Nov. 10, 2008

Seniors Nicole Fawcett, Christa Harmotto and Roberta Holehouse have experienced a lot during their time at Penn State, both on and off the court. Read on to learn a little bit more about their defining moments and what makes them most proud.

Off the court, what have you learned the most about during your time at Penn State?
Fawcett: "I've learned what I can do without the help of anyone else, and what limits I can push myself to."

Harmotto: "Just about the University as a whole and everything that it has to offer. Meeting new people from different organizations, from administration down to other students. It really is a family atmosphere in all aspects. In my first two years I only had that volleyball atmosphere, but the last two years I've had the opportunity to meet new people and have new experiences, and it's completed my experience at Penn State."

Holehouse: "That every decision I make is going to affect my team. If I thought about that in a business sense, then the decisions I make in life are going to affect my job and those people around me. I think that's the biggest thing I have learned, to make the right decision."

On the court, what have you learned the most about?
Fawcett: "Almost the same thing about pushing myself to the limit. Coach does a really good job of combining the life aspect of playing volleyball and sports with pushing yourself to always become better and never be satisfied."

Harmotto: "Not taking any day for granted, whether it's a match or practice, because it goes so fast that the second you think you can get a day back, you realize you can't. Not even necessarily as far as the training goes, just spending time with my teammates and learning life lessons from the coaching staff. Playing in Rec Hall has more significance now that we've won a national championship and I've also learned a lot from the injuries that I've had, just learning to never look back and play every game like it's your last."

Holehouse: "Hard work and how it does affect you and make your game better. Even in the times when you're crying, sweating, you can't breathe ... you look back and those are the times when you felt like you got stronger."

Describe Penn State volleyball in five (or six) words or less.
Fawcett: "Time of your life."

Harmotto: "Tradition. Fun. Success. Hilarity."

Holehouse: "Incredible. Crazy. Hard. Totally worth it."

What has been the defining moment of your career and why?
Fawcett: "My freshman year in Hawaii when I set a ball over the net after a full approach. Coach called a timeout and we had a little chat. No more tipping for me after that!"

Harmotto: "Winning the national championship. It came when we were up something like 13-8 in the fifth. I was out of the game at the time and it allowed me to have a minute to embrace the whole situation before the last point. I knew it was going to happen but it gave me a second to soak in the atmosphere. To have that time to see everything come together that my teammates and I have worked for, and that the players before us have worked for, to have it finally come together in a five-minute time-span ... it was awesome."

Holehouse: "I think it would be earning the libero position during my sophomore year, over some of the great candidates. Being able to win that spot and hold onto it for the next three years, it was a big moment for me."

What has been a favorite on-the-court memory of yours?
Fawcett: "There have been some good ones. I'm punking myself, but when I laughed so hard in practice that I peed my pants. I've never lived that one down."

Harmotto: "When we were in Texas and Megan (Hodge) dug the ball off her stomach perfectly to target in practice."

Holehouse: "There have been a lot of them. I would have to say when (former player) Kara Callahan tackled the fan in practice." (By "fan" she means the giant metal wind-blowing device, not a person.)

What has been a favorite off-the-court memory of yours?
Fawcett: "Definitely the free-style rapping led by Kabbes on the bus after the Northwestern match."

Harmotto: "Spending summers in State College with the team. Not necessarily the workouts that we did, but just spending time and having fun and enjoying summer, and having everyone up here."

Holehouse: "The trip to Hawaii and embarrassing Nicole in front of 13,000 people."

What is the one thing you most remember about last year's national championship?
Fawcett: "When (Stanford's) Foluke (Akinradewo) hit the ball out of bounds in the fifth game after Nummy (Alyssa D'Errico) made the great dig."

Harmotto: "At the turn of the fifth game, and looking into everyone's eyes and feeling that sense of trust. It's easy to say, but we all knew we were going to win. Just the sense of calm, and everyone was on the same page, and I could trust that every one of my teammates was going to do their job and we were going to win. It's so hard to describe but we just knew."

Holehouse: "The confidence I saw in the eyes of my teammates between games four and five. We knew we were going to win."

What do you want to do after you graduate?
Fawcett: "Play more volleyball!"

Harmotto: "I'd like to play professionally and continue my quest of touring foreign countries. And then eventually teaching fifth grade and coaching.

Holehouse: "I definitely want to travel and I know I want to play more volleyball, if I can. I'll probably go back to school for something medical, like a PA or nursing, but when I first get out of school, I want to travel."

What makes this team strong?
Fawcett: "The trust that we have in each other. We trust each other that we're all going to do our jobs and take care of one another."

Harmotto: "The unique chemistry that gives us a focused atmosphere yet it's a relaxed atmosphere because we all laugh and have fun. We don't take things too seriously. We take them serious enough but we don't dwell on the things that don't matter. We are more concerned with winning that last match and having fun the entire way through. We don't look past anything but we just embrace and enjoy all the time we have left."

Holehouse: "Our off-the-court compatibility. The fact that we are all great friends off the court and when we come onto the court, we know that we can talk about and get through any situation. We do have all of the pieces and all of the skills, but the fact that we are so connected as a unit and as friends, that makes it that much better."

During your time at Penn State, what has made you the most proud?
Fawcett: "Not getting a `D" or failing a class."

Harmotto: "Holding up the success and tradition that defines this program and respecting all of the players who have come before me. Also, putting on a Penn State jersey and holding that status of not just representing my team, but also my family and the university in everything I do."

Holehouse: "The national championship. There are so many memories but coming together like that, it was really special."