Tweet #BirdsUp
SAN ANTONIO – With the 2018 UTSA volleyball season just days away from first serve, get to know the Roadrunners with a fun question & answer on GoUTSA.com!
McCulloch, a native of San Antonio, Texas, prepped at Taft High School. A six-foot junior, McCulloch is coming off a year where she averaged 3.46 kills and 2.01 digs per set, hitting for a .178 percentage with 17 service aces and 0.36 blocks per set.
Take a Roadrunners Stroll with Brianna McCulloch! pic.twitter.com/fkEwHeP9v2
— UTSA Volleyball (@UTSAvolleyball) September 6, 2018
The Roadrunners open their 2018 season on Friday vs. San Francisco at 3 p.m. CT in West Point, N.Y., with Army West Point hosting the Army Invitational. UTSA will then face Quinnipiac and Army on Saturday.
At what age did you begin playing volleyball?
BM: I started saying when I was 9 when I moved here from Alaska.
Why did you start playing volleyball?
BM: The funny thing was that I didn't know what the sport was until the first friend I made played and her mom was a coach and they said 'you're tall for your age and can jump, have you ever tried volleyball?' and the rest is history.
What is your earliest memory of volleyball?
BM: When I played my first YMCA summer league and blocked the first serve thinking I won the game before I knew what the rules of the game were.
Who is your inspiration in volleyball and why?
BM: Briseo and Khan, two previous players in college who went on to play on their nation's team oversea leagues.
Who is a current/former collegiate or professional volleyball athlete whom you admire and why?
BM: I admire Carnae D who was an undersized outside like me who managed to make it overseas in Switzerland and even won MVP.
What family members have made the biggest impact on your life and why?
BM: My immediate family includes my dad, Darien (Pap) McCulloch, my mom, Renee McCulloch, and my younger brother, Aaron McCulloch, who may be younger but is taller than me by half a foot. My parents have made the biggest impact because they helped me strive when I was succeeding and made me stay strong when times got rough. I also am thankful to them for all the money they put into my career that helped me get to where I am today.
What are the strengths of your volleyball game? What are the areas you are currently trying to work on the most?
BM: My strength is my ability to play a consistent game and come through when my team needs me in crucial moments. There are I am trying to work on is my backrow game so that I can be a threat too while also backing my team up with my defense.
Why did you decide to attend the UTSA?
BM: Because of it's proximity to my family, friends and everyone who supported my journey to get here.
What are your individual and team goals at UTSA?
BM: My individual goals at UTSA, includes sweeping the offensive accolades. My team goals are for us to win a conference ring and make it to the big NCAA dance.
What is your academic major and why did you select that major?
BM: My major is English with a minor in comparative literature and I chose this because I would love to teach overseas, and if not I can enter the business of publishing and editing.
What are your career goals (after volleyball) and why do you have an interest in pursuing that particular career?
BM: I would love to teach overseas in South Korea because I love the culture and feel I would have an enjoyable life there.
Have there been any big obstacles that you have had to overcome in your life? How did you overcome them and how did that experience help shape you?
BM: Some obstacles I've endured is my change from a middle to outside. Even this year I'm seeing more of the right side of the court, so adaptability has been a struggle throughout my career, but I've stepped up by being confident in myself. Having people back me up and providing tons of patience has helped turn me into a player with a stronger mental game.
What do you enjoy doing outside of volleyball and school?
BM: I enjoy reading and anything having to do with KPop and KDramas all going back to the Korean culture that I love immersing myself in. I like so many groups but some are BTS, Shinee, Astro, Blackpink, and Jay Park.
What is something most people might not know about you?
BM: I am studying Korean and Japanese.
What would you most like to be known for as a UTSA volleyball player?
BM: A reliable player that stepped up when the competition demanded it.
What advice would you give to a young girl who would like to one day be in your shoes?
BM: I would say don't come in with blinders on, in any sport, and think that change won't happen to you. Change is a part of the life of an athlete. You need to be ready to face and embrace it because that will elevate you to the next level. Never forget why you started playing and remember to have fun because at that times that may be the only thing that gets you through rough times.
- GO UTSA -