The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

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Raquel Rooney recommits to UNCW to play volleyball

Raquel Rooney, senior, recommitted to playing beach volleyball at the highest level, Division I, for the  University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW).

Rooney had originally committed to play at the University of North Florida (UNF) midway through her junior year but later decommitted over the summer after she received an offer at UNCW. Since Rooney had only verbally committed to UNF without signing a letter of intent, she was able to make the switch to UNCW.

“I felt like I made my decision to go to UNF a little early, kind of like I didn’t think it through. UNCW just seemed like a better fit for me. It is closer to home and since their beach program is new this year, I would be a part of a building program rather than just coming into a very established one,” Rooney said.

Rooney has been playing volleyball since she was five-years-old and continues to play both beach and indoor volleyball. She is a three-year varsity player for Athens Drive, and this year she is one of the team’s three captains. Besides being a team captain, Raquel is also a floor captain, meaning that she is the only player on her team who is allowed to talk to the officials.

“Raquel is a very hard worker. She works diligently to be more efficient at her craft and stays very focused on her goal. She shows strength not only on the court, but as a team player and role model,” said Emily Smith, Varsity volleyball head coach.

Rooney is a left-handed player, so she always plays on the right side of the court as an outside hitter. The right side allows left -handed hitters to generate        more power.

“I decided to play college beach volleyball because I absolutely love the sport,” Rooney said. “I also want the experience of being a collegiate athlete.”

There are 39 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I (NCAA I)  schools that offer beach volleyball.  Each team has about 15 players and has an athletic scholarship limit of three per team.

Unlike indoor volleyball, which is played with six players per team with substitutes, beach volleyball is played in partners. Beach volleyball is also played on a smaller court than indoor volleyball, due to the fact that it is played with fewer players than indoor volleyball.

Over the past year, Rooney and her partner, Sarah Nacouzi, placed eleventh at Nationals in the 18U bracket at Virginia Beach. She also won several Carolina region tournaments over the summer with Nacouzi. The two of them even won team of the year in the Carolina region.

“I hope to continue playing  volleyball throughout my life and hopefully at a professional level one day,” Rooney said. “Playing the sport in college will get me closer to that goal and will also give me several connections that will benefit me in the long run.”

 

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