Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Summer Feature Series: Rising Sophomore Class
6/5/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
This is the first in a series of features on the FAU volleyball team. Today we focus on the trio of freshmen as they look back on their first year in Boca Raton.
Story by Jasmin Wooten
The transition from high school to college athletics can be a grueling mental game that takes many first-year athletes by surprise. Every year, freshmen who were household names in their hometowns will find themselves sitting on benches across the nation, stuffed deep in their team's rotation. They will fight day in and day out, competing with their teammates for the chance to see playing time.
Confidence, focus, and patience are the key ingredients every freshman needs to beat the odds and avoid a freshman slump, according to FAU rising sophomores, Sydney Nemtuda, Nicki Lakman, and Mimi Marion.
By mid-season, these three freshmen fought their way into the rotation, all showing glimpses of stardom when they did.
Sydney Nemtuda, an outside hitter from Algonquin, Illinois, won her spot in the Owls' rotation by the time Conference USA play rolled around.
According to Nemtuda, confidence was the key to her first year success. Although she was a former high school standout, even named a First Team Under Armour All American, it was not enough to stop the nerves she had coming into college.
Nemtuda admits it took a while to get used to a collegiate environment. If it was not for her coach's constant reassurance and supportive teammates, she wouldn't have had the confidence to play her game.
"When I first started practicing with the team, my nerves really got to me. But early on, the coaches really helped me grow my confidence," Nemtuda says. "Once I let myself play and stopped being afraid to make mistakes, I started seeing success."
Once Nemtuda started playing, she was unstoppable. Her back-to-back double-doubles against FIU (10 kills, 10 digs) and Charlotte (19 kills, 16 digs) earned her Conference USA Freshman of the Week honors. She ended the season fourth on the team in kills per set (2.58) and fifth in digs per set (1.76) earning a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman team and another C-USA Freshman of the Week honor.
Over the offseason, Nemtuda believes travelling for spring tournaments improved the team's chemistry and trust in one another. She also believes having only two seniors on last year's squad will give them an edge over their opponents.
When asked what she was most looking forward to this upcoming season, Nemtuda emphatically stated "Conference".
"With a renewed team confidence, I feel our conference performance and outcomes will be much better," Netumda says.
Like Nemtuda, Orlando native Nikki Lakman played a critical role in the Owl's success last season. Lakman's ability to quickly adapt proved advantageous for herself and her team.
Lakman, a backup setter, entered the starting lineup after Ivone Martinez suffered an injury. She took on the difficult task of replacing FAU's fifth all-time assist leader with ease. She averaged 19 assists per set against FIU and Charlotte, while also posting a career-high eight digs in each match.
Lakman believes choosing to focus on the process and not the immediate result is what kept her mentally ready for a shot at being a starter.
The decision to control the controllables, leaving behind any self-doubt proved to be the right decision, as she ended the season with the second-most assists on the team.
Lakman hopes to build off last season's momentum and find ways to help her team win, in any way possible.
Mimi Marion's, a redshirt freshman, patience and constant perseverance paid off big time last season. The Minnesota native joined the Owls as a transfer from N.C State.
According to the middle blocker, the transition from N.C State to FAU took some adjustment.
"It was different going from a redshirt who just practiced with the team to playing and having to adjust to the dynamics that come with being more involved on the court," Marion said.
During her first season with the Owls, she saw sporadic action before steadily working her way into regular rotation. Marion attributed her extensive off the court training in the weight room helped her stay ready for her moment to arrive.
When that moment arrived with her first career start vs. Florida Gulf Coast, she tallied seven kills and two total blocks. In her best match of the season, Marion set a career high with 12 kills, five total blocks, and three digs. She finished the season with 52 blocks, second-most on the team.
"You have to appreciate it all and stay the course," Marion says.
