Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Summer Feature Series: Kori Varney
6/19/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
By Jasmin Wooten
Off the court, her infectious smile, playful personality and baby face often get her mistaken for much younger than her twenty years of age.
On match day, she replaces that same smile with a fierce gaze that lets both her teammates and coaches know that she is locked in.
Passion, intensity and aggressiveness all characterize junior Kori Varney's game.
The Oxford, Michigan native, attributes her love for volleyball to her family's unique relationship with the sport.
Her mom is a former player, along with her aunt who now coaches. While growing up, the game was embedded into every family function.
"For as long as I can remember, I always carried a volleyball with me," Varney says.
Although she competed in gymnastics and played basketball throughout middle school, it became clear early on that volleyball was her true passion. She quickly excelled at it, even joining her older sister's travel team at the age of 11.
The younger Varney quickly became a star, much to her sister's dismay, eventually causing the older Varney to quit the team — a story the two still laugh about today.
By the time she entered high school, she had stopped playing basketball to solely focus on the game that had greatly shaped her life.
Going into her senior year of high school, Varney had never considered going out of state for college. However, her club volleyball coach urged her to consider the Owls.
Once she took her official visit to FAU, she instantly knew that sunny Boca was the place for her.
"It was meant to be," Varney says. "Over the weekend (of my visit) I really got to bond with the coaches and see the chemistry the team already had."
Once she arrived at FAU during the summer of 2016, Varney admits it was a culture shock. She grew up in a small, Detroit suburb with a population of 3,500 people. Moving to a big city in an unfamiliar state took some adjustment.
"Waking up sweating in the middle of the night was definitely a different experience," Varney says as she reflects on her first summer in Boca.
Although it took her some time to adjust off the court, on the court, Varney immediately made her presence known. During her freshman season, Varney appeared in 23 matches, starting in 12. She posted 10 digs and two service aces against UCF. She also registered three straight double-digit dig matches, capped off by a career high 19 digs against Southern Miss.
Varney attributes her successful freshman campaign to her self-confidence and high passion for the game.
"I became more aggressive with my playing style," she says. "I called the ball more and put all my trust in my teammates."
Heading into her sophomore year, Varney wanted to capitalize off her freshman success. She was determined to bring her best game to every practice and every match. She wanted to give her teammates her all on the court because she firmly believed they were doing the same for her.
Varney built on the momentum from her first year, becoming an integral part of the Owls' team by the time the 2017 season rolled around. She started in 24 matches and had a season-high 18 digs against North Texas. She also had 11 double-digit dig matches and finished the season with 223 digs, third most on the team.
This upcoming season, Varney, a rising upperclassman, wants to take on a more vocal role on the team.
"I want to push my teammates and myself to get one step closer to winning matches we might have lost in the past," Varney says.
She believes the team has made great strides during their spring tournaments.
"The team did a great job of finishing matches with the same energy and intensity that we started with," Varney says.
She is most excited about the early season tournaments. She believes those matches give the girls an early confidence boost that lasts them throughout the year.
"It gives us the chance to pick up where we left off," Varney says.
The Owls will certainly get the chance to do just that when they officially kickoff the 2018 season with an exhibition against Miami-Dade College on Saturday, August 18 at FAU Arena. For the full 2018 schedule, click here.
