Marquette University Athletics
Golden Eagle Q&A With Holly Mertens
9/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Sept. 24, 2009
MILWAUKEE - Redshirt freshman Holly Mertens of the Marquette women's volleyball team has overcome quite a bit of adversity in the past year and is experiencing a breakout campaign in 2009. After fighting through an ACL tear in her right knee in 2008, Mertens recently sat down with GoMarquette.com to discuss her rehabilitation process and the positives of playing volleyball at Marquette.
GoMarquette.com: You tore your ACL during fall camp last year. How hard has the recovery process been? How has your work with athletic trainer Ellie Rozumalski and the strength staff helped your recovery?
Holly Mertens: Tearing my ACL freshman year was really tough to deal with. As a whole, the process of recovering was actually easier for me because Ellie was so positive in helping me through my injury. Ellie was always there with me through my recovery process by reassuring me that I would come back stronger than I was before. Because of Ellie, I didn't worry about my recovery because I knew I could trust her to get me back on the court, healthy and strong.
GoMU: You had to redshirt your freshman year due to your injury. Was it difficult for you to have to stand by when you usually would be on the court?
HM: It was difficult but I saw it as a learning experience. Getting the opportunity to watch helped me focus on the plays and the different positions as well as the other teams. This helped me analyze everything as a whole, and really consider what I should be doing when I get back on the court.
GoMU: Upon your arrival at Marquette, you came in as a middle and head coach Bond Shymansky, switched you over to the right side where you have excelled significantly, starting nine matches, including the last five straight. Are you happy you made the switch?
HM: I am very happy about the switch Bond made for me. It gave me a new challenge to conquer. Bond has a specific way of hitting on the right side, which is the "one foot approach" that I have found to be one of my strengths as a player. Since the switch I have learned to take full advantage of the new opportunity presented to me and really enjoy the new challenges I face everyday in practice.
GoMU: The team's manager, Karla Thorpe went to Stanley Boyd High School with you and the two of you competed together in your high school team. How has the relationship changed now that she is a manager and you are playing? What is it like having Karla around and as involved with the program as she is?
HM: Its great having Karla around. She was my best friend all four years of high school, so it's nice having one of my best friends with me throughout all of the new challenges of college and volleyball. Though she is a manager and I am a player, our relationship has not changed and if anything has grown stronger, so she is always someone I can rely on to be there for me and to talk to.
GoMU: What has head coac, Bond Shymansky brought to the program in his first season?
HM: Bond has brought fire and competitiveness to the team. He really stresses the importance of having a hard work ethic. Bond knows what our team is capable of and relays his passion for greatness onto us as players. He makes us believe in ourselves as well as our team, making us know we can be great. The whole coaching staff is great in maintaining a positive atmosphere and enforces the importance of fun and hard work.
GoMU: For you, what is the best part about playing volleyball at Marquette University? And how do you like the city of Milwaukee?
HM: For me, playing volleyball at Marquette is an amazing experience and a life-long dream come true. Since I was young, I have always wanted to play division I volleyball, so having the opportunity to play volleyball everyday is a dream come true.
Milwaukee is also an amazing city full of fun things to see and do all the time. I have family who live around Milwaukee so it is nice to have them attend all the games they can and be there for me while I'm here playing.
GoMU: In high school what other sports did you play? What did you enjoy about these sports and why did you choose volleyball for the long run?
HM: When I was in high school, I played volleyball, basketball and track. I came from a small high school, so it wasn't hard to get onto a sports team. So, for me it was nice to have a variety of sports I could play. I was actually more interested in basketball than any other sport. But, when I got to high school, I joined a club volleyball team, which I really excelled in and it was from that point forward that I knew that I wanted to play volleyball.
GoMU: Has anyone else in your family competed at the collegiate level? How does your family feel about you playing at the division one level?
HM: No one else in my family has played at the collegiate level before. So, since I am the first to play they are all so proud of me and they take every chance they get to come and watch me play.
