In 2020, Madison Garcia made the courageous decision to move from Hawaii to Chickasha, Okla. for her collegiate career. Garcia is a member of the USAO volleyball team as well as a student-worker in the sports information department, and she has had a one-of-a-kind experience on campus, seeing the ins-and-outs of how the entire athletic department functions.
?If I were to describe my entire experience since arriving here at USAO in 2020, I would say it has been a rollercoaster ride! I have gone through many obstacles throughout my four years here and one of them was being so far away from home. I am from Honolulu, Hawaii which is on the island of Oahu.
When finding schools to continue my education and volleyball career, I would not have thought I would end up in Oklahoma. At first, it was hard to adapt to being away from my family because I had never spent a day without them, but once I got there, USAO felt like my second home.
What made it easy for me to transition was my teammates. They are my second family and USAO was my home away from home. Everyone on campus is welcoming and nice which made it easy to forget that I was away from home, my family, and friends. Outside of athletics, one of my favorite things about USAO is how diverse it is. Especially on a small campus, you pretty much get to know everyone and be around and learn different backgrounds of different people.?
USAO established women?s volleyball as an official NAIA sport in 2016, and in the span of the first four seasons, the program only amassed 12 victories on the court. While the team struggled to produced wins, they established a culture that would grow to where it today.
?If I can say one thing about this volleyball program and what it has taught me, it would be that it taught me how to work through adversity. I say this because throughout my four years here at USAO, we?ve had three different head coaches. Many might wonder why I never left, and the reason why is my determination to make this program grow into something great. I can confidently say that it is on the right track because it is in the hands of my coach, Isabel Almendarez. Although, it is my last year here, I am grateful that I was able to experience the lessons Coach Bel has taught me. She has helped me grow as a player, but she also helped me be a better person. As I leave this program, I?m proud to have been part of its growth and I can?t wait to see what the future holds.?
In Garcia?s freshman season, USAO had a new head coach and only managed to compile a win-loss record of 1-18. Once again with a new coach in her sophomore campaign, the Drovers put together a program-record of 14 wins (14-17 W-L) and made their first SAC Tournament appearance in program history. As a junior, Garcia once again led USAO to the postseason with a 9-17 record. After a 6-5 start to the 2023 season, she has been a part of more victories than anyone else in the history of the program (30).
Garcia is without a doubt the most accomplished setter in program history, having distributed a record of 1,547 assists in her career, along with 480 digs and 74 service aces in 84 matches. She has consistently been a sign of hope for the USAO volleyball program since joining the program.
When asked about her role on the court, Garcia said,? As a setter, you?re the quarterback on the volleyball court. They?re the playmaker, the decision maker and I believe it is an important role. I believe that being a setter has forced me to be a leader from the jump. It has got me out of my comfort zone to keep myself and others accountable for their job. It has also shaped me as a person not only on the court but off the court. Being a setter and a leader has helped me strive to lead by example and show others what it looks like to put 110% in everything you do.?
When Garcia isn?t in the classroom or on the court, she is likely on the sidelines for the Sports Information Department. She has been a student worker in the Sports Information Department since the fall of 2020 and during that time she has been witness to a tremendous amount of growth in the fields of creative content, broadcasting, event management, and much more. When asked about her unique experience on campus, she said, ?Being a student-athlete and being a student-worker has taught me many things. First, being a student-athlete is a job and it is not easy, and secondly, it is not for everyone. I think that says a lot not just for me but on other student-athletes around the country.? She continued, ?If it was easy, everyone would do it, but it takes determination, commitment, and being able to sacrifice things to get to where you want to be. Being a collegiate athlete has taught me that sacrifice is vital. Sacrificing my time being away from home to focus on my studies and volleyball was a commitment I made to this program and it is not easy, but I chose to do it because I knew what I was capable of.?
?Being a student-worker in the Sports Information Department has only been eye-opening and fun! To see the behind-the-scenes of the media and promoting Drover Athletics has only made me gain more respect for Tanner Shoemaker and his crew.?
In the spring of 2024, Garcia will graduate with a bachelor?s degree in physical education, and after graduation she plans to attend physical therapy school.