5 Sets With Laura Larson
11/30/2016 | Volleyball
Laura Larson belongs on the volleyball court; just check the Arizona school record book if you don't believe it.
Larson is the Arizona school record holder for most matches played. She played in every Arizona match throughout the last four years. Even more impressively, she played in 104 of the teams 118 total sets her freshman year, 118 of the teams 119 sets her sophomore year, all 124 sets her junior year, and all of the sets the team has competed so far in her senior year season.
It isn't surprising that Coach Dave Rubio wants Larson on the court as much as possible when you look at how she produces. In her junior year she set a career high of 27 digs in UA's victory over UCLA. The game helped to propel her onto 420 total digs for the season, good enough for fifth most in Arizona school history.
While everyone is impressed with Larson on the court, she is equally impressive off the court. She is majoring in molecular and cellular biology, and has been named to the Pac-12 All Academic First-Team twice. Earlier this week, Larson was named the Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year. The senior has a 3.968 GPA while majoring in molecular and cellular biology with optional minors in biochemistry and sports management.
On the court, Larson will get a chance to add to her list of accomplishments Friday when the Wildcats open NCAA Tournament play in East Lansing, Michigan against Cleveland State. ArizonaWildcats.com got a chance to sit down with Larson. Check out some of her thoughts on her time at Arizona and were she sees herself going in the future.
As your senior year comes to an end, how do you look back at your time at Arizona, both the school and the volleyball program?
A: "I definitely think I made the right choice in coming here. My experience here has been great, I've loved every year. I think I have grown to my full potential, both academically and in volleyball. And with [Coach Rubio], I couldn't have asked for a better coach, so I've loved it here."
How has Coach Rubio shaped you as a player and person over the last 4 years?
A: "I think both emotionally and physically as a player he's really stepped up my game. He focuses a lot on emotionally staying in the moment, like always focusing on the next ball. I've learned a lot of the mental side from him. And then physically, he's helped a lot with skills: my serve, receive, digging, reading the ball… He's really shaped me into the player I've become."
You set the record for most matches every played at Arizona, what do you think about setting that record?
A: "It's a huge honor just to be in the record book. There are so many great players that have played here, to get my name in the record book for anything really is an honor. But also, playing in every match shows that [Coach Rubio] has confidence in me, and that I've played a role in my four years here, and there's nothing more I could ask for besides that."
What are your goals/expectations for the team going into the NCAA tournament?
A: "We want to go as far as we can, taking each match as it is, focusing on Cleveland State first, and we'll take it from there. Were really focused on playing in the moment. Every point as it comes, focusing on that point like it's the most important point of the year. That's were going to do and were going to make as deep of a run as we can."
Plans for after college?
A: "I either want to play professionally if that works out, hopefully overseas. Other than that, I want to go to pharmacy school."
Larson is the Arizona school record holder for most matches played. She played in every Arizona match throughout the last four years. Even more impressively, she played in 104 of the teams 118 total sets her freshman year, 118 of the teams 119 sets her sophomore year, all 124 sets her junior year, and all of the sets the team has competed so far in her senior year season.
It isn't surprising that Coach Dave Rubio wants Larson on the court as much as possible when you look at how she produces. In her junior year she set a career high of 27 digs in UA's victory over UCLA. The game helped to propel her onto 420 total digs for the season, good enough for fifth most in Arizona school history.
While everyone is impressed with Larson on the court, she is equally impressive off the court. She is majoring in molecular and cellular biology, and has been named to the Pac-12 All Academic First-Team twice. Earlier this week, Larson was named the Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year. The senior has a 3.968 GPA while majoring in molecular and cellular biology with optional minors in biochemistry and sports management.
On the court, Larson will get a chance to add to her list of accomplishments Friday when the Wildcats open NCAA Tournament play in East Lansing, Michigan against Cleveland State. ArizonaWildcats.com got a chance to sit down with Larson. Check out some of her thoughts on her time at Arizona and were she sees herself going in the future.
As your senior year comes to an end, how do you look back at your time at Arizona, both the school and the volleyball program?
A: "I definitely think I made the right choice in coming here. My experience here has been great, I've loved every year. I think I have grown to my full potential, both academically and in volleyball. And with [Coach Rubio], I couldn't have asked for a better coach, so I've loved it here."
How has Coach Rubio shaped you as a player and person over the last 4 years?
A: "I think both emotionally and physically as a player he's really stepped up my game. He focuses a lot on emotionally staying in the moment, like always focusing on the next ball. I've learned a lot of the mental side from him. And then physically, he's helped a lot with skills: my serve, receive, digging, reading the ball… He's really shaped me into the player I've become."
You set the record for most matches every played at Arizona, what do you think about setting that record?
A: "It's a huge honor just to be in the record book. There are so many great players that have played here, to get my name in the record book for anything really is an honor. But also, playing in every match shows that [Coach Rubio] has confidence in me, and that I've played a role in my four years here, and there's nothing more I could ask for besides that."
What are your goals/expectations for the team going into the NCAA tournament?
A: "We want to go as far as we can, taking each match as it is, focusing on Cleveland State first, and we'll take it from there. Were really focused on playing in the moment. Every point as it comes, focusing on that point like it's the most important point of the year. That's were going to do and were going to make as deep of a run as we can."
Plans for after college?
A: "I either want to play professionally if that works out, hopefully overseas. Other than that, I want to go to pharmacy school."
Players Mentioned
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