everything that we were supposed to do from our coaches and that’s all you could really ask for. We didn’t win but we definitely were neck and neck.
Q: Did it mean anything those years where you guys were predicted to finish in the lower end of the conference and then you ended up going to the championship anyway? You did say it was heartbreaking to lose the championship, but do you have positive memories associated with being better than they thought you were?
A: Oh, of course! I honestly loved being the underdog. That’s the one thing I would always talk to my team about. I would say, “we’re not really in the running to win - at least no one thinks we are, so who has the pressure? Not us. Why don’t we just go out there and do what we’ve been doing for all of these years?” We knew how to play volleyball. We experienced ups and downs and obstacles but we always had been able to get through them so turning to my team and saying let’s just play … I mean, we did everything we could.
Q: A decorated athlete, you were the team’s go-to libero for nearly your entire career. Can you tell me about your experience in that specific position?
A: It was a lot of responsibility, but I was willing to take it … every single year, my coaches gave me the opportunity to step on that court and kind of be the leader of the back row and I took it and I ran with it because I knew we needed some back row support. We needed it to come from everyone as well so me being that first person to help the team, I loved that responsibility and I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.
Q: You were AE Defensive Specialist of the Week nine times in your career and you won the AE Defensive Specialist of the Year once and you are fourth in the record book for all-time career digs. Part of a line of defensive standouts from the UAlbany program, what does it feel like to be the latest one? To be the most recent standout in that position?
A: It’s a great feeling … it really is. You just said a long line of defensive specialists … when I came into this program, I would look up to those other liberos, other defensive specialists and they kind of led the way for me, in a way, and they kind of taught me exactly what it meant to be a UAlbany libero. So, they helped out a lot - watching their film, watching what they did on the court against those teams, so all props to them. I just wanted to take that legacy and run with it, in a way. Hopefully this year, there’s going to be another UAlbany athlete who’s the defensive specialist of the year.
Q: Throughout your career, as a Great Dane, you missed just four matches the entire time - all five seasons - and you were the only student athlete to play in every single set during both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. What did it feel like knowing that you could fill that leader role and you could be the person that your team counted on in ANY situation?
A: I loved it. That’s kind of how I got to the place that I was at my senior year. Stepping on that court and giving it my all, doing everything that I could for that team, being that captain role model, I wanted to show my younger teammates what UAlbany Volleyball is about. It's about being gritty, giving everything that you have on that court, and just loving each other every single step through it.
Q: Are you still involved with volleyball?
A: I’m fully employed but whenever there are four leagues or sixes leagues, I'm definitely there.
Q: What about anything else physical?
A: Yeah, I am a personal trainer. My whole life is still revolved around athletics and fitness. It was nice to have my strength and conditioning coaches from UAlbany. They’ve taught me everything I know so being able to take that knowledge and expand on it have been really special … really fun and fulfilling.
Q: Are you a fitness trainer full time?
A: Part time. I am also a fourth-grade science teacher.
Q: Can you tell me a little bit both about your time as a fitness trainer and your time as a teacher?
A: [I definitely have] long days. I have my students every single day and then I go from work, and I go to personal training. I have about 15 clients right now, male and female of all ages, and it's just really fun to interact with them and take them on their fitness journey and lead them to where they want to be in their fitness goals. It’s been really special to see. I’ve seen it over the past six months with my newest clients and I get to do that in the classroom as well. Not so much fitness but in the world of knowledge and growing and being the best version of yourself.
Q: Which would you saw is your favorite?
A: [Training is] absolutely my favorite part of the day. Being able to go into the gym, seeing all the weights, seeing all my coworkers, and all my clients … it’s such a good environment. Having people in the same place, wanting the same thing, it’s really special.
Q: Is that what you want to do? You want to be a like a fitness trainer … a personal trainer? Are you looking to get more into college athletics, maybe?
A: I would love to get into college athletics. It’s only been like a year or so since I’ve graduated. So, I have a lot to … think about and experience to see what I really want to do. But … definitely the world of personal training, fitness, athletics … I never want to give that up. It's been a part of my life since I was … two? *laughs* Having that be a part of me for the rest [of my life] … that’s something I need in my life. It keeps me happy … keeps me sane.
Q: Seeing what I saw of you on the court, I could very easily see you leading a team of college athletes in strength room. The final questions are for women’s history month in general. How did the women around you help you to become the athlete and person you are today?
A: I definitely remember being on the court all of my five years and you would see the middle school volleyball teams, the high school volleyball teams, and they would be sitting up in the crowd. I would look at them and I would think, “we are empowering them in a way that we don’t even understand,” because when I was that age, I would look at college volleyball games and think, “wow, I want to be right where they are.” Having that status of being that role model for them is so special. Also, having the girls on the court with me … being able to rely on one another and work towards the same goal for three of four months. It’s nice to have those girls, and looking up to those youngers [girls], being that positive role model for them.
Q: You kind of took my last question and my next question and combined them into two. Can you expand on them a bit? Is there anyone else outside of your team that you feel shaped you to be who you are today?
A: There’s so many. We’ll start off with my two older sisters, Alex and Hailey - they started the whole volleyball thing. They tried out for JV volleyball and I looked up to them loving the sport, playing it every single day, and I would play with them in the backyard all the time … so, they kind of got me into loving volleyball. So, they are number one. They taught me how to be the best athlete. My parents, of course, and my high school volleyball coaches, college volleyball coaches … they have shaped me into the player that I am today. They knew that I was a relentless *laughs* relentless defensive player. They pushed me every single day and I never took no for an answer. Having them holding me to my best standards and valuing me as a player each and every single year, I give all the credit to them.
Q: What does it feel like to you to be in that position that you can be a role model for those middle school and younger or slightly older girls?
A: I’ve taken that into my profession now, because I learned that I am the role model for those younger girls, so going into the personal training field, these people are looking up to me to help them through their fitness journey. It’s the same thing, it’s just with different groups of people. I love that status and I love being able to help those around me.
Q: And finally, what does women’s history month mean to you? -
A: I think it’s a time where we can signify and recognize the incredible accomplishments of women and our journey in sports … not even sports, honestly. It’s in the entire world of being a female. We’ve taken such great leaps - I mean, you’ve seen it with the Nebraska volleyball game this past year with over 92 ,000 [in attendance] - and there’s still a ways to go. Taking that time to really acknowledge what we’ve done in the past and take that next step forward is really important. It’s really special.
For more content from the Women's History Month #GreatWomenGreatDanes series, click here.
