What is your favorite aspect of playing volleyball?
The competition. Playing the good teams like USC, Pepperdine, and Long Beach and battling against them. I had a great time playing this year. As the libero, it's great coming up with a key dig when the team needs it. That's what I do this year, this is the contribution I get to make, and it's great when I get to do it.
How will you approach playing in the NCAA Championships this week (May 4 and 6)?
I will approach that the same way as any other game. I think Coach (Al Scates) will have us a lot more prepared for the games in the Final Four. We'll spend a lot of time preparing for the other teams, but personally, I'll approach it just like any other game.
Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?
I don't have any superstitions. About the only pre-game ritual I have is to warm-up in the same shirt, which I've done all year. That's about the only thing I do.
What was the most exciting moment for you in volleyball this year? The most disappointing moment?
Beating Pepperdine (in the MPSF Championship) was the biggest thing we've done all year. Personally, it was in the Hawaii Tournament at the beginning of the season; we were playing Hawaii and in the fifth game, I had a couple of really big digs at game point and that was probably my most exciting moment.
The most disappointing moment was losing to USC. It was pretty bad because it was the first time I had ever lost to them.
How do you feel being chosen as an All-MPSF first-team libero?
I didn't even know if they'd even have a libero on any of those teams and I didn't really think about it, but it was great to be chosen. It was awesome.
If you could play any other sport at UCLA, what would it be and why?
I think it would be great to play football. To go out and play in the Rose Bowl in front of thousands of people would be fun.
What is your favorite food? Least favorite?
Pizza. My least favorite food is probably Chinese.
Favorite movie?
Braveheart
Favorite type of music?
I listen to a lot of music. I could tell you some of my least favorite types of music: super heavy metal and techno. Anything else I can pretty much handle, I like a little bit of everything.
What would you do if you won a million dollars?
Right now I'd just stay in school, graduate, invest the money, and do something with it later. I don't know what I'd do, I'd worry about it later!
Favorite place you have ever visited? Place you would most like to visit?
I haven't visited a lot of places. We went to Korea a couple of years ago, which was pretty fun. Puerto Rico was a lot of fun as well. I want to go to Europe, and I might go this summer. It's somewhere that I definitely want to visit sometime in my life.
Favorite pasttime?
Going to the beach. I play a little bit of beach volleyball.
Favorite volleyball player or athlete?
I really don't have a favorite volleyball player. Someone that I totally look up to is (former UCLA football and volleyball player) Danny Farmer. I played with him and that guy is just amazing, playing two sports, he's a stud!
Favorite sport to watch? Why?
I like watching football, pro and college. I like watching college football more. It's a great sport; it's a sport I wish I had played in high school but never did. I played basketball and volleyball, but always wished that I had played football. I grew up playing Pop Warner football as a little kid, but stopped. I wish I had kept going, though.
If you could trade places with anybody for a day, who would it be and why?
Some rock star, just to live that life for a little while. Nobody in particular, but just to try a completely different lifestyle. I don't think I could handle it for too long, but it'd be great for a while.
As a senior, what kind of advice would you give to an incoming freshman?
Especially in our program, which can be difficult for a lot of people, I would tell him to just hang in there and you'll get your chances. I haven't been a consistent starter until this year and I've just stuck it out. After my freshman year, I thought about transferring but I'm glad that I didn't. I hung in there and made the best of my chances, and that's what he should do as well.
What do you see yourself doing in the future?
I am going to try and go to dental school like my dad. That's what my plan is, I still have a little bit of school left. Plans can change, but that's what I'm planning on doing.
What will you miss the most about UCLA?
Everything has been great since I've been here. I've won one national championship and hopefully we'll win two. I'll miss the friends that I've made; I've loved every second of being at UCLA, it was the complete college experience.
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