Avery Mulvey stands out as the rock of the team to both her coach and her teammates, in just her first season of playing college volleyball.

“I’ve just had a really successful season, personally and as a team. I’m thinking I want to try out and see my options are as far as playing after this year.”

Mulvey holds the highest number of digs on the team, with 352. She is cut out for her spot as libero, which is the back row passing position.

“Avery has a kind heart and a big presence on the court. She brings a great energy to the team and is inspiring to the rest of us,” said Mulvey’s teammate, Kaylene Ureno.

She has hopes of being in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and wants to transfer to San Diego State University and double major in psychology and criminology.

Mulvey played volleyball the majority of her life, but found the passion drifting away so she stopped playing her senior year at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego.

She took a beach volleyball class her second semester at City College which rekindled her passion for the sport.

She said she was hesitant, and thought she might be too rusty, but thought to herself  “why not?” Mulvey decided to join the team a week before it started practicing.

“When you play for so long it almost becomes muscle memory. I felt like I hadn’t even stopped playing,” Mulvey said.

Her teammates, Ashley Velasquez and Ureno both describe her as the hardest worker on the team.

“Avery is one of the most dedicated players on the team,” said Velasquez. “She’s always cheering and pumping us up. She’s the backbone of our team.”

Mulvey said what she enjoys most about being on the team is the cohesiveness of the team and the new friends she has made on it.

Her team has had a very successful season, with a 21-5 record. Head Coach Ed Gover attributes much of the team’s success to Mulvey.

“She’s the rock of the team,” he said.

Gover admires her unrelentless pursuit of the ball, and the love and passion that she has for playing volleyball.

While she enjoys the team, she talks about the difficulty of managing her college life.

Mulvey said that volleyball helps her de-stress.

“Before I had so much free time, but now I find it hard to do simple things like eat,” she said.

Another one of Mulvey’s challenges is having to push her emotions to try and encourage the team.

“The whole thing is a mental game you have to stay focused and not let outside things affect you.”

Mulvey’s teammate Carolyn Andrulis said, “She brings a ton of energy and charisma to the team which lifts everyone on and off the court.”

Andrulis added that Mulvey is a fantastic teammate and even more so a friend.

Gover said Mulvey contributes a steadiness and a support system that people can trust and rely on her.

“She’s one of those kids that shows by example what hard work does.”

Mulvey said she did not plan on playing sports in college but that after these past few months she’s thinking differently.

In addition to her dreams of working for the F.B.I, she said has dreams of traveling and having a family.

“But right now I’m just focused on getting through school.

“In the game, you have to take everything one point at a time, and in life, just one day at a time,” Mulvey said.