UMSL MBA student Haley Brightwell is an outsider hitter for the volleyball team.
By KATIE RUTLEDGE
The University of Missouri–St. Louis volleyball team opened the 2014 season last weekend in Evansville, Ind., posting a 3-1 record. Senior co-captain Haley Brightwell, who is pursuing her MBA, answered some questions for us before they departed.
Tell us what you did this summer.
Personally, I worked out five or six times a week doing lifting, cardio, and circuits (working on power and jumping). That was mostly on my own or with friends. We also had open gyms twice a week which was awesome. Seven of us were on campus and Jory (Siebenmorgen) and Kristen Uradzionek live near here so they came too.
I also worked 20 hours a week in the business office and also worked some for the alumni office and the event staff and I babysat for a family and watched their dogs when they were away.
UMSL student Haley Brightwell
What is the game you are looking forward to the most this upcoming year?
I’m looking forward to playing Missouri S&T because they are big rivals and somehow they always come out on top – I’d like to beat them before I leave UMSL.
As you enter your senior season, how will your role on the team be different than in past years?
In previous years I feel as if I’d had to prove my leadership and show that I want to be someone that everyone turns to and now it is almost expected. I notice people looking at me automatically and I love it because I feel really natural in that kind of environment and I love being someone that people look to in any aspect.
From the end of last season to the present what sort of improvements have you seen for the team?
Team morale and attitude is through the roof better than it was previously. Everyone has come in with high expectations in those regards and that is the level that we are keeping it at. I also feel like our overall chemistry has improved a lot as well. Our defense looks a lot more aggressive and scrappy which is probably due to us continuing to play throughout the summer!
What is one thing about this season that you have been looking forward to since the end of last season?
I’m honestly looking forward to our team coming together as a whole. I want to see how we ride the wave if we’re on a winning streak, and I want to see how we bounce back if or when we lose.
What led you to UMSL?
I was at Drake for a year when our coach left and the new coach was looking to replace the current players with his own. We had played UMSL in a spring tournament my freshman year, and it was the first school that popped into mind when I had decided to transfer! I got in contact with coach Ryan Young and I didn’t have to continue my search any further!
What are some of your personal and team goals for the season?
Personally, I want to secure my position as an outside hitter and I want to help in keeping the team together in our ups and downs. I also want to beat Missouri S&T and Lewis!!
As a team, we want to continue further into the conference tournament than previously and we all want to beat Lewis and Truman State because those are two tough teams. We’ve really made a point to make sure that we focus on each other and working together and not let distractions get in the way of that.
Katie Rutledge is a UMSL senior majoring in education with an emphasis in elementary education. She’s also an outfielder on the UMSL softball team and an athletics media intern.
