From developing a bond on and off the court, to creating an acronym (F.I.G.H.T.) illustrating their core values, it's clear that a new culture has taken root in ASU's women’s volleyball program.
One of the driving forces of that change is the introduction of players from countries outside of the U.S. For sophomore outside hitter Ivana Jeremic, junior middle blocker Carmen Unzue and freshman outside hitter Danica Krstonošic a bond has been formed that they feel has allowed the team to prosper.
“We spent all spring in meetings building on the culture and we talked a lot about it; we let the other players know about other cultures so it made us closer,” Jeremic said. “I think that helped a lot and you can see it and feel it right now.”
Two of the players on the roster, Jeremic and Krstonošic, are from Serbia. Although they lived four hours apart, they were excited about the opportunity to play with one another.
“I knew of Ivana, we played against each other... but I don't think she knew about me,” Krstonošic said. “It was a very big thing for me when choosing where to go.”
The two didn’t formally meet before arriving in Arizona, but Jeremic knew her future teammate was planning on coming to ASU and the two got in touch in May.
“I went and spent time in her town and spent a few nights in her home getting to know her parents, and letting them know where (they were) sending their child,” Jeremic said.
Jeremic thought it was important for the two of them to meet, not only because it helped Krstonošic and her parents to feel comfortable, but it also gave Jeremic comfort in knowing who would be on the roster come fall.
For Unzue, ASU was not her first stop for her college volleyball career. She played her freshman year at American University where she posted 142 kills and 77 blocks.
Her freshman year campaign may have been a successful one, but it started off with an amusing encounter between Unzue and her coach.
“So in Spain to say hi, you give two kisses...and so the first time I met that coach I came to him like a young girl to an old man going to give him two kisses, it was super weird for him, and he was going to give me a handshake,” Unzue said. “Honestly it took me a while to learn that. I was always trying to give a hug to people I had just met.”
Jeremic and Krstonošic had similar culture shocks when first arriving in the U.S., mostly dealing with common slang or responding to invitations. Krstonošic said the biggest difference between Serbia and America was how often people ask how they’re doing.
“Sometimes people say it five times in 15 minutes, and I was shocked when I came here... I didn't expect that because that's not how it is in Europe,” Krstonošic said.
Another difference across the pond is what goes into preparing for each match. In Serbia for example, they don’t have college teams, but rather professional clubs, so the rules are different.
It’s something the women had to adjust to.
“We would practice till midnight sometimes because nobody cared,” Jeremic said. “Here everything is perfect and scheduled, so that is the biggest difference.”
All three of the women agree that the team has made them feel welcome here, and the University has helped give them opportunities to succeed.
“The main reason I came to the U.S. was because they help you a lot to combine sports and studies,” Unzue said. “We have amazing help with both sides — medical care, tutors, with everything...here you can feel the fans, you can feel the family feeling where they actually care about your sport and are there for you.”
