Collegiate Times

“I actually didn’t play that much on that team,” Record said, “and I think I’ve grown as a player because of it. That was the first team I’ve been on where I wasn’t a starter. That was really difficult for me to watch people playing over me. So, I can relate to people who aren’t starting, but it was exciting to be a part of a team that won the bronze medal.”

Even with all the success in the Golden State, Record wanted a change.

Record said she “didn’t have any hesitations,” about leaving.

“I knew I was going to miss my friends and family a lot, but I knew that the people I was going to be with, my team and the coaches, I knew I would be OK.”

Record also added that she really enjoyed working with the coaches at Tech. “From the lifting coaches to the academic advisors, I just felt like it was the right fit academically and for volleyball,” she said. “And of course the campus is beautiful.”

Record is becoming a dominant player for the Hokies this year. She’s hitting .207 and leads the team in kills with 276. She also ranks second on the team in digs with 256.

O’Neill is the newcomer to the team. She’s a freshman who plays libero and outside hitter, and her role has increased throughout the season.

Coming from an elite program, O’Neill has the potential to be a great player.

O’Neill’s high school, Archbishop Mitty, was ranked first in the state and third in the nation for its athletics department by Sports Illustrated.

Her team won the state title in the spring, and O’Neill remembers the rush.

“(It was) thrilling,” she said. “There was so much adrenaline. It was one of my favorite matches because it was a really good team. I don’t know how to explain the feeling — it was just crazy.”

O’Neill’s high school team was different from Willoughby and Record’s because it had a distinctive attitude.

“My high school team could have beat Boston College,” O’Neill said. “At high school, it was more of a cocky, ‘we know we’re going to win’ behavior, while here it’s ‘we’re going to do whatever we can to win.’ We would go in knowing we’re the best and throw that on the other team. It’s two different attitudes.”

High school and college are two different animals, so making a comparison can be difficult.

“They’re completely different in how things are run,” O’Neill said, “so it’s kind of hard to compare. I played outside hitter and libero at my high school. It was a little bit more relaxed. Here it’s just like, ‘go, go.’ It’s two different atmospheres. I can’t describe it.”

Before getting recruited, O’Neill couldn’t tell you what a Hokie was.

“I didn’t even know (Tech) existed,” she said. “When Felicia came here, that was a great resource for me. That’s how I learned a lot.”

Another resource for O’Neill was Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh.

“Her cousins were on the team. I’ve met her like three or four times,” O’Neill said. “She’s so nice.”

Aside from high school play, O’Neill and Record both said they miss the California food. 

“I miss sushi, Jamba Juice and In-N-Out Burger,” Record said.

“It’s delicious,” O’Neill said, refuting the comparison Five Guys. “In-N-Out has this special sauce, and the burritos are amazing.”

Traveling all those miles away from that great food and beaches might have been difficult, but the relaxed nature of Blacksburg strikes a good balance. The three Californians are bringing their own style and flare to the ’Burg, and they’re making waves on the court.

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