If your mom played volleyball for two years at Michigan State, one of your sisters played at Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the other played at Notre Dame, family formula follows that you would also be playing volleyball in college.
That formula turned out to be the right medicine for senior outside hitter Theresa Coughlin.
"My mom has been coaching for 30-something years. I just grew up in a gym. I was a gym rat," Coughlin said.
"I played other sports in high school, but when it comes down to it you have to pick one, and I picked volleyball because it's my first love."
In her senior year of high school, Coughlin led Marian Catholic to a 30-8 record and a regional championship. In addition, she played on the Celtic Force club volleyball team, ranked among the ten best in the nation. The coach of the Celtic Force was Coughlin's mom, Gloria.
"It was interesting because it was non-stop," Coughlin said. "It was non-stop because my sisters played as well, so I had at least one coach around all the time, there wasn't any turning it off.
"I got used to (my mom) always being positive in a calm way, but when she did get mad, you realized it."
Coughlin was recruited by Marquette under old head coach Laura Farina, who was replaced by current head coach Pati Rolf before Coughlin's freshman season.
"When I first heard about it I didn't know what was happening because I didn't know whether Pati would have liked me or whether she would have ignored me," Coughlin said. "After talking it over with my family we were just going to take every experience as it came. I figured since she was a new coach to the entire team, everyone would be starting out at the same spot."
Rolf was immediately by the presence Coughlin had on the floor.
"The biggest thing I noticed when I joined the team on June 1 was the fact that she had a lot of volleyball and competitive experience," Rolf said.
In her first year, Coughlin earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team, the first of many awards to come to the outside hitter.
Coughlin has earned countless all-tournament team awards coupled with C-USA awards and a spot on this year's All-Big East Preseason Team. Along with those titles of recognition, Coughlin earned the all-time kills record this year in the first match of the season versus North Dakota State.
"It was a feeling of excitement that I had a successful three and a quarter years right now," Coughlin said after breaking the record. "Right now though, it's about seeing how far we can get as a team."
This season Coughlin has developed a new title, being named captain with fellow seniors Caitie O'Brien, Aga Niemczewska and Heidi Pfeiffer. The captain position goes hand-in-hand with being team leader.
Coughlin had good mentors last year in seniors Erin Freer, Erica Heisser and Sarah Vernon, who provided her with a good example to follow this season, especially with a young team.
"They were a major influence, all three of them," Coughlin said. "We all know that they gave everything, so we know we have to pick up from where they left off."
"I know that when the three seniors left, she wanted to have a more vocal role in terms of leadership this year," Rolf said.
The individual accolades she has piled up in four years could fill a waiting room, but Coughlin's ultimate goal has not yet been met: making the NCAA Tournament.
"I do not wish that experience on anyone, sitting at the (Union Sports) Annex, waiting and waiting (for the team's named to be called for the NCAA Tournament) and nothing ever happening," Coughlin said. "That is what Caitie, Heidi, Aga and I want this year. We want to get to that tournament and we want to use what the seniors had; we want to get to that point where we can say, 'We pushed our team and got to the tournament."
Coughlin and the rest of the team have been without junior Jaime Mueller, who has been out since the Eastern Kentucky Nike Invitational last weekend. Mueller is expected to join the team when they take on DePaul Sept. 30.
This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 22, 2005.