University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
Freshman Feature: Bayley McMenimen
8/20/2018 7:19:00 PM | Volleyball
Gophersports.com: Why Minnesota?
Bayley McMenimen: I really wanted to compete at the highest level athletically and academically, so it's the best of both worlds.
GS: When did you first start playing volleyball?
BM: Probably when I was 10 years old.
Get to know Bayley McMenimen as she is about to begin her freshman year with the #Gophers. pic.twitter.com/CaEMgJP6Nw
— Minnesota Volleyball (@GopherVBall) August 20, 2018
GS: How did you get into the sport?
BM: My mom played volleyball when she was younger and we played together a little bit. Then when I was 10, we moved over to Germany and I wanted to continue whatever we had started back Florida, so she put me into a club there and started playing from there.
GS: How has the adjustment been from high school and club volleyball to the college level?
BM: Obviously it's a bigger game, but there is also a cultural shift. Everybody came here for the same reason. It is really nice that we are all on the same page and we are all really competitive.
GS: What is the best piece of advice you have received from your teammates or coaches so far?
BM: Just to relax.
GS: Being from out of state, how has the adjustment been and how has the team helped you with that process?
BM: We haven't been able to see a lot of Minnesota yet, but it's a different culture because you guys go to lakes and camping and I'm not from that area. CC (McGraw) brought us to the lake a couple of times and it was nice to see how Minnesotans do that stuff. It's not a crazy switch or anything, they just say "bag" differently.
GS: What has it been like to work with the Gopher coaching staff?
BM: It was really nice to listen to people who are so well versed in volleyball, and also understand the mental aspect of the game. It is a really well rounded program overall.
GS: When did you realize you wanted to play college volleyball?
BM: It was always an assumption when I was younger. It was a dream I always had.