Natalie Robinson is committed to playing Division 1 volleyball at Rutgers University next fall. Robinson is a hardworking and committed individual who has taken her volleyball career to the next level.
Robinson had quite the high school experience at Hudson. She was thrown into a challenging situation, being one of the youngest players on the court. “I was a starter for the team as a sophomore and I had a hard time playing with the older, more experienced girls at first. My confidence on the court was one of my biggest struggles, but Sydney Waller, who was also a sophomore starting on varsity, helped a lot on the court with my confidence and I’m grateful we had that experience together.”
Waller and Robinson quickly became close friends on and off the court, proving that support will help you grow the most.
Waller is committed to Samford University and noted, “Natalie is the player I go to when I struggle because I know she felt and went through the same things I did on the court.”
Regardless of her struggles, Robinson describes her overall high school experience as amazing, stating, “Volleyball had its highs and lows, but I always had the best time hanging out with the team. I’ve made some of my best friends because of the experience, and I will always cherish the relationships I made with them.”
Robinson not only had support from her team but support from phenomenal coaches. “The coach that helped me the most to improve as a player was my club volleyball coach that I had during my 16s club season, Kelsey Polak. After my sophomore year playing for Hudson, I had a lot of problems with my confidence as a player and didn’t think college volleyball was even an option for me. She gave me the confidence I needed to bring my game to the next level and helped jumpstart my recruiting process. She did an amazing job of having genuine relationships with everyone individually on the team but also worked us harder than any coach I’ve ever had. Without her, I would not be going to play division one volleyball and I would not be even close to the player I am today.”
After everything in high school, Robinson knew that she did not want to leave the sport behind, which led her to enter the college recruitment process.
“I love volleyball and didn’t want to have to stop playing after high school. I would’ve taken any chance given to me to continue playing.” When asked about the most important aspect of the recruiting process, she noted the importance of organization and good time management, responding that “there is a time commitment and level of organization you need to have to stay on top of the whole process. You’ll be talking on the phone with multiple coaches a week and sometimes multiple coaches a day. You will need to find ways to stay organized with all of the different conversations you’ll have and remember and relationships you need to maintain. It is a long process to find the best fit, but staying committed will get you through it.”
Choosing where to go for the next four years is a huge decision. The coaches and players at Rutgers helped Robinson with her decision. “I decided to go to Rutgers University because of the relationships I made with the coaching staff and the players on the team. You can find competitive, high-level volleyball at many different schools but you’ll never reach the level you want to reach without a good support system around you, and I am very confident Rutgers can provide that for me.”
Robinson is ready for next-level competition at Rutgers. “It will be nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced before. Rutgers plays in the Big 10 Conference, which had five teams playing in the NCAA tournament last year which is way beyond anything I’ve seen on the court playing in high school.”
The important thing is that Robinson isn’t scared of competition on the court. She actually claims that “a competitive atmosphere helps me succeed the most in volleyball. I think it’s important to surround yourself with high level players that push you to always perform at your best. I am looking forward to being able to see and play volleyball with some of the best players in the country.”
Best of luck to Robinson as she continues her volleyball journey at Rutgers!
