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Gopher Spotlight: Bayley McMenimen and Airi Miyabe
10/11/2019 4:08:00 PM | Volleyball
Airi Miyabe and Bayley McMenimen have both housing and volleyball to thank for their friendship. They were paired as roommates last summer, and their friendship really took shape during the preseason.
They have found that there are a few things that particularly bond them: coffee, cooking and skincare. They can spend hours in Sephora, and love going to new cafes or creating dishes.
Most obviously, they also have the sport of volleyball. Miyabe and McMenimen both come from nontraditional volleyball paths, which is one of the reasons that they were able to connect.
For her junior year, Miyabe transferred to Minnesota from the College of Southern Idaho. Before that, she grew up and played volleyball in Japan.
McMenimen, on the other hand, is a sophomore coming from Niceville, Fla. Before she attended high school in Florida, she moved around a lot, including two years in Germany where she played volleyball.
This has allowed McMenimen to relate to Miyabe and a lot of the other transfers this year.
"I definitely understand having to adjust to different cultures and I guess kind of trying to fit in wherever you land," says McMenimen.
The entire team worked to welcome in Miyabe and the rest of the newcomers. McMenimen says that a lot of the relationships formed naturally, but that they also spend time together outside of volleyball.
"A lot of times we'll get together, even on off days. We'll hang out and we'll just bring people along whenever, like grocery shopping or whatever. It kind of just fosters a sense of community," says McMenimen.
This community has been helpful to Miyabe, who has had to adapt to the different style of play in the United States.
"The style of play from Japan to the United States is so different. For me, I feel like Japanese people are shorter so they more focus on defense. They have really good defense. And then I feel like their volleyball is faster and they think a lot," says Miyabe.
McMenimen also experienced a different playing style while living in Germany.
"From my experience, German volleyball is a lot more focused on power rather than speed. Strategy too, obviously. It's kind of hard to explain how it is when you're there than when you're out of it. It's just like a different style. It's a different feel altogether," says McMenimen.
At Minnesota, they believe they've become more efficient volleyball players, despite how much of a mental struggle it can be adapting to a new environment and style of play. They say the coaches understand that everyone on the team comes from different backgrounds, and are very sympathetic.
"I changed a lot. I tried to change before I came here. Then versus now is so hard and I struggle a lot, but I think even the struggling is good for me," says Miyabe.
Adapting to new surroundings and different styles of play, along with their love of volleyball, cooking and coffee, these two are creating a tight bond here in 2019.
Feature written by Emma Henzi
Athletic Communications Student Assistant
They have found that there are a few things that particularly bond them: coffee, cooking and skincare. They can spend hours in Sephora, and love going to new cafes or creating dishes.
Most obviously, they also have the sport of volleyball. Miyabe and McMenimen both come from nontraditional volleyball paths, which is one of the reasons that they were able to connect.
For her junior year, Miyabe transferred to Minnesota from the College of Southern Idaho. Before that, she grew up and played volleyball in Japan.
McMenimen, on the other hand, is a sophomore coming from Niceville, Fla. Before she attended high school in Florida, she moved around a lot, including two years in Germany where she played volleyball.
This has allowed McMenimen to relate to Miyabe and a lot of the other transfers this year.
"I definitely understand having to adjust to different cultures and I guess kind of trying to fit in wherever you land," says McMenimen.
The entire team worked to welcome in Miyabe and the rest of the newcomers. McMenimen says that a lot of the relationships formed naturally, but that they also spend time together outside of volleyball.
"A lot of times we'll get together, even on off days. We'll hang out and we'll just bring people along whenever, like grocery shopping or whatever. It kind of just fosters a sense of community," says McMenimen.
This community has been helpful to Miyabe, who has had to adapt to the different style of play in the United States.
"The style of play from Japan to the United States is so different. For me, I feel like Japanese people are shorter so they more focus on defense. They have really good defense. And then I feel like their volleyball is faster and they think a lot," says Miyabe.
McMenimen also experienced a different playing style while living in Germany.
"From my experience, German volleyball is a lot more focused on power rather than speed. Strategy too, obviously. It's kind of hard to explain how it is when you're there than when you're out of it. It's just like a different style. It's a different feel altogether," says McMenimen.
At Minnesota, they believe they've become more efficient volleyball players, despite how much of a mental struggle it can be adapting to a new environment and style of play. They say the coaches understand that everyone on the team comes from different backgrounds, and are very sympathetic.
"I changed a lot. I tried to change before I came here. Then versus now is so hard and I struggle a lot, but I think even the struggling is good for me," says Miyabe.
Adapting to new surroundings and different styles of play, along with their love of volleyball, cooking and coffee, these two are creating a tight bond here in 2019.
Feature written by Emma Henzi
Athletic Communications Student Assistant
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