The ball flies over the court. Alyssa Rio dives to the ground digging out the ball. Angie Parrell settles under the ball, setting it up towards the net on the left side. This is sophomore Julie Breivogel's territory.
As the left outside attacker for the Ball State University women's volleyball team, it is Breivogel's job to kill the ball for a Cardinal point.
Last year, as a freshman, she led Ball State in kills with 377 and so far this season is second to Elaina Katatolis with 60 kills.
"I'm very thankful to have been given the opportunity to even play because I was a freshman," Breivogel said.
Breivogel grew up in Booneville and made back-to-back state tournament appearances her junior and senior years in high school. For her performance, Breivogel was named First-Team All-State her senior year in 2005. It was a career that Breivogel felt made her ready to play for Ball State.
"Playing in tournaments, like going to the state finals, it was a lot better play," Breivogel said. "We got to play a lot of the bigger, better teams that we didn't get to play in our regular season, which was good experience."
While the team struggled in her first season at Ball State last year, Breivogel thrived. With her 377 kills, Breivogel was named to the Mid-American Conference All-Freshman team.
"I just went out there and played my best," Breivogel said. "I played for my team and good things ended up coming out in the end."
In that first year, Breivogel was coached by Randy Litchfield. Litchfield's contract was not renewed following the season.
"I was actually happy about it," Breivogel said. "There were certain incidents that occurred and words were spoken that just weren't necessary."
Following Litchfield's firing, there was a period of layover before Dave Boos was hired. Breivogel said once it was announced Boos was the next coach, she was excited.
"[Boos] coming from Minnesota, I knew it was going to be a better experience for all of us because he was coming from the Big Ten and was going to be a good coach," Breivogel said.
In many ways, Litchfield and Boos coach in polar opposite fashions. One of those is the basic philosophy for offense. Breivogel said after the first practices with Boos, she suffered from information overload.
"My head hurt more after practice than it did after school," Breivogel said. "There is just a lot of information and techniques that we had to learn that most other team's wouldn't even think of."
With Boos' change in techniques and philosophy, Breivogel said, she altered her approach to the game.
"My playing style has changed since Boos came," Breivogel said. "He's gotten into more detail with hitting, swings and passing. Everything has more detail. He works on so much detail ... his style and coaching has just helped me improve so much."
Boos said he thinks Breivogel has the ability to take a drill from practice and apply it when she is playing, and it is because of this that she continues to get better. Boos said Breivogel is the frontline for the Cardinals offensively and defensively.
"For us her role for us is in a front row specialist role," Boos said. "Her main jobs are attacking and blocking. She also serves for us. Julie has the opportunity for us sometime this season to play in all six rotations. She is someone who improves every day."
While Breivogel was a good offensive player last year, she has learned the defensive part of the game this year, thanks to Boos' emphasis on it.
"[With] our defensive system that we have I think she has learned to understand how to play defense so much better," Boos said. "She has come to understand her role in the defense."
Helping Breivogel is her family. Breivogel, who is the youngest of three, talks to her parents at least every other day. Also, her parents come to every home match and many away matches offering support.
"They come to every home match, and they actually just came to New York with my grandma," Breivogel said. "That was nice because we had four fans there and I had three of them."
Breivogel is an elementary education major at Ball State. She said she can't really be picky with what grade she teaches because jobs are so scarce in elementary schools. Though she hopes to make a career in teaching, she will not stray too far away from the game.
"I would really like to coach volleyball and track," Breivogel said. "I want the older age though. I would like to coach high school. I just think the competition is much better."
The next opportunity to see Breivogel in action comes this weekend in the Ball State Classic. Boos said Breivogel will once again be on the front row killing the ball and rallying the team together.
"She's a stabilizer. When she is on the floor, she stabilizes the team. I think as she goes throughout her career she will become a bigger and bigger part of the offensive system."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
