The Wesleyan women’s volleyball team is returning 12 letter-winners from the previous season, including an all-american talent in ruby Hernandez ’11. Last season, Hernandez led the squad to a 13-13 overall record and a berth in the NesCaC, picking up honor- able mention all-american, first team all- nesCaC, and aVCa all-new England selections along the way. This season, Hernandez, along with fellow tri-captains Steph Hucker ’11 and Lesley Faulkner ’11, spearhead the way for a successful season by a driven and experienced team.
Hernandez attended an arts-centered high school in Florida. a gifted athlete, she competed in volleyball, cross-country, track, and soccer.
“I didn’t actually make the club team my
Senior year, either, which my parents still tease me about,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez looks up to misty may- Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the beach volleyball duo that won the gold medal in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. her personal hero, however, is elaine youngs.
“She’s 40 now, which makes her pretty old to still be playing beach, but she’s so intense and focused, and it’s inspiring that she continues to play despite injuries, team changes, and the flack she gets for being ‘too old,’” Hernandez explains. despite a very tough preseason, Hernandez remains optimistic for the regular season, which kicks off at Wellesley College tomorrow.
“We have a lot to work on, but during our Sunday scrimmage this weekend we saw a lot of positive things, and we’re ready to put them to work during the regular season,” she said.
This year’s team will be markedly larger with the addition of five new fresh- men and only two departures, but Hernandez believes this is a positive addition.
While Hernandez may be a captain and leader of the team, she is very modest about the role.
“Just because i’m a captain doesn’t mean there aren’t other leaders on the team, and we’re really lucky to have a great group of women playing this year who are putting a lot into this team,” she said. “There is a lot of tal- ent out there and, perhaps more importantly, a great willingness to work hard and improve upon what we have right now.”
as the season begins tomorrow, Hernandez and the team look to put their combined leadership and experience together to come up with a win against the team that handed them a loss in their season opener last year. The home season begins on Thursday, sept. 15, and Hernandez would like to see everyone coming to the game and cheering loudly for the Cardinals.