Nov. 3, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - By: Kelsey Detweiler
Penn State Athletic Communications
At a mere 5 feet 1 inch, Cathy Quilico is the shortest player in the Big Ten. However, the fact that she is about 10 inches closer to the ground than her average teammate does not hinder her dedication and passion for Penn State volleyball. In fact, Quilico thinks the fact she is literally `the short girl' is even kind of funny.
"It's weird because I don't even think of myself like that," said Quilico. "I never have and it's so funny because I'm always around tall girls. I always joke that I'm a little person in a big world, because I never even realized that in my world everyone is taller than me and it's just normal."
Quilico said that her height is something that she has learned to embrace, just like others around her have done.
"The thing that's so exciting and rewarding about the whole thing is that little girls will come up to me and say that I'm their idol, because I play for Penn State and me being this short gives them hope," said Quilico. "That's the thing that's the most rewarding and it makes me so happy every time I hear it or get a message or an e-mail or someone comes up and talks to me, that's my favorite."
Young girls and spectators have a reason to be a fan of Quilico outside of the fact that she is a little girl in a big sport. Quilico has been a dominant force on the court ever since she started playing volleyball, making a name for herself wherever she went.
As a freshman in college, Cathy attended Boston College and played volleyball there. Although she appeared in 114 of 115 possible sets and led the team with 479 total digs on the year, Quilico left Boston after her freshman year and transferred to Happy Valley.
"I wasn't completely in love with the volleyball program," Quilico said of her freshman year at Boston College. "I loved Boston, I loved the school, it was a great experience but just the volleyball wasn't for me. My best friend and I went there together and she ended up transferring back home to USC and I came here. It's a good fit and I love it here."
Becoming a Nittany Lion has been truly rewarding for Quilico on and off of the volleyball court. She especially enjoys the lively atmosphere, the hometown feel and the traditional style of Penn State etiquette.
"I love that it's a college town," said Quilico. "I love that they're all about the college here, which is different from Boston because they're more about their pro teams and here it's about the college and the tradition here. Coming to a game or any athletic event, I just love our matches. I love the band and the fans we have - it's so great and it makes me so happy."
There is one thing that Cathy is not quite a fan of however. Being a Thousand Oaks, Calif. native, she hasn't exactly become a fan of the cold weather and snowfall that comes with the State College area.
"My first year in Boston I didn't even own a jacket, so I had to go buy jackets, and they had had their worst winter in thirty years - it was crazy," said Quilico. "But, the thing I have the hardest time with is driving in the snow. I get really scared. I go like two miles per hour and I get so nervous."
Still, Quilico does appreciate and admire the changing of the leaves and wavering temperatures that Pennsylvania offers.
"I love the seasons; I love the fall mostly, winter it gets kind of `blah' during January and February when it's time already to be spring, but that's the only thing."
Cathy said that she stumbled upon volleyball as her main sport, but is glad that she stuck with it for all of these years.
"In sixth grade I just played it and then in middle school I just ended up really loving it and ever since I just really fell in love," said Quilico. "I don't really know what it was. It was just competitive, it was different and it was nothing I'd ever done before. I'm terrible at basketball, never played soccer, so this one I could actually pick up."
As a Nittany Lion, Quilico has made herself known as a libero and a defensive specialist. During her sophomore year at Penn State, she recorded 29 digs and four service aces. Quilico notably improved her play the next year, and finished her junior season with 221 digs and 21 aces.
If you ask Cathy, she would tell you that she is kind of the spark on the team who just likes to dig up balls every set. Head coach Russ Rose said that Quilico is always upbeat and has great energy, and she attributes those qualities to her personality and her height.
"My role on the team is to be bubbly and energetic. I feel like I am as bubbly and energetic as I am solely because I'm little," said Quilico. "Blair (Brown) and I always joke about it - like it looks cute coming from me but if she did something like that they'd be like what is going on? But my role is to come in, make plays, play defense and just basically roll around on the floor."
Her energy and passion for volleyball has helped the Nittany Lions post an overall record of 17-4 and a Big Ten record of 7-3 this season. Quilico may be shorter than most, but she is a team player and truly believes that as a team, Penn State women's volleyball can do anything.
"We've had our ups and downs and I really think that from here on out, especially after the last away weekend we had, we've really gelled as a team," said Quilico. "It was only a matter of time until we became one unit. Hopefully it continues to help us practice well, play well and we can keep it together for every match."