JULIA REUSCH OF COLORADO COLLEGE, a senior on the volleyball team from Seal Beach, Cal., has been selected the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Character and Community Female Student Athlete of the Week for the week beginning October 19^th.

The SCAC Character & Community award honors the efforts of student-athletes who excel in the field of athletics, and also serve their campus and community.
 
Julia has been recognized as the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Character & Community Athlete of the Week, honoring his commitment to service, leadership and character development both on and off the court.

Julia has participated in CC's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) community engagement, most notably volunteering at the Labor Day Liftoff event. The annual event takes place in Memorial Park in Colorado Springs, with a hot air balloon festival every Labor Day weekend.

It is important to Julia to give back to her community as she says it wouldn't be what it is without the contributions of its members.

"You wouldn't have the community that you have without giving back to it," she says. "I have been in many volleyball programs where we had to volunteer and give back to further support the growth of the program for the future. So, I think it's very important to just set stuff up for the future generation and give back to what has given to you."

Outside of school and volleyball, Julia enjoys finding time to relax and hang out with friends, whether that is a trip to the coffee shop, a walk around the neighborhood, or a friendly pick-up game of beach volleyball.
 
Julia, who started just five matches each of her first two seasons, has worked her way into a starting role and key contributor.
 
"As a freshman I knew that I wasn't going to be a star player," she shared. "My freshman and sophomore year were really developmental to me as a person, my confidence, and physically as an athlete as well. I got really close with the club men's volleyball team here at CC my sophomore year, I didn't travel so I had a lot of time off on the weekends. So, I spent a lot of time with them just playing volleyball and growing my craft on my own. I really got into weightlifting and becoming stronger, and I think that those two years really developed me as a person and helped me realize that my worth doesn't come from my playing time. I think that really jump-started me in my junior year when I did get an opportunity for more playing time and to become a key player on this team.
 
Having played every position on the court, Julia says she has been challenged to play some places she isn't used to, she feels she has found a home in the middle but loves the attacking parts of the game.
 
"Honestly, I love the opposite position, I love to block and I think the physicality of that position is very crucial to the game even though it is more of a supporting role. However, I love the middle right now."