MILWAUKEE – This week, the Mount Mary University students will begin and finish their final exams for the 2020 spring semester. This last season saw the senior campaign of an eight time letter-winner, Adrianna Nester (Anaheim, Calif.). In her four years at MMU, Adrianna has played in 89 volleyball matches and 92 games in softball, including 14 in the abbreviated 2020 softball season.
In her 181 contests wearing the navy and gold, Adrianna has been to even more practices, team events, Student Athlete Advisory Committee meetings and functions, and countless other Mount Mary activities in her time on campus. As we begin the off-season for collegiate sports, it is time to take a look from the many student-athletes' perspectives. Recently, MtMaryAthletics.com asked the eight time varsity letter-winner what some of her favorite memories were,
| ...one was when I came to visit Mount Mary. I was so nervous, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to compete at the collegiate level. The girls let me participate in an open gym and that's when I knew that Mount Mary was the right fit for me. |
Not only did Nester compete at the collegiate level, but she continued to improve every season on both the volleyball court and the softball field. On the diamond, the pitcher/infielder earned a spot on the Association of Division III Independents All-Conference First Team in her sophomore season. On the court, Nester became more and more a staple of the team's success. Playing in 299 sets, 99 her senior season, Nester earned herself a spot on the American Collegiate Athletic Association All-Association First Team.
From freshman to senior year, Nester continued to grow as an active student-athlete on MMU's campus. A member of MMU's chapter of SAAC, Nester was also a big contributor to the success of the multiple fundraisers SAAC does for Special Olympics Wisconsin.
When Nester was not in the classroom, fundraising for her team and SAAC, or cheering on one of the four other sports for the Blue Angels, Nester was with her teams. Another memory from Nester stuck out in her talks with MtMaryAthletics.com,
| ...from this fall when the volleyball team made it into the ACAA tournament. It was a dream; from working hard to get in, finding out we made it, and actually playing in the tournament. We may not have gotten the outcome we wanted, but I could not have been prouder of my coach, teammates, and myself. It was an experience I will never forget. |
Nester and the Blue Angels earned top four in the ACAA during the regular season in order to enter their conference tournament. MMU won four of their final seven matches of the regular season before their trip to the ACAA Women's Volleyball Conference Tournament Semi-Finals.
Adrianna is now finishing her final exams to graduate with a major in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology. Good luck to all the seniors graduating and all the MMU student-athletes!
