Summer is winding down, meaning that the time for fall sports is just around the corner. One team to keep your eyes on this upcoming season is the women’s volleyball team, as Grand Valley State’s Frankie Cavallaro is one of the two seniors who will be leading her team this year.

Last season, the team had a conference record of 6-10 and an overall record of 13-15. This season, Cavallaro is determined to make her team more successful. Whether it is simply winning while at home or making it into the NCAA tournament, the senior has high hopes for where her team is heading.

“One thing that I want to focus on is winning all of our home games,” Cavallaro said. “It’s something that we take pride in at our home gym, we should win every time there. I also would say another goal of mine is to make it to the GLIAC tournament finals this year and making it to the NCAA tournament. We haven’t made it into the NCAA tournament in three years, and it would be a really big accomplishment to bring us back into that standard.”

Winning is not the only thing that is on Cavallaro’s mind this season. Being that there are only two seniors and no juniors, the team is faced with an influx of underclassmen who are looking to her and fellow senior Kendall Yerkes for leadership. There is bound to be hardship and growth within this upcoming season.

“This year is different for us,” Cavallaro said. “We have a very different dynamic now with two upperclassmen and sixteen lowerclassmen, that is something that we will have to work through. It will be interesting to see who steps up from the lower classmen. Creating a culture and a good environment will be something that Kendall and I focus on, we also want to do well with setting examples and holding each other accountable this season.” 

With this being her senior season here at GVSU, Cavallaro took a look at the reasons why she chose to become a Laker.

“Volleyball was obviously a big part of my decision, but it was the campus that did it for me,” Cavallaro said. “I fell in love with it immediately, the buildings were beautiful and the campus had a community of its own. It was also a good distance from home, my parents can come visit and see my games and I can come home to visit as well without it being too close. Most of all, what attracted me was the tradition of excellence in the sports department. I like to see not only the volleyball team, but other teams who do well as well. It’s good to be around other successful teams.”

Going into her fourth year playing collegiate volleyball, Cavallaro has learned a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful student athlete and shared some of her advice.

“To work hard for the people around you, I think some athletes get caught up in wanting themselves to succeed and in volleyball you cannot succeed without others,” Cavallaro said. “I also think that if you are the hardest worker in the gym, your teammates will see and want to work harder too which creates a better environment and culture for the team. Also, do not take everything so seriously, if you work hard everyday and your team is giving their all that is what matters at the end of the day.”