Junior captain helps lead Stan State volleyball into playoffs; runners make NCAAs
In order to be a good leader, one must lead by example.
Mya Marshall is no exception to this rule. Marshall, a junior on the Stanislaus State women’s volleyball team, has earned her role as a team captain after putting in time and dedication to prove her work ethic.
The outside hitter from Temecula, while electric, eccentric, and energetic, is also quite humble in nature.
Her energy perhaps came from her background as a cheerleader, a sport she took up at age 5, to stay connected to her father and brother.
Marshall’s dad, Peter, was a football coach and her brother, Damion, ran track and played football. Having her family so involved with football meant that she, too, had to find a way to be a part of it. So, she became a competitive cheerleader, which allowed her to be at the sidelines with her dad and brother.
After some time as a cheerleader, she realized that her heart was no longer in it and decided to try volleyball. Her love for the game was immediate as it gave her the chance to be the natural born competitor she is today. She hasn’t turned back since.
“Whether on the court, or on the sidelines, Mya is constantly searching for a way to give back to her team,” coach Mallori Gibson-Rossi said. “In fact, she attributes many of her own successes and much of her hard work to her teammates whom she views as a second family.”
This past summer, she earned the respect and love from her team and coaches who selected her as one of the captains.
However, being captain was never a goal for Marshall. She sees this as just another role she possesses as part of a team.
“It is cool to be captain, but it is just a word to me,” she said. “It was so exciting when it was announced that I would be one of the captains. I couldn’t help but think ‘Oh, me really? No way!’” she said.
“While it is an honor to serve in this role for my team, it doesn’t change anything that I was doing before,” said Marshall, who is majoring in criminal justice with the hopes of becoming a probation officer. “I have always competed my hardest for my team, established myself as a motivator on the court and from the sidelines, and balanced all of the responsibilities that accompany being a student-athlete.”
Gibson-Rossi said her excitement and energy on the court is helpful in developing and maintaining momentum, a key aspect within the game of volleyball.
Marshall knows what she wants and is willing to fight to make it happen.
“I’m very driven when I play and do my best not to let any balls drop,” she said. “I also strive to keep my teammates focused and all on the same page. I do this because I want to win.”
The Warriors, 15-8 overall, 10-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, conclude the regular season this week in Southern California against Cal Poly Pomona (7-15, 5-10) and San Bernardino State (22-0, 15-0).
They’ll return to San Bernardino next week for the start of the CCAA playoffs.
Men’s cross country team makes history
For the first time in program history, the men’s cross country team has qualified for the NCAA Championships.
Fresh off a program-best fourth place finish at the NCAA West Regionals last Saturday in Monmouth, Ore., the Warriors earned an at-large bid for the national championship meet on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Haggin Oaks Golf Club in Sacramento.
Joseph Macareno and Tomas Huerta (Stockton/Weston Ranch HS) both garnered All-Region finishes. Macareno was sixth in 30:38.7.
Nancy Juarez will represent the women’s team as an individual qualifier. She, too, received the news of being awarded an at-large bid on Monday from the NCAA.
Juarez’s seventh place finish was the best by a Warrior during the CCAA era. Carrie Luis finished fifth at the 1994 regionals when Stan State was a member of the Northern California Athletic Conference.
Women’s soccer advances in CCAA Tournament
Sadie Ortiz (Atwater/Buhach Colony HS) scored the golden goal a minute 35 into the overtime period as the Warriors beat Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2-1, Tuesday night in a CCAA Tournament first round match at Warrior Stadium.
Stanislaus State, the No. 4 seed, will face No. 1 Sonoma State in a semifinal match on Friday in La Jolla. Host UC San Diego, the No. 2 seed, takes on No. 3 Cal Poly Pomona in the other semifinal. The championship match is Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Warriors are making their seventh CCAA Tournament appearance since 2010. They are looking for their first title since winning in 2011 and 2013.