In Focus: Seniors Thankful For Opportunity At Washington
November 26, 2015 | General, Volleyball
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
When Justice Magraw was first invited to join Washington's volleyball program, she wasn't sure what to think.
“Are you serious?” the senior libero said, looking back on the moment four years ago. I was just so confused. I didn't know if it was real.”
At the time, Magraw was a senior at Redmond High School with a “bum knee.”
“I had torn my ACL and couldn't play volleyball,” she said.
But, over the course of a few months, Magraw realized the offer was legitimate. She was a “17-year-old senior who couldn't strain her knee,” but Washington's coaching staff saw something in Magraw.
Now, four years later, as she prepares for Saturday's Senior Night match against Washington State, Magraw is wrapping up a run that has been a dream come true.
“It's really weird to think Saturday is our last home Pac-12 game,” Magraw said. “It blows my mind. It's weird. It's nice. It's scary.”
For Magraw, the last four years have been, “pretty much everything.” She is one of six seniors – Magraw, Melanie Wade, Katy Beals, Cassie Strickland, Lianna Sybeldon and Kim Condie – the Huskies will honor prior to the match against the Cougars.
“Senior Night is always really special, because we have been able to celebrate some great players in the past,” Wade said. “It's really special to celebrate your four years with all your teammates, and your coaches and your family there.”
Beals added, “It's a mix of emotions. I'm kind of in disbelief the past four years have gone by this quickly. I'm excited that the tournament is coming up and nervous for senior night. I don't want to cry.”
When Magraw arrived at Washington, she was determined to live in the moment. She didn't spend much time thinking about the future. Now, though, the next step in her life is on the horizon. She is excited to see how the experiences that shaped her collegiate life will form her future.
“It's been the craziest, scariest, best dream,” she said. “The opportunity to play here and live a childhood dream has been such a huge part of who I am now. I have changed so much through this process and I've made so many great friends.”
Earlier this season, Magraw recorded the first point of her college career. It was an exciting experience, but the reaction of her teammates made the moment.
“I'm in a group of seniors who are just incredible, not only as players, but they're incredible people,” Magraw said. “I'm excited to see where they go.”
While this group has a promising future once the season ends, there is still plenty of work to do this season. The second-ranked Huskies are looking at a deep run in the NCAA tournament, but they don't want to look too far into the future. They are currently focused on Washington State and the chance to clinch a share of the Pac-12 title with a victory.
“We actually talked as a team recently and we got our focus back on being very much in the moment,” Wade said. “I think that's really important, because the past couple of years I've been here, sometimes we get a little bit ahead of ourselves and it distracts from learning and improving every day in practice.”
If Washington continues to focus on fixing the little things daily, Wade believes there is no limit to how far the program can go.
“That's really the goal right now,” Wade said. “In the end, the team that wins it is going to be the one that's still improving.”
This is an exciting time for Washington's seniors. It is an opportunity to celebrate their careers, while preparing for the NCAA tournament. No matter what happens, the Huskies' six seniors will have the memories and the moments accumulated during their college careers.
“Being part of this program and being at the University of Washington has really shaped who I am as a person,” Wade said. It's hard to believe how much I've grown and learned in the past four years.”
