Women’s Volleyball captain Cailyn Straubel ’16 led the team to a great start this season.
Bringing them to a huge victory over Colby College with 27 digs, she is showing her young team what it takes to make it to the NESCAC Tournament. With a 2-2 conference record, here is more on the reliable player:
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Alma Mater: The Hockaday School
Major: Human Development Major, Elementary Education Certificate
Minor: Psychology
Years playing volleyball: 13
Why she started playing: When I was about eight, my dad asked me if there were any other sports (besides soccer and gymnastics) that I wanted to try, and I immediately said volleyball. My dad played volleyball in college and was very excited about getting me involved. He found a club team that I could join in the area, and from then on I was hooked!
Favorite in-season moment: My (current) favorite in-season moment would have to be beating Bowdoin on their home court in three sets! At the time, Bowdoin was ranked #1 in New England, and we had a record of 2-5. Winning this match was a great way to start NESCAC play and truly showed the potential of our team! Fun Fact: Bowdoin has only lost two of their last 54 home matches and both of them have been to Connecticut College. The first was my first year in 2012. The second was this season!
Thoughts about this season so far: So far, we have had a really good season. Although we had a bit of a rocky start, things are starting to fall into place. We are a super young team with a lot of potential and we are still working out the kinks, but I am so proud of how far we have come in such a short time and I am super excited to see how the rest of the season pans out!
Season goals: Qualify for the NESCAC Tournament (top eight of 11 teams qualify) and win the NESCAC Tournament
Pre-game ritual: Before every home game we take about five minutes to just sing and dance together in the locker room. It’s a great way for us to let loose and de-stress before focusing on the game. When we are away, we do this individually. It really helps everyone focus on what needs to be accomplished once we get on the court.
Post-game ritual: My post-game ritual includes showering, getting ice and then making a turkey sandwich (the official post-game food of CCVB). •
