In the Zone with Katie Bruzdzinski
11/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Fresh of back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Week honors, junior outside hitter Katie Bruzdzinski is making her bid to be Michigan's second All-American in her third year in Ann Arbor. Bruzdzinski is third in the Big Ten in kills and second in points and has been Michigan's go-to threat all season. She took some time out of her schedule in the final week of the regular-season to touch on her career at Michigan, her hopes for the future and the only thing better than a kill.
How did you balance athletics and academics in your first year of college
"I really didn't think that it was too difficult to balance both in my first year because I had a lot of experience with time management in high school. For club volleyball, we would practice six days a week so I have always had to budget my time. Sometimes I think it is a little easier in college because you dont have each class every day."
What does the University of Michigan mean to you
"Michigan is a place where I have made friendships that will last a lifetime. In high school you had good friends, but here you see each other every day and everyone is on their own for the first time so you are just way closer with them."
Who has influenced you most in your life
"I think there a lot of people who have influenced me in my life in different ways. With volleyball, it would have to be my club coaches and my brother Joe because he is the one who started volleyball in our family so I guess I have always kind of looked up to him. My parents have also influenced me because they taught me how to be independent. Sometimes I think they wish I would be more dependent."
What did you work on most in the off-season to prepare for the upcoming season
"Building a better team connection and chemistry. It kind of broke down at the end of the season last year, so in the spring everyone really focused on that. We played doubles a lot because that made everyone have to be able to play with each person on the team and play well with them."
Do you prefer a great kill or a big block
"I love getting kills because that is one of my main jobs, but I think that I enjoy getting a great block even more because I am rejecting the person who is trying to get that kill. I know what it feels like to get blocked -- not very good. So when I block someone else I know that I just made them feel like garbage and thats great."
Who is your favorite non-volleyball athlete at U-M and why
"I am going to have to go with Ben Jenzen (Michigan pitcher)."
How did you get into volleyball
"My brother started playing it in high school and he played club as well. At that point I was in sixth grade and playing pretty much every sport so I decided to try volleyball too. It just happened to work out really well and I loved it."
What do you like most about Ann Arbor
"I love the athletic community because you know everyone and everyone knows you."
What is the gameday experience like when you play at home
"I absolutely love playing at home because we get great fans and you get to play in front of your friends and family. I also love Cliff Keen because the stands are so close to the court that sometimes it feels like the crowd is right on top of you."
What are some of the challenges of road trips
"I honestly dont mind playing on the road. The only thing that sometimes makes it harder is when we have to play in a really big arena. Cliff Keen is fairly small so when you go into a big place like Wisconsin, the ball tends to move a lot more because of the air."
What does your family's support - coming to see every match - mean to you
"I love that my family can come see me play at every match. They were there for me in high school and in club so it means a lot that they can continue to watch me play in college. I also know that they love to come, so I am glad they had four more years to enjoy it."
What does being one of the first sophomore captains in program history mean to you
"I really dont think about it that much, but it is nice to know that your teammates respect you enough to give you that honor. I think that every has their own kind of leadership role on the team, I was just given the title."
Describe your first NCAA Tournament in 2004.
"Awesome. We travel every other weekend, but when you get to the tournament you can just feel that it is different and such a big deal. I think that it was great to get to play at Texas as well because they always get a lot of fans that are nice and loud!"
What do you want your legacy at Michigan to be
"I just want to help Michigan get to a place where they are moving up in the conference. When I leave, I want them to do well and know that I helped to get them there."
Has Erin Moore's presence on the team and a year with Jennifer Gandolph - two of the greatest offensive players in U-M volleyball history - been beneficial to you
"I think that it is great that Erin Moore has been able to be in the gym with us at practice this year because she is great competitor. She hates to lose and pushes the girls she plays with so she just makes you better. It was nice have Jen my freshman year because she was a senior so she was immediately someone I could look up to."
THIS OR THAT
Steak or Sushi: STEAK
Cereal or Bagel: CEREAL
Sandler or Chappelle: SANDLER
Early Riser or Late to Bed: EARLY RISER
Daffy Duck or Bugs Bunny: BUGS BUNNY
Big House or Yost: BIG HOUSE
Water or Soda: WATER
Bus or Plane: PLANE
Beach or Poolside: POOLSIDE
Mayo or Hold the Mayo: HOLD THE MAYO
Dig or Ace: KILL
Halloween or Valentine's Day: HALLOWEEN
Coffee or Tea: NEITHER
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
