University of Minnesota Athletics
Grace Under Fire: Senior Jessica Byrnes
11/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Jessica Byrnes expected to watch most of her first match as a member of the Golden Gopher volleyball team from the sidelines, but that’s not how things turned out. Three points into the match Byrnes’ first collegiate match against No. 8 Pepperdine in the NACWAA Classic (Aug. 23, 2002), the unexpected happened. A season-ending injury to the starting middle blocker Maggie Freiborg occurred, and suddenly the team was depending on Byrnes to step in and fill that role. The circumstances would cause a large dose of nerves to anyone, but Byrnes handled the situation the best way she knew how. When her team needed her, Byrnes faced that adversity head on, and she has been taking challenges in stride ever since.
“To be honest, we did not count on Jessica (Byrnes) making an impact on the program until later in her freshman season,” said Minnesota Head Coach Mike Hebert. “We had her listed as the third middle blocker and we were planning on picking our spots to put her in to help her get experience. Jessica’s career was jumpstarted on that night and she has been a big part of the program ever since then. She never flinched at the situation, and that has been the same attitude she has taken throughout her career. Jessica has always been willing to learn new things, and try whatever we ask her to do. She is a complete team player.”
Just because she took on the challenge of contributing to the team in her first collegiate match, that doesn’t mean she didn’t feel the pressure when being called upon so early in her college career.
“I was definitely nervous,” Byrnes admitted. “I sat there, and my teammates looked at me and said ‘That’s you Jess’. I got my warm-ups off, and all of a sudden I was in the match and playing. After a while I just focused on the game, but when I first got in there I didn’t know what to expect.”
From that point on, Byrnes has been a consistent starter for the Minnesota squad in her four years. Her impact was immediate as she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2002. Her success on the court is matched by her success in the classroom, with Byrnes being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team in each of the last two seasons. Byrnes’ development into the player she is today is not something that happened overnight. Many people have had a part in sharpening her skills, and she’s put in lots of hard work to make her career and her team a success.
“I learned a great deal in playing with the Northern Lights and Minnesota One club teams while I was in high school,” Byrnes said. “(Former Gopher) Tera Fiamengo was one of my coaches, and she helped me a lot in getting down the fundamentals.”
When Byrnes arrived at Minnesota, she learned that although she had the fundamentals of the game mastered, there was a long way to go before she had the finer points of the college game down.
“I’ve learned so much from the coaching staff here at Minnesota, it’s been amazing,” she explained. “When I got here, it was kind of a shock when I found out how much more I had to learn. My serving game has really improved since I started playing here, and I feel like I actually learned how to play defense at Minnesota. When you’re playing against the best players in the nation, it’s great to have people like Coach Hebert and the rest of the staff to help bring your game to the next level.”
Hebert remarks on the difference between Byrnes and so many other players in terms of how she has approached her career.
“So many players are completely the opposite of Jessica,” said Hebert. “A lot of players are confined to narrow expectations, stake out their turf and defend it. Jessica has done whatever we have asked her to do with great enthusiasm, including last spring when we asked her to move to opposite hitter after playing middle blocker her entire life. She worked hard playing a completely different position and has become very proficient at it. That is a tough adjustment that a lot of players would have trouble making.”
Grateful for the experience that she has gained with the Golden Gophers, Byrnes has been sure to return the favor to her younger teammates. Junior middle blocker Meredith Nelson knows just how big of a contribution Byrnes has had, not only as a player but also as a teammate and a friend.
“I remember when I was working camp with Jessica before my freshman year, that she brought me aside herself and talked to me about what to expect,” said Nelson. “She kind of claimed me, and has taught me so much during our time together on the team. I just don’t think many people would be willing to take someone under their wing like that, and the fact that she did that for me has really helped in my development as a player. Jessica’s leadership is never overwhelming, she always stays stable.”
Nelson also gave some insight in the style of leadership that Byrnes uses with her teammates.
“Jessica always sets an example with her emotion,” Nelson declared. “She never loses her composure. Even in a big game, with a lot on the line, Jess always stays calm, She always keeps things light at the same time.”
The leadership Byrnes has provided to her team has played a big role in the Gophers making back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances in 2003 and 2004. Both Final Four trips have been special for Byrnes, but it’s that first appearance in 2003 that really sticks out in her mind.
“It was just really special because it was the first one in the history of the school,” she said. “Our team was the underdog going into our NCAA Regionals, but we really went in with a mentality that we could compete with anyone. It was just so exciting for all of us.”
Byrnes also is one of three players on the team that was with the program when they won their first Big Ten title in school history.
“I think the value in her being on that team is she can speak to what it was like before the Big Ten title and Final Four appearances, and the amount of work it took to accomplish each of those feats,” said Hebert. “Having lived through the last three years and being a main part of the success, she can let the younger players know what they need to do to get to those goals. Jessica is a very valuable locker room player. She is one of the most important players on the team in that regard. Jessica has been through it all and knows how to convey that to younger players.”
In her final season, it is clear that Jessica Byrnes has left her mark on this Gopher squad by being a constant leader on the team, on and off the court. Her ability to remain calm in the face of adversity has been a trait that has defined her, and has also been an inspiration to her teammates.
In reminiscing about her final season with the team, Byrnes says that she will take plenty of memories with her. When asked about what she’ll miss most when her collegiate volleyball career is done, she gave an unexpected answer.
“I’m going to miss practice a lot, just playing and being with my teammates. It has always been great to come and work hard, but have fun at the same time with my friends and coaches.”
Practice might not be what some players would recall as their fondest memories in a career that included two trips to the NCAA Final Four, but it is a testament to Byrnes’ work ethic and her ability to have fun in every situation.
Meredith Nelson put it best when she said, “No matter what the situation, you can always find a smile from Jess Byrnes.”
Building on that thought, Hebert hopes that the younger players in the program and can learn from Jessica’s approach to always doing what is best for the team.
“I will always carry with me a great feeling of respect in how Jessica has handled her entire career at Minnesota,” said Hebert. “She is a completely team-oriented player who gives everything she has in every match and every practice. I hope that is something that will rub off on the younger players in the program. She is a role model that can create the continued evolution of the kind of chemistry we want to continue to have within our program.” Imagine it. You’re a college freshman playing in your first regular season match with the volleyball team. In that first match, you enter it thinking you are not going to see much action and to just try to soak in everything that is going on around you. Then three points into the match, the starter at your position goes down and you get the call to come in and step up for your team.
Jessica Byrnes expected to watch most of her first match as a member of the Golden Gopher volleyball team from the sidelines, but that’s not how things turned out. Three points into the match Byrnes’ first collegiate match against No. 8 Pepperdine in the NACWAA Classic (Aug. 23, 2002), the unexpected happened. A season-ending injury to the starting middle blocker Maggie Freiborg occurred, and suddenly the team was depending on Byrnes to step in and fill that role. The circumstances would cause a large dose of nerves to anyone, but Byrnes handled the situation the best way she knew how. When her team needed her, Byrnes faced that adversity head on, and she has been taking challenges in stride ever since.
“To be honest, we did not count on Jessica (Byrnes) making an impact on the program until later in her freshman season,” said Minnesota Head Coach Mike Hebert. “We had her listed as the third middle blocker and we were planning on picking our spots to put her in to help her get experience. Jessica’s career was jumpstarted on that night and she has been a big part of the program ever since then. She never flinched at the situation, and that has been the same attitude she has taken throughout her career. Jessica has always been willing to learn new things, and try whatever we ask her to do. She is a complete team player.”
Just because she took on the challenge of contributing to the team in her first collegiate match, that doesn’t mean she didn’t feel the pressure when being called upon so early in her college career.
“I was definitely nervous,” Byrnes admitted. “I sat there, and my teammates looked at me and said ‘That’s you Jess’. I got my warm-ups off, and all of a sudden I was in the match and playing. After a while I just focused on the game, but when I first got in there I didn’t know what to expect.”
From that point on, Byrnes has been a consistent starter for the Minnesota squad in her four years. Her impact was immediate as she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2002. Her success on the court is matched by her success in the classroom, with Byrnes being named to the Academic All-Big Ten team in each of the last two seasons. Byrnes’ development into the player she is today is not something that happened overnight. Many people have had a part in sharpening her skills, and she’s put in lots of hard work to make her career and her team a success.
“I learned a great deal in playing with the Northern Lights and Minnesota One club teams while I was in high school,” Byrnes said. “(Former Gopher) Tera Fiamengo was one of my coaches, and she helped me a lot in getting down the fundamentals.”
When Byrnes arrived at Minnesota, she learned that although she had the fundamentals of the game mastered, there was a long way to go before she had the finer points of the college game down.
“I’ve learned so much from the coaching staff here at Minnesota, it’s been amazing,” she explained. “When I got here, it was kind of a shock when I found out how much more I had to learn. My serving game has really improved since I started playing here, and I feel like I actually learned how to play defense at Minnesota. When you’re playing against the best players in the nation, it’s great to have people like Coach Hebert and the rest of the staff to help bring your game to the next level.”
Hebert remarks on the difference between Byrnes and so many other players in terms of how she has approached her career.
“So many players are completely the opposite of Jessica,” said Hebert. “A lot of players are confined to narrow expectations, stake out their turf and defend it. Jessica has done whatever we have asked her to do with great enthusiasm, including last spring when we asked her to move to opposite hitter after playing middle blocker her entire life. She worked hard playing a completely different position and has become very proficient at it. That is a tough adjustment that a lot of players would have trouble making.”
Grateful for the experience that she has gained with the Golden Gophers, Byrnes has been sure to return the favor to her younger teammates. Junior middle blocker Meredith Nelson knows just how big of a contribution Byrnes has had, not only as a player but also as a teammate and a friend.
“I remember when I was working camp with Jessica before my freshman year, that she brought me aside herself and talked to me about what to expect,” said Nelson. “She kind of claimed me, and has taught me so much during our time together on the team. I just don’t think many people would be willing to take someone under their wing like that, and the fact that she did that for me has really helped in my development as a player. Jessica’s leadership is never overwhelming, she always stays stable.”
Nelson also gave some insight in the style of leadership that Byrnes uses with her teammates.
“Jessica always sets an example with her emotion,” Nelson declared. “She never loses her composure. Even in a big game, with a lot on the line, Jess always stays calm, She always keeps things light at the same time.”
The leadership Byrnes has provided to her team has played a big role in the Gophers making back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances in 2003 and 2004. Both Final Four trips have been special for Byrnes, but it’s that first appearance in 2003 that really sticks out in her mind.
“It was just really special because it was the first one in the history of the school,” she said. “Our team was the underdog going into our NCAA Regionals, but we really went in with a mentality that we could compete with anyone. It was just so exciting for all of us.”
Byrnes also is one of three players on the team that was with the program when they won their first Big Ten title in school history.
“I think the value in her being on that team is she can speak to what it was like before the Big Ten title and Final Four appearances, and the amount of work it took to accomplish each of those feats,” said Hebert. “Having lived through the last three years and being a main part of the success, she can let the younger players know what they need to do to get to those goals. Jessica is a very valuable locker room player. She is one of the most important players on the team in that regard. Jessica has been through it all and knows how to convey that to younger players.”
In her final season, it is clear that Jessica Byrnes has left her mark on this Gopher squad by being a constant leader on the team, on and off the court. Her ability to remain calm in the face of adversity has been a trait that has defined her, and has also been an inspiration to her teammates.
In reminiscing about her final season with the team, Byrnes says that she will take plenty of memories with her. When asked about what she’ll miss most when her collegiate volleyball career is done, she gave an unexpected answer.
“I’m going to miss practice a lot, just playing and being with my teammates. It has always been great to come and work hard, but have fun at the same time with my friends and coaches.”
Practice might not be what some players would recall as their fondest memories in a career that included two trips to the NCAA Final Four, but it is a testament to Byrnes’ work ethic and her ability to have fun in every situation.
Meredith Nelson put it best when she said, “No matter what the situation, you can always find a smile from Jess Byrnes.”
Building on that thought, Hebert hopes that the younger players in the program and can learn from Jessica’s approach to always doing what is best for the team.
“I will always carry with me a great feeling of respect in how Jessica has handled her entire career at Minnesota,” said Hebert. “She is a completely team-oriented player who gives everything she has in every match and every practice. I hope that is something that will rub off on the younger players in the program. She is a role model that can create the continued evolution of the kind of chemistry we want to continue to have within our program.”
