When the Marquette women’s volleyball team lost its top two senior leaders after its fall season, not many people would have expected a freshman to burst on the scene and into a leadership role.
But Julie Jeziorowski did.
Following a successful fall season where she recorded 408 digs at libero, eighth all-time in Marquette single season history, Jeziorowski has continued her strong play into the spring season but has also taken on a leadership role for the new-look Golden Eagles.
“I’ve just always liked to talk,” Jeziorowski said. “If I have a voice, why not use it if it’s for the betterment of the team? I guess I just say what I think sometimes, and it keeps the team communicating, and that’s important.”
Jeziorowski chose Marquette over Northwestern and North Dakota, citing coach Bond Shymansky’s passion to win as one of the main reasons for her decision.
On Shymansky’s end, he knew of the libero’s talents on the court, but it was her off-the-court nature that made her stand out to him.
“Watching her play was one thing,” Shymansky said. “It was clear that she was dynamic, explosive and a team leader, but getting to meet with her in person and get a sense of what her personality was like, she went from a compelling player to an absolute no-brainer for us.”
After the Crystal Lake, Ill. native helped her high school team to a state championship in 2007, then set the single season digs record her senior season with 589, her Marquette career got off to a slow start.
“She made the classic freshman mistake of hanging back and figuring out her role,” Shymansky said. “She didn’t realize that the role we wanted her to take on was to be the back row leader. We needed her vocal leadership, energy and toughness, and when she started doing that it changed the energy of the team in the back row.”
Now that back row consisting of freshmen Jeziorowski, Rachel Stier and Catherine Mayer, who is sitting out the spring season after knee surgery, has become what Shymansky calls the foundation of the team.
“With Julie, you can’t even tell that she’s a freshman,” Stier said. “She has the respect of the teammates and all the coaches, and no one ever second-guesses her. She’s taking a leadership role like she’s an upperclassman.”
Her rise to one of the team leaders may have occurred faster than most, but Shymansky says the role is well-deserved.
“Credibility is built on your ability, and that’s certainly the case for Julie,” he said. “In any team environment, you have to make sure you’re building trust and respect and friendships. She has become a better teammate and a person for her teammates.”
Added Jeziorowski, “You get respect by giving respect.”
Only a freshman, Jeziorowski still understands as well as anyone that, with the team’s current talent, Marquette’s volleyball program could be on the brink of contending for yearly Big East titles. If that is going to happen, Shymansky said his libero will need to be at the forefront of that success.
“We keep talking about leaving a legacy,” Shymansky said. “Your legacy isn’t about a statistic or even a particular win. It’s an overall impact of character that you leave on everybody else around you that made them better. I think that her legacy is going to be energy, work ethic or inspiration.”
Dubbed a Star Wars geek by her coach, Jeziorowski said one of her main motivational tools is a quote from the character Yoda: “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Almost a full year into her Marquette career, it’s obvious that Jeziorowski is taking the little green man’s advice to heart. She’s “doing.”
