Hey everyone!
My name is Monica Brown; I’m a graduate student here at LHU and currently
in my senior season of volleyball playing as a defensive specialist! I’m the
proud daughter of Colin and Joi Brown and sister to Alex Brown. Both of my
parents have built their lives and careers around the performing arts. My dad,
Colin, is a choral director of Bryan High School in Omaha and is currently
going back to his roots of singing professional opera. My mom, Joi, was a VP of
programming and education for performing arts theatres for the majority of her
professional career but has recently started a new track and started her own
consulting business called 4Site. My brother Alex is two years younger and we
couldn’t be more different; which is awesome! He is currently a student at
Kansas University, a member of the Jewish fraternity, and a part time DJ. We
were born and raised throughout Wisconsin, mostly in Green Bay and then moved
to Omaha, Nebraska when I was in high school. I graduated from Omaha Central
High School, also as an Eagle, and then attended Iowa Western Community College
for two years. During my time at Iowa Western, our volleyball team went to the
NJCAA National Championship both years and placed 4th and 6th. My freshmen year I was a Sign Language
Interpreting major and then ended up switching to general studies because the
Interpreting program was switched to a three year track.
Sometime in my sophomore year at IWCC I figured out that I wanted to
major in Sport Administration so I started my search of 4-year schools with
accredited programs. Through my search I found Cal U, Slippery Rock, and Lock
Haven University all of which I had, then, gotten in contact with the
volleyball coaches. I was interested in all three so my mom and I decided to
come on a visit, so in one weekend we flew out to PA and visited all three
schools. I really liked all three but something about Lock Haven just felt like
the right fit. I really liked the campus, coaches and the girls I met from the
team.
Upon my arrival at LHU in the fall of 2010 I immediately felt like a part
of the team. Preseason was going well and it was looking like I would earn a
spot as a defensive specialist. Then I received the devastating news that not
all my credits transferred in from IWCC so I was 5 credits short and
ineligible. I tried everything I could to gain eligibility but there was no way
around it so I ended up red-shirting that season. I was very eager to be able
to compete that spring and then the next two fall seasons! The following fall
season started off strong as well until early on in the season I hurt my knee...
I continued to play on it since nothing serious showed up. Then, the practice before
our first home game I dove after a ball and didn’t get back up. I ended up
partially tearing my PCL mid-season. Luckily for our team we had a very skilled
freshman, Bethany, to fill in in the back row that performed excellently the
rest of the season!
Academically I was on track to walk at graduation in May 2012 and receive
my diploma at the end of the summer. This left me to figure out what to do
about my fifth year of eligibility for volleyball. I love Lock Haven volleyball
and what our program represents so I couldn’t imagine not fulfilling my
eligibility. I decided to start my graduate degree and work as a graduate
assistant for the Student Rec Center in order to be able to play my senior
season. I’m more than happy with my decision to stay and play at Lock Haven and
with the advantages that I’ll have professionally with a master’s degree.
I never imagined I would end up at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
playing volleyball and getting my bachelors and masters degrees, but I’m so
glad that it’s worked out for me here at LHU and I wouldn’t trade my
experiences here for anything!
Thanks for the support of LHUVB!!!
GO EAGLES!!!
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