Alabama Volleyball Newcomer Q&A: Madison McNally
8/14/2017 2:42:00 PM | Volleyball
Alabama Volleyball welcomes eight newcomers to the 2017 team and all eight will have Q&A features posted on rolltide.com heading into the season. The first featured newcomer is freshman Madison McNally from Sarasota, Fla.
How did you get your start playing volleyball?
"I started playing in fourth grade. My mom played in college at the University of Tampa and she was the one who really introduced me to the sport. I also played tennis, basketball and soccer. I really liked volleyball the first time I tried it though"
When did you realize you may be able to take volleyball to the next level and play in college?
"Volleyball was all that I did, so I felt like I was bound to play in some way because it became second nature."
When did the recruiting process start for you?
"I didn't realize colleges were looking at freshmen, so I was really far behind. I didn't start sending things out until halfway through my junior year in club. I didn't commit until April my senior year."
What schools were you looking at initially? Any particular conference or area of the country?
"I didn't want to stay in Florida, so it was all out-of-state schools. I was looking at schools in Boston and New York and other places like Wake Forest and Western Carolina. Since I started so late, a lot of the schools I was looking at already had spots filled for my class so I felt like I was just looking at these schools not knowing whether I would play volleyball there or not. That was a little frustrating.
"Alabama was the first school I applied to and the first I got accepted to. I didn't see the campus until I had a tournament in Atlanta and came over to see the school and meet the coaches. I loved Alabama the minute I came here. I visited 27 schools before Alabama and I didn't really fall in love with any of them. Maybe some parts of them, but Alabama had everything on my list that I wanted. I'm pretty picky."
What was it about Alabama that you liked most?
"I love the architecture of the school, it's beautiful. They have the big football team and it's a cute little college town. Those were a lot of the things I was looking for. I love the scenic drive on University Blvd. with the trees on both sides. There were a ton of people walking around on campus when I visited and it just felt right."
When did Alabama offer and when did you accept?
"They had already told me they had a big group coming in so I wasn't sure if they would have a spot. I played in the tournament in Atlanta and didn't hear from them for a little bit but then I got a random email in the middle of the week saying they were offering me a spot and I freaked out.
"They sent me the email and I was in the middle of school. My mom sent me a screenshot of the email when I was in class and I started crying. It was really exciting but really emotional too. We were to the point where we thought I might not be able to play volleyball in college. Even if I wouldn't have gotten a spot on the team, I still would have come here because I loved the school. To be able to come here and still play volleyball was amazing. I couldn't call them back when I was at school but I called them back as soon as I could and told them I wanted to accept the offer."
How has the transition to college life been so far?
"It was weird at the beginning. I felt like it was just vacation and I would be going back home soon. I came here in the summer and no one was here so it felt a lot different than when it was crowded on my visit during the school year. I didn't know what to do with myself at first. The first two weeks I didn't have classes yet so all we did was train and go out to eat. The class load and time management will be more difficult once the fall semester starts but so far it's been fine."
How about the transition on the court from high school to college?
"It's definitely faster and the girls are definitely stronger. It still feels weird, I'm not used to it yet. I'm still looking to find my groove and I'm not playing how I want to play right now, but I'll find my way."
Looking ahead to the fall, what are some of your individual and team goals?
"I just want to focus on how I know how to play. I have to stay confident and not get intimidated. I'm shorter for an outside hitter but I can't let that affect my game. I need to stay mentally strong and play like I know how to play. For the team, I want us all to work hard together. It would be really cool to win a championship too."
What advice would you give to a high school player who wants to play in college?
"Make sure that you love the school and not just the volleyball program. I would have gone to Alabama even if volleyball wasn't an option."
