My volleyball story began on a court in a small German town, watching my friend’s dad play in a tournament. The sport grasped my attention and soon, my friends and I were regulars at practices, soaking up the game. The older players took us under their wing, teaching us basic skills and igniting a passion that would forever change my life.

Those early lessons served me well when I moved to New Jersey in 9th grade. My newfound skills helped me stand out at tryouts and landing a spot on the East Brunswick Bears. The team became a family and helped me integrate into the culture of the school and the US itself. Club volleyball added travel and the first states I visited were all due to my travel with the Warren SixPack. The hard work and commitment paid off as the Bears ended up winning back-to-back state championships during my junior and senior years.

My love for the sport continued at Rutgers University, where I pursued an Economics degree while playing club and beach volleyball. There, I was presented with a unique opportunity to train with the Big Ten women’s D1 team. The grueling rallies instilled in me the importance of volleyball endurance and opened my eyes to the strategic and statistical complexities of the game. This newfound knowledge fueled a desire to share my passion, leading me to become the youngest high school volleyball coach in New Jersey during my junior year of college. That coaching experience ignited a spark that continues to burn brightly as I continued to coach throughout my first years as a young professional and graduate school. Fast forward to today, I am able to smile back at coaching everything from a U9 team to assisting with a D3 team in college and starting the New Jersey Juniors beach program under Great American Volleyball.

Today, I’m thrilled to be back on the court coaching future stars and instilling the love and respect for a game that has done so much for me. While past victories bring a smile to my face, the greatest reward is certainly seeing my former players become coaches themselves or introducing their children to this incredible sport. Volleyball has given me so much, and I’m excited to lead the next generation of players on their volleyball journey with Excel.