By Rico Chow '12,

Freshman Katy Schatzman (KS) joined the Broncos this summer from Presentation High School in San Jose, Calif.  Prior to her college career, she was the captain of a Presentation team that was the No. 1 ranked high school team in the country for four weeks during her senior year. She was honored as a First Team All-WCAL player in 2010 and a honorable mention in 2009. As the 5 foot 8-inch libero plans to continue her success in college, SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCU) interviewed Katy about her impressions of Santa Clara University and her career goals.

SCU: Has volleyball always been your most favorite sports? Have you ever thought of playing other sports such as basketball since your grandfather played in the NBA?

KS: When I was younger I only played soccer and basketball. It wasn't until 6th grade that I decided to try playing volleyball like my older sister. I played basketball all through middle school but quit in high school to focus on volleyball.

SCU: What were some of the secrets that kept your high school volleyball team among the best in the country? Can these skills be applied to the Broncos?

KS: My high school team wasn't one of the most talented teams but we worked well together and loved working hard for each other. We started off the season with our coach quitting the day before the season started, but that made us work even harder and prove to everyone we could still be one of the top teams. This year our Bronco team works even harder than my high school team and we really play for each other and push each other to be better every day.

SCU: Having both of your parents as Santa Clara alumni, what were your impressions about Santa Clara University before you enrolled?

KS: I always loved SCU as a kid. I loved coming to all the sports games and seeing the campus. My parents always talked about how amazing SCU was and how great of an education they received here.

SCU: What does it mean to you to go to a university that both of your parents attended? Is it special for you to go to the same university?

KS: I love SCU and everything that it has to offer. Knowing both my parents attended SCU makes the experience even more special. I grew up hearing great stories about the school and now I'm living them.

SCU: As a libero, what do you believe is your strongest strength on the court? Can you share with the fans how the libero position supports the team?

KS: I believe my strongest strength on the court is my passing. The libero is the leader of the back court; they control everything on defense.  

SCU: How would you like to contribute to the team as a freshman? What are you goals in your college career?

KS: This year I would like to learn a lot from our upperclassmen and get better each day in practice. I want to be able to get the most out of each season and make the NCAA tournament all four years.

SCU: Why did you choose to be a business major?

KS: I choose to be a business major because I have always been interested in how businesses are run and what makes them so successful.

Go Broncos!