Experience in Europe helps rollman improve

Only a handful of collegiate athletes get the chance to head overseas to compete against… Only a handful of collegiate athletes get the chance to head overseas to compete against some of the best the world has to offer.

This spring, Pitt senior Sarah Rollman had the opportunity to do just that.

Rollman, an outside hitter for the Pitt volleyball team, was selected by Team USA to participate in the 2003 European Spring Cup in May. For 11 days, Rollman trained and competed with some of the best young volleyball players across the United States and Europe.

“It was incredible,” Rollman said. “It was just awesome to meet other international players, and, from a competitive standpoint, it was an invaluable experience.”

The field for the European Spring Cup included teams from Slovakia, Slovenia, Denmark, Sweden, Romania and the Czech Republic. The experience of playing against the quick-paced Eastern European squads is something that Rollman says she will use in practice.

“After a while, you just realized how much faster and more explosive the international game is,” Rollman said. “Those were definitely some of the best teams in the world, and hopefully I can incorporate that experience into my practice.”

Rollman, a native of Norfolk, Neb., was a standout, three-sport athlete at Norfolk High School. During her career at Norfolk, she set or tied school records for kills in a game, kills in a season and attempts in a season.

In 1999, she was named the Norfolk Daily News Student-Athlete of the year, and she capped off her high school career by being named salutatorian of her graduating class.

Rollman signed on to play volleyball at Iowa State University, and, in her first two years with the Cyclones, she was chosen as a floor captain and named to the Big 12 All-Academic team. But Rollman said that, for various reasons, she wanted to play elsewhere after her sophomore campaign.

“Iowa State just wasn’t the right fit for me,” Rollman said. “I was looking for something else. I met Chris [Beerman, head coach of the Pitt volleyball team] and really enjoyed his approach to the game and the philosophy of the program as a whole.”

Rollman transferred to Pitt in 2001, but because of NCAA rules, was ineligible to play in the 2001 season and was redshirted.

In 2002, Rollman’s first season with the Panthers, she proved to be durable and effective. Rollman started 28 of 29 matches and ranked second on the team in set assists and digs, with 55 and 261, respectively. A solid two-way player, Rollman also ranked third on the team with 314 kills, helping to lead the Panthers to a 20-win season and a fourth-place finish in the Big East.

Rollman has always been a vociferous leader on the court, and as a senior, she says she has no problem taking a larger leadership role.

“I’ve always been a very vocal player; it’s not something I feel uncomfortable with,” Rollman said. “I think that one of my strengths is being vocal.”

This season, Rollman will back the right side position, moving from her traditional position on the left. She is focused on improving her defense and getting comfortable on the right side.

“I want to improve my blocking and shut down other opponents, while improving my own hitting from the floor,” Rollman said.

Rollman’s ultimate goal is the same as that of the Panthers squad: to win the Big East and qualify for the NCAA tournament.

“This spring, we went up against some very good teams and proved that we could beat them,” Rollman said. “Now we just need to do it in the fall when it counts.”