The Huskers talk about the words they chose to serve as their guide during the 2006 volleyball season.

BELIEF

Brooke Bartek, freshman outside hitter

“To me, it just reminds me to believe in my teammates and my coaches and especially myself and have faith that we can do anything that we put our minds to.”

PRESENCE

Rachel Schwartz, sophomore defensive specialist

“Every time I come onto the court, I want to have a presence out there. I want to be a difference-maker. I want to do something to put this team in a position to win. They want to feel my presence when I’m out there, they want to hear me communicate and they want to know that I’m out there to get it done for them.”

LOVE

Dani Busboom, senior libero

“I felt like in the past year I haven’t loved to play. I haven’t necessarily loved the coaches. I haven’t necessarily given it my all emotionally. So this year, that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to play like I loved it, and get past any feelings, and find a way to love my coaches and my teammates.”

FEARLESS

Rachel Holloway, freshman setter

“I’ve heard that word since I was like 11 years old. As a setter, you can’t play with fear. You’ve got to take risks. I’ve always been a risk-taking setter, and so I try not to play in fear, because if there’s fear on people’s faces, a team can’t overcome that.”

TRUST

Tracy Stalls, junior middle blocker

“It was one of the things from China that just really surfaced. It was very important for me to take a step into trusting, especially the leadership of this team, the coaching staff and what they’re trying to do, because the first couple years I really struggled with my own pride issues. I had to get back to being a sponge and taking in whatever they could offer and believing in the direction of our team. It’s hard to be a cohesive unit when there’s a breakdown in trust, especially when it comes from the leadership. The team is trusting me to represent their best interests to the coaches and vice versa. I’ve got to believe in what they’re doing and back them up.”

IMPACT

Sarah Pavan, junior right side hitter

“I wanted to make a bigger impact both on and off the court this year in terms of leadership and my play. Losing three All-Americans, I knew that I’d have to take on a bigger role and how that would play into volleyball.”

IMPACT

Amanda Gates, sophomore middle blocker

“I decided this summer when we went to China that it was one of my goals for this season to make an impact on the team. I found my role to be more of a motivator at times, but even just getting in when I get in, I make the biggest impact I can, and so far it’s been pretty successful.”

DISCIPLINE

Dani Mancuso, senior outside hitter

“This summer, we just took time to focus on what we needed to do, and I felt like being disciplined in everything, my eating pattern, my sleep pattern, everything. I just had to be really disciplined and maintain that and just be diligent in doing that and working toward giving to the team with that.”

SERVE

Christina Houghtelling, senior outside hitter

“I’ve taken on a new leadership role. Serve, to me and my teammates, is just to do anything possible, anything in my power, anything they need, and just do anything to help them out this season because I’m on the sidelines for them, and I just want to help them any way I can.”

INTENSITY

Kori Cooper, freshman middle blocker

“It’s just playing point by point like it’s the championship point, and going at it and swinging and making plays, just being in the moment all the time.”

MOXIE

Maggie Griffin, junior setter

“Obviously it’s been a tough year, so it just means enjoying the moment, enjoying the time with my teammates and making the best of it and helping my team out all the time.”

PASSION

Jordan Larson, sophomore outside hitter

“I want to come into every match showing the love for the game, how much I want to play it.”