My first few weeks at QU were long and hectic. I can say for almost everyone that the first week of preseason is the hardest. We were all sore and exhausted.  But we all pulled through and it was worth every second. After preseason ended and classes started, it wasn’t a test of physical but mental. I remember the first practice after we had classes; we were all tired and stressed out. Now things have gotten much better and the freshmen have learned to stay on schedule and take it one day at a time.

We have been traveling almost every weekend and when I look back it seems so far away. But all week I find myself looking forward to stepping on that big bus Friday morning and playing that night. Practices are the best part of my day. I find it to be my release from stress or anger. Our practices seem to be going well, we work hard every day and very rarely look lazy. That is one thing I love about my team, we all work hard for that common goal whether we play in games or not. Our season so far has started off slow. We have few wins under our belt, but I feel as if we learn a lot with every loss. We get stronger with every game we play and every challenge we meet.

As for life on campus, I could not be happier. Everyone that I have met is super friendly and caring. We are one big family here and you never feel left out. Sometimes I get a little homesick, but everyone is very welcoming and understanding. I love the campus life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I am very excited for our upcoming Dig Pink game next week, and to help support a good cause. Go Hawks!!

Caitlin Watson #8

Junior Year

3rd Season At Quincy

Welcome, my name is Courtney Young and I am a Junior here at QU. This is my 3rd season under Coach Rubio and I am an Outside hitter/back up setter. This season has already brought many new experiences. We have a new Graduate Assistant, a new volunteer coach and we brought in many new freshman faces. We were in a new tournament at Columbia College and at Lindenwood University, which we participated in last years' preseason, also. Our opening preseason tournaments showed how much potential and talent that this team has and what kind of level of play that we are able to compete at. We are a very young team, having only 4 upperclassmen and ten underclassmen (5 freshman and 5 sophomores). 

        My experience here with Quincy Volleyball has grown more and more each year. I have been able to grow as a person, student, and an athlete because of the support and influence of the staff here at Quincy. I have developed a strong, personal relationship with my coach and with my fellow teammates. We have many activities within the team that helps bond us together. In preseason, we have 2-a-days which are about 2 1/2 to 3 hours long with about a 3 hour break in between. After practices, we are able to relax and have team bonding in the hotel that we stay at. We do many activities such as, scavenger hunts, personality characterization, and small games that let us get to know each other better and on a different, personal level. Season can bring many ups and downs and frustrating times. A challenge that you have to deal with is learning to become a stronger individual when you are faced with problems, whether it's with volleyball, school, or your personal life. Your volleyball family will always have an open mind and be willing to help you cope with anything that comes your way. That's a promise that you can be sure of. 

       As far as life outside of volleyball, it can be really hectic the first few weeks of school. You are learning to balance volleyball, school, and any outside plans. I am an Elementary Education major and a Spanish minor. I am involved in my 2nd teaching clinical, which I observe in the classroom and teach 2 lessons to the class. I go to the Elementary schools for 4-6 hours a week and classes here at QU Monday through Friday. Taking challenges that are outside of your comfort zone is something that I would recommend, they make you work harder and become a stronger student. 

       I am excited for our conference season to start this Friday and Saturday. This season is going to bring many experiences that will be beneficial to our program!! Lets Go Hawks :)

Courtney Young #6

My first couple weeks up here at QU have been a blast. Pre-season made me sore for days but once that wore off everything was way better. Staying in the hotel for pre-season was a great way for all of us girls to bond and we all got extremely close in the one week period of time. Taylor and Courtney were my roommates those few days and I’m pretty sure we never slept. Having three of the most talkative/social girls on the team together in one room made getting sleep almost impossible. I got really home sick my third week of being up here and I wouldn’t have been able to get through it with out the girls on the team. Were like a big family and everyone is there for everyone else. Once school started my free time disappeared. Between homework and practice I started getting a little stressed but now that I’m used to the busy schedule things have gotten a whole lot easier.

            We just got back on our first long road trip. I have to say that the best part of traveling is the giant tour bus we get to take. There is so much space to move around and bunks that you can just chill in. We watched tons of Grey’s Anatomy and again we were all able to bond even closer. This weekend was tough because we lost all our matches, but that just proves that we have to work harder in practice to improve our play as a team. The teams we played were good, but very beatable. We just need to push all the way through the game, from point 1 to point 25. I’m so glad I came to school here at QU. I’ve met some of the best people in the world and we have become the best of friends. Also I have acquired many new nicknames such as, Captain, Mo, Noodles, Sprinkles, Mogo, and Kentucky, just to name a few. So far my college experience has been awesome and I’m looking forward to the weeks to come.

Go Lady Hawks!

Morgan Ebner #4

First year in Quincy

My first two weeks here at Quincy have been overwhelming yet lots of fun. After spraining my ankle the second day of preseason I was unable to practice for a couple weeks. This was very upsetting for me but the girls really helped me get through it. They were there for me when I was lagging back on my crutches and they waited on me all the time. This made me realize how great the girls on the team are and how they are always there for me. 
School has been really busy for me. Between going to class all day and having tons of homework I have been pretty stressed out. However I cant imagine going to class anywhere else. The small class size makes it easy to ask questions and the teachers are very personable. Although it's a lot of work, school takes my mind off of things and i really like my classes. It feels good to finally start getting into a routine again.
At this point I love it here at Quincy. I feel so lucky to have such great teammates and friends here at QU. They have made my college experience a lot of fun so far and have been there for me through some rough times. I'm so happy to finally be back playing volleyball again. My injury has really made me realize my passion for the sport. I'm excited to start the season..I know great things are in store for the Lady Hawks! 



#3 Brittany Atkinson

Double Days

 After going through the first two weeks of college volleyball and the whole college experience, I have been through tough, strenuous, stressful and very enjoyable times. I have met some amazing people and have had a blast with my team. The first week I was up here at Quincy for preseason I was pushed to my limit and sometimes had to exceed that limit. With the help of my teammates I pushed through the tough, painful times and felt very accomplished after doing so. I'm not gonna lie, I was very sore that first week and felt that I wouldn't be able to move the next morning. But once my body got used to the 2-a-days and the amount of activity I was doing I began to become more comfortable and the soreness subsided.

 

     When I eased into the second week of college, classes started and I had to begin to learn how to manage my time between classes, school work, volleyball and hanging out with friends. I was very stressed the first couple days of classes after getting my syllabi and just having everything pilled up in front of me. Everything is not as stressful now because I am in the process of getting into a scheduled routine and getting familiar with my schedule and managing my time. At times, I am still stressed out but I try not to worry to much and take advice from upperclassmen and just enjoy the experience.

 

     The people I have met at Quincy are great. My team is a blast to be with because the girls are such great friends and they know how to make things enjoyable and fun at stressful times. Normally I am not very socialable but after two weeks here at college, I have broken out of my shell and become extremely more socialable and have met and became friends with people from my classes and who live in my dorm, etc.

 

     I am very much enjoying my first semester here at Quincy University and am preparing for and am very excited for our upcoming/first volleyball tournament this weekend. :) GO HAWKS!!!

Briann Joslin # 2