Rice University Athletics
My Rice Journey | Nicole Lennon
11/6/2020 10:30:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Rice outside hitter Nicole Lennon enters her senior year having already established herself as one of the most decorated players in program history. The Katy, Texas native kicks off our "My Rice Journey" series as the team prepares for the spring season.
Q: Did you always know that volleyball was your sport?
A: I actually didn't always know volleyball was my sport. I did a variety of sports when I was younger, particularly volleyball, basketball, and track & field. Until about eighth grade, I didn't really have a favorite. It was once I started playing in really competitive club environments with high speed games and athletic girls that I realized that volleyball was much more fun for me than the other two sports. By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I was absolutely obsessed with volleyball. I wanted to take private lessons every week in addition to multiple practices a week and tournaments every weekend. After I started competitive club, I never played any sport besides volleyball.
Q: What have you learned about yourself during your time at Rice?
A: In my time at Rice, I have learned that I have the ability to be adaptable. I think a lot of young athletes, including myself when I was younger, don't realize how demanding playing a Division I sport while attending a top institution really is going to be. It took me a while to adjust, and I was disappointed in myself many times, whether that be athletically or academically. However, thankfully, after a semester or two of figuring it all out, I was able to find a time management and self-care system that worked for me, and I completely improved both my athletic and academic performance. I think I also learned how resilient I was throughout this experience, because, before college, I would often give up in the face of struggle or failure, but given how much I love Rice and didn't want to leave, I was able to change my mindset and become a much better student-athlete.
Q: In what ways do you believe the athletic/academic balance at Rice can help you prepare for life after college?
A: Playing a Division I sport and attending Rice University takes a lot of time, effort, and patience with yourself. When I first came in, it seemed like I was so busy doing things all the time that I never had a moment to breathe. However, I learned how to manage my time efficiently to create those moments for myself. Now that I'm a senior, even though my course load and sport demands are still the same, I have plenty of free time. I'm not sure whether that's drastically better time management or just a tolerance for having few breaks, but either way, I think life after college will seem easy after all the hard work I've put into balancing my life at Rice. I might even be bored!
Q: What is your favorite memory with Rice Volleyball (whether it be on the court or off)?
A: I am very blessed to have been put on a team that has so much love for each other off the court. We have so many memories together that it's hard to pick one, or even two, as my favorite. I'll give a few. My favorite off court memories would probably include belting out our favorite songs on the bus during travel trips, choreographing our team dance and performing it in front of all the other teams in our conference during a Dance-Off, and the many birthday parties we have had throughout the years. My favorite on court memories would be winning the Conference Tournament in 2018, winning the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2019, and winning against Texas in 2019. I can't wait to make more in my last year on the Rice Volleyball team!
-RiceOwls.com-
Q: Did you always know that volleyball was your sport?
A: I actually didn't always know volleyball was my sport. I did a variety of sports when I was younger, particularly volleyball, basketball, and track & field. Until about eighth grade, I didn't really have a favorite. It was once I started playing in really competitive club environments with high speed games and athletic girls that I realized that volleyball was much more fun for me than the other two sports. By the time I was a sophomore in high school, I was absolutely obsessed with volleyball. I wanted to take private lessons every week in addition to multiple practices a week and tournaments every weekend. After I started competitive club, I never played any sport besides volleyball.
Q: What have you learned about yourself during your time at Rice?
A: In my time at Rice, I have learned that I have the ability to be adaptable. I think a lot of young athletes, including myself when I was younger, don't realize how demanding playing a Division I sport while attending a top institution really is going to be. It took me a while to adjust, and I was disappointed in myself many times, whether that be athletically or academically. However, thankfully, after a semester or two of figuring it all out, I was able to find a time management and self-care system that worked for me, and I completely improved both my athletic and academic performance. I think I also learned how resilient I was throughout this experience, because, before college, I would often give up in the face of struggle or failure, but given how much I love Rice and didn't want to leave, I was able to change my mindset and become a much better student-athlete.
Q: In what ways do you believe the athletic/academic balance at Rice can help you prepare for life after college?
A: Playing a Division I sport and attending Rice University takes a lot of time, effort, and patience with yourself. When I first came in, it seemed like I was so busy doing things all the time that I never had a moment to breathe. However, I learned how to manage my time efficiently to create those moments for myself. Now that I'm a senior, even though my course load and sport demands are still the same, I have plenty of free time. I'm not sure whether that's drastically better time management or just a tolerance for having few breaks, but either way, I think life after college will seem easy after all the hard work I've put into balancing my life at Rice. I might even be bored!
Q: What is your favorite memory with Rice Volleyball (whether it be on the court or off)?
A: I am very blessed to have been put on a team that has so much love for each other off the court. We have so many memories together that it's hard to pick one, or even two, as my favorite. I'll give a few. My favorite off court memories would probably include belting out our favorite songs on the bus during travel trips, choreographing our team dance and performing it in front of all the other teams in our conference during a Dance-Off, and the many birthday parties we have had throughout the years. My favorite on court memories would be winning the Conference Tournament in 2018, winning the first round of the NCAA tournament in 2019, and winning against Texas in 2019. I can't wait to make more in my last year on the Rice Volleyball team!
-RiceOwls.com-
Players Mentioned
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