Setting The Standard

By Bill Bunting
Assistant Athletics Media Relations Director

In 28 years of volleyball at Ole Miss, there have been numerous achievements by many athletes. But, despite all of the accomplishments, there is one feat that has remained elusive to so many. Very few in volleyball surpass the 1,000 kill mark or the 1,000 dig mark for a career, but there are even fewer athletes who break that standard in both categories for a career. In Lady Rebel history, only five athletes have joined the ranks of the "1,000/1,000 Club." That could change this year. Senior Elena Garcia has positioned herself to become the sixth Lady Rebel to join the elite ranks. After three solid seasons at outside hitter, leading the team in kills her sophomore and junior seasons, the Austin, Texas, native began the 2004 season just shy of the 1,000/1,000 club. Garcia went into the season needing 97 kills and 140 digs to hit the 1,000 mark in each category. Head coach Joe Getzin, in his third season with the Lady Rebels, has had the opportunity to watch Garcia the last two years and sees someone with a great attitude who would sacriﬁce individual accomplishments for the good of the team. "It would be a huge achievement for Elena to reach this plateau," Getzin said. "It's quite a signiﬁcant accomplishment when you see that she'll be only the sixth athlete in 28 years to hit that mark at Ole Miss. "Elena has been a leader for us from the second we walked onto the court. She has embraced the things we want to do as a program and has a strong desire to win. Elena demonstrates selﬂessness as an athlete. She would give it all up if it meant we had more wins as a program in her time here. That says a lot about her." It has not been easy for Garcia, having to switch coaches in mid-stream, though she has made it look easy on the court. Standing 5-foot-9 inches, Garcia is hardly what you would call your typical outside hitter. She's excelled at her position in three seasons at Ole Miss, leading the team in kills the past two seasons (373 in 2003; 280 in 2002) and leading all freshmen in kills in her ﬁ rst campaign with 250. "Many people don't see the prototypical volleyball player when they look at her, but when they watch her move out on the court, they can see her true athleticism," Getzin said. "The outside hitter gets the most opportunities to earn the kill, because of the position, but to actually get the kill is another thing entirely. You have to be very physical and a smart player to get the kill as often as she does." There will be plenty more opportunities for fans to catch Garcia and the Lady Rebels in action this season and possibly witness a milestone. Prior to the Vanderbilt football game, the Lady Rebels will host the Rebel Classic Sept. 16-17 at the Gillom Sports Center. Ole Miss will face Louisiana-Lafayette, Jacksonville State and Illinois-Chicago in the two-day tournament. Garcia's offensive prowess, duly noted, her defensive efforts on the court have shined equally. The Fashion Merchandising major has been among the team leaders in digs the past three seasons, tallying 334 last season, the second highest total on the team. "She's always putting herself in a position to come up with the dig and help the team, and that says a lot about her drive to succeed," Getzin said. It's that approach to the game which makes Garcia such a valuable asset for the Lady Rebels. It's also the reason for which Getzin values his senior leader so much. Her attitude isn't one that many see in the typical athlete these days, but for Garcia, it's always about the team. "I don't really think about it when I am out on the court," Garcia said of the number of kills she has amassed in her career. "I don't even really notice the signiﬁ cance of the numbers outside of wins and losses until after the season is over. I just go out and try to play each match to help the team get another win." Garcia hasn't thought much about the idea of joining an elite club. She would give it all up for the team to have a successful season in her ﬁnal campaign and to know that she left it all out there for future teams. "It's a nice individual honor to belong to such a selective club, but I can't get the honor without the rest of my team," Garcia said. "It will be nice to know that hopefully I made some changes and an impact on this program when I leave. I hope I leave the program better and stronger than it was when I came in as a freshman." And that attitude has made Garcia a winner on the court as well as making her a success in life.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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