Jennifer Hoffer – Sports Editor
In high school, Lauren McVey had no intentions of playing volleyball. She said it was the coach that persuaded her to play because of how tall she was at the time.
“I started played volleyball in eighth grade,” McVey said. “When I started playing in high school I just fell in love with the sport and decided I wanted to continue in college.”
Back at her high school C.W. Baker, McVey was an All-State honoaree and played for two regional championship teams and three legion championship teams.
McVey had also earned two first-team all-league selections. McVey was not a one sport girl, she also played basketball which also earned her two All-league second team distinctions.
McVey said has fallen in love with not only playing at Southern but has fallen in love with it’s whole atmosphere.
After her last year here she is really going to miss the coaches and players that she’s had the privilage to meet and play with.
“They have all had an impact on my life and have made me grow as an individual,” McVey said.
McVey, a native from Baldwinsville, New York chose Southern because she said she wanted to get away from home.
“It was between LeMonye College and Southern,” McVey said. “ LeMoyne is 20 minutes away from my house and Southern is about four hours. I wanted to have some independence. I loved the campus and the volleyball team. They defiantly won me over.”
McVey not only had to adjust to a new school and a new team, she also had to adjust to what she said is a tough life of being a student-athlete.
“I have tried to keep my levels of stress down which is nearly impossible being a student athlete,” McVey said. “Time management and organization are the two most important aspects of being able to keep my grades up while playing. There’s no such thing as free time. When you aren’t at practice, your doing work.”
The Owls have a winning record of 10-5 as of Sunday night. McVey said the key to the teams success this season so far is team chemistry and leadership.
“We are all great friends on and off the court,” McVey said. “We enjoy being with each other and pushing each other each day in practice. Jade, Sarah and I all have a strong relationship on and off the court which contributes to our leadership roles as senior captains.”
As for herself, McVey said she has seen herself improve as a player over the past four years. She said she understand the game more than she did freshman year because she said playing at a higher level in college forces you to improve as a player individually.
“Getting the chance to play with and against top athletes from all around the world has made me play at thy higher level,” McVey said.
Past injuries have set McVey back in the past years so she said she hopes to stay healthy for the remainder of the season
“I want to finish strong and healthy and I want my team to finish strong,” McVey said. “ As a team we would like to make it to conference tournament and finish top position in the conference.”
As it nears the end of the season for McVey soon, she said she will take away the friendships, relationships and experiences she has made over the past four years.
“I will cherish these memories as I continue into the future,” McVey said. “I will take away all the aspects of playing a sport in college such as self discipline, time management, organizational skills but most importantly the relationships I have built.”
McVey said she is especially going to miss playing with her roommate of fours years, also a senior, Sarah Beres.
“We came into southern together and will be leaving together,” McVey said. “She has been a big part of my individual success and our teams success.”
