Three weeks into the Long Beach State women’s volleyball season and freshman libero Mykah Wilson has already made her presence known on the court for the 49ers.
Wilson earned Big West Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 31 for her debut performances in the 49ers’ first three matches against Alabama, Duke and St. Mary’s. Wilson totaled 58 digs over the three matches and averaged 4.46 digs per set in the opening weekend.
While attending Southlake Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas, Wilson was an All-State selection her senior season and the District Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and senior. Wilson ended her high school career by leading the Dragons to back-to-back area championships and a third-place finish at the State tournament.
The Texas native talked to the Daily 49er about her decision to attend LBSU and seeing so much time on the court as a freshman.
What’s it like for you, as a freshman, to get playing time and earn Big West Defensive Player of the Week?
It’s been awesome and honestly, I owe it all to my team. I had goals for myself coming into this, but I never thought they would come true this fast. I just think that with the support system I’ve had behind me that it’s been great for me and I’m excited to see where we go as a team from here.
Why did you choose to come to LBSU?
The staff here is what really got me. I wanted to come to a winning program and I think that Brian [Gimillaro] obviously knows what he’s doing, so I wanted to come out here. And I love California. I play sand [volleyball] too, so obviously Texas wasn’t the greatest spot for that.
How would you compare your freshman year in high school to your freshman year in college so far?
It’s weird how parallel it is because I was on varsity my freshman year. I went to a small country school so it was a small tiny town. The aspect of it is the same but here it is a much higher level. It’s the same jump just more stretched out and more difficult.
Any volleyball player you look up to?
I look up to April Ross so much. I’ve had the opportunity to meet her and talk to her. Her playing indoor, her four years at USC and then going out and doing what she’s done on the sand, that’s all I’ve ever wanted for myself. And I think she does a good job of carrying herself and that’s how I want to be.
How do you see yourself progressing over your time at LBSU?
I think if I’ve learned this much in the three weeks that I’ve been here, I think that the knowledge that [Gimillaro] is feeding into my brain, I think I’ll progress way more than I initially thought I would. From everything he is saying to us and drilling into us, I think eventually it will start clicking and I’ll just go forward.