University of Minnesota Athletics
Senior Scope: Erica Handley
8/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Erica Handley is in her senior year with the Gopher Volleyball program. After transferring from Syracuse after her freshman year, the 6-foot, 1-inch setter has seen action in 66 sets for the Gophers and posted over 585 assists. This summer, Handley participated with the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team in Indianapolis. Take a look at Handley's past years with the Gophers and what's ahead in 2016.
Gophersports.com: Do you remember your summer before you started at Minnesota? How much has changed for you over the course of your tenure?
Erica Handley: I transferred here from Syracuse University after the fall season of my freshman year, so I came here during the spring season. Coming here from a non-B1G Ten school I was extremely nervous, but excited at the same time. I knew it was going to be hard, but I was ready for anything. I guess the only thing that is different from then until now is that I come into the season knowing what to expect. It has never gotten "easy," I have just learned what it really means to work hard, and have also gotten to see what can happen if you put in all of the hard work needed to get better every day.
GS: Now as a senior, what are your responsibilities?
EH: As a senior, it is my responsibility to make sure the freshmen feel welcomed and part of the team right away. It is hard to be part of a new team while also being part of a new school and city as well, so making them feel as welcomed as possible is very important to me. While making them feel welcomed it is also important that I fill them in on all of the things it takes to be part of this team, including the culture and mindset.
GS: If there was one thing the senior self of you could tell your freshman self, what would it be?
EH: If there was one thing I could tell my freshman self it would to be the best teammate you can be. It was not until my last couple years here at Minnesota that I realized what a good teammate actually looks like. Things like being friendly, inclusive, kind, and honest. I was never bad at those specific things, but I never paid that much attention to it until I was forced to think about the way it affects the team.
GS: Minnesota only had one starting senior last year, this year, a more seasoned team. What will it take for the Gophers to be successful again in 2016?
EH: In order for us to be successful I think we all need to make each other better in practice every day. There is going be a lot of competition this year, so I am excited to see how good we get because of it. No one has a starting spot set in stone yet, so we all just have to push each other every day and just trust the coaches' abilities to make the right choices for who is on the court when game time comes. And when that decision is made, we all have to play for each other rather than ourselves. If we can be a unified team, we will be successful this season.
GS: What's the best piece advice the coaching staff has given you during your Gopher career?
EH: The best piece of advice the coaching staff has given me here during my Gopher career is to "give more than you take," when it comes to energy. After making a mistake it is easy to start thinking negatively and give off negative body language, but those things affect the way others play and respond as well. If you give positive energy and body language to your teammates at all times it may eventually rub off and positively affect the entire team.
GS: Anything else you'd like to add?
EH: Overall, I have learned more here in my three years as a Gopher than I could have ever imagined. There are many things that I will be taking away from this program and bringing into the real world.
