By Taylor Lupetti
For most freshmen, the start of fall semester introduces new people, classes and for student athletes, a new team.
In Mamie Garard’s unusual situation, the freshman business major is heading into her second semester on the women’s volleyball team.
“I’ve been here for about half a year now and I absolutely love it,” Garard said. “I’m surrounded by absolutely amazing people who make me feel completely welcome.”
The early high school graduate got the opportunity to bond with her upperclassman teammates when she came to San Jose in the spring of 2018 during the team’s beach season.
Garard may not have played with the team, but she was able to start forming relationships with her new teammates.
“She’s always positive and always working hard,” said senior libero Luiza Andrade. “She’s just someone who’s a really good teammate to have around … I’m really enjoying this first month with her.”
Moving to California all the way from Noblesville, Ind., the freshman setter found her family away from home when she joined the San Jose State women’s volleyball team.
“My favorite thing about being a Spartan is the community I’m surrounded with,” Garard said. “The volleyball program especially, is one big family. Especially having a wife-husband coaching team, you feel that so heavily, there’s no way around it.”
The transition turned out to be very rewarding for Garard who found a home away from Indiana in San Jose.
“It was a pretty long recruiting process but I am so happy with where I ended up,” Garard said. “San Jose is just so perfect and I think it fits my personality well … I’m so happy I’m here.”
While Garard is listed on the roster as a setter, she has proved herself to be a versatile player to her new teammates and coaches.
“Her defense is really good, she likes to go to the floor,” Andrade said. “She’s not scared of throwing her body around so it’s really good to have a setter that digs a lot.”
After watching her team play during the beach season, the incoming setter is ready to take the floor as a true Spartan athlete.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting on the court,” Garard said. “My team and I have really high goals and we’re really excited to get after them and play with our actual jerseys on.”
While some players bring the intensity to the court through actions, Garard prefers to vocally heat up the floor. The three-time Zionsville Volleyball Leadership Award winner first grabbed the attention of Spartans’ head coach Jolene Shepardson with her loud voice and competitiveness.
“She’s always been a good communicator on the court,” Shepardson said. “She plays with a lot of heart and a lot of intensity, which we really love. All coaches love that.”
Coming from a winning program in Indiana, Garard is bringing the same fire to San Jose, in addition to her intense desire to win.
Along with the rest of her teammates, the setter wants to see big things happen for her program in the upcoming fall season.
“I’m really excited to see where this team can go,” Garard said. “I know that we have really high goals and we want to do better than any San Jose State volleyball team has ever done.
Follow Taylor on Twitter @tayclupetti