Name: Grace Novacek
High School: Hopewell
High School (Aliquippa,PA)
Years played/attended LHU:
2009-2013
Positions played: MB1
Degree/Major: Sport
Administration
Current Job: Head
women's volleyball coach at Bay Path University
Current Hometown:
Springfield, MA
Family:
Jim & Julie; 3 sisters: Joyce, Becky, & Janice
1. Share with us a few of your fondest memories
at Lock Haven.
Most of my good memories at LHU involve the fall, because
that's when it's the prettiest on campus and that's when I got to play
volleyball.
Once before a spring tournament my sophomore year, I set my
alarm for 6 PM instead of 6 AM and would've missed the whole tournament, but my
setter Alexa threw rocks at my window and pounded on my apartment door, waking
me up and successfully saving my life. I
also have fond memories of being a tutor, studying in the library with
teammates, and running on the levee by the Susquehanna river.
2. What were your greatest accomplishments on
and off the court at LHU?
Improving every year was my greatest accomplishment on the
court. Also, I liked when I was ranked 7th
in all-time blocks for LHU. It's cool to
be on that list of so many phenomenal people.
Off the court, my favorite accomplishment was when I
received the Honors Senior Student of the Year award.
3. What did playing volleyball at Lock Haven
enable you to accomplish?
Playing volleyball helped me learn some good life skills and
make healthy choices. It also helped
improve my time management skills, resulting
in higher grades. Also, playing
volleyball enabled me to travel to really great places, like Colorado and Florida,
and make a lot more friends.
4. What does being a part of the Lock Haven
Volleyball family mean to you?
It means always having a support system on-campus and now
for the rest of my life. Again, I have
made many life-long friends that I would have never met without volleyball
connecting us.
5. Who are some of the people at LHU that you
are most thankful for?
I am very thankful to all of my volleyball coaches at Lock
Haven who taught me how to be a better player and are now helping shape my own
coaching career through good example.
All LHU coaches, and my academic advisor, Dr. Patricia Lally, have had
the most significant impact on helping me to set and achieve a wide variety of
goals.
I am also thankful for all of my teammates who have helped me
become a better athlete and a better role model. I am thankful for my closest friends at Lock
Haven: Kelsey Prommel, Jeff Lesko, Alexa Garrity, Bailey Farthing, and Caroline
Acosta.
Tyler Kanelos also deserves his own line of thanks because,
during my senior year at Lock Haven, he gave me the best thing to be thankful
for by introducing me to the love of my life.
Thanks Tyler; you're the best!
6. What is the greatest lesson you learned
being an athlete at Lock Haven?
Trying to be perfect on the court will only leave you
disappointed, but taking risks in practice and during games will help you have
more fun and become more confident. This
can lead to better post-season play, or help you succeed when your team needs
you in tough situations. That was a
pretty good lesson I learned and it really helped me to enjoy playing so much
more!
Also, just because you are working out a ton in season
doesn't mean you can eat a lot of dessert.
7. What advice would you give to a senior
student-athlete leaving LHU for the real world.
Don't lessen things you have accomplished
during your time at Lock Haven. Being a
student-athlete at Lock Haven is a big deal.
Be proud of yourself and know that you are competent and capable of
achieving any goal you set.
8. What
advice would you give to a freshman coming in to Lock Haven?
Join as many clubs/student groups as you can. My particular favorite (outside of playing a
sport) was LHU's Global Honors Program.
You'll have the opportunity to meet more quality people and make more
friends if you put yourself out there!
Also, I liked studying abroad over the summer in London/Paris. Look around for those opportunities.
In addition to that small piece of advice, my motto
throughout my time at Lock Haven was "Thursday is not the
weekend." I think that speaks for
itself and is particularly important.
