Senior Madeline Jaloszynski, an NDA senior, recently signed her letter of intent to play volleyball at Davis and Elkins College, a Division II school in West Virginia.

Jalosynski has wanted to play college volleyball since her eighth-grade year. She watched older girls do amazing things in college and wanted to be like them, she said.  The second she stepped on D&E’s campus she knew it was the place for her.

After touring many campuses she learned that she wanted to find “the right city, environment, class setting, and teaching staff” for her needs.

Transferring to NDA from Pulaski, Jaloszynski was not eligible to play here until September 29 of this year. Nevertheless, she is adamant that transferring was the best decision of her life.

“I knew this would be a challenge heading into the season. However, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Everything I went through in this past year helped create the player I am today,” she said.

Jaloszynski is forever grateful for her teammates and coaches throughout the years, especially Coach Ben Wolf, her NDA coach.

She believes that her teammates have helped her push through her challenges every season, that she has learned how to be mentally and physically strong on the court.

This sport brings her happiness in her day, she mentioned. “ I am always making my hitters look good when I set them the perfect ball and they kill it. It’s an amazing feeling to have knowing that you brought that joy to another person.”

Her favorite part of playing is either getting a kill on the 10-foot line or watching the other players send the ball all over the court after she sets it.

After being emailed by D&E in the spring of last school year, she toured and was able to practice with their team in August.

As advice to younger kids who would like to play a sport in college, Jaloszynski mentioned touring as many schools as you can, figuring out what is going to work for you, and putting in as much hard work as you can.

For her academics in college, she hopes to study criminology, exercise science or nursing.

“If I choose criminology, I will double major in psychology. Exercise science, I will become a coach or athletic trainer. Nursing, I hope to work in pediatrics or the emergency room,” Jaloszynski said.