Oct. 12, 2004

"Defensive Specialist." That's her title. One might guess that it's an exclusive position in a branch of the military, maybe a professional football coach, or even the job description of a political figure. However, this VIP actually attends FAU, and her title is just one of the many things that may surprise you about this young athlete.

Her sport is volleyball and her position is "Defensive Specialist." She is an expert in serving and passing, and did not even start playing the sport seriously until her senior year in high school. At that point, she started thinking she might want to compete at the college level and was determined to get a scholarship. What did it take for her to catch the attention of her coach, Jody Brown? She decided to travel with club teams after graduation. There she traveled to places like, Las Vegas and Minnesota, where college coaches are there to scout out possible recruits. It was there that he saw her play, and the rest, as they say, is history.

One of her biggest accomplishments is simply that she walked on her freshman year, and then received a scholarship, AND she started every game! That's a big feat for anyone playing at the college level, much less someone who has only been playing "seriously" for little over a year. Lauren brags about her team and says that they are looking forward to beating UCF and Georgia State, and then winning the conference tournament. It would be "huge", she says to go to the NCAA tournament and compete there, and that is exactly what they are shooting for.

As far as her future goes, she wants to keep on improving and being an asset to her team, in addition to graduating with her Elementary Education degree. One might argue that you have to be a "Defensive Specialist" in that line of work also! Whatever her future brings, one can conclude that Lauren will be dedicated, determined, and decisive about what she chooses to strive for. FAU is proud of her and her teammates for consistently striving to succeed!

Scholarships are of vital importance to FAU's athletic program and Lauren's story is one of the many that have received the key to a successful future with scholarship funding. If YOU want to take part in supporting student athletes like Lauren, shop on our very own ONLINE SHOPPING MALL! It has a brand new face and new stores are being added weekly! By purchasing things that you would anyway, you can make a difference in the lives of these athletes and their families! What an awesome way to show your support!

To visit the mall: FAU Mall