Menu
Tomamichel to help Kenyon College volleyball rebuild after recent struggles
With graduation in the rearview mirror, the next school year is just a few months away from beginning.
For Greencastle graduate Juliette Tomamichel, that will mean trading one shade of purple for another as the Tiger Cub middle hitter will get a chance to continue her play on the court as part of the Kenyon College volleyball program starting in the 2022-23 school year.
“I had a couple of colleges in mind that I visited but Kenyon was one of my top choices,” Tomamichel said. “I wasn’t sure before I visited but the campus was very pretty and it felt like a good fit academically.
“It’s a place where I can play volleyball, the facilities are nice and everyone I talked to was welcoming and kind.”
While not certain on exactly what she wanted to do after school, Tomamichel did know in what direction she was heading.
“I definitely want to do something in a STEM field,” Tomamichel said. “I’ve always liked science and the mechanics behind different things.
“I’ve thought about doing something in engineering or in the medical field in the future.”
The Ladies volleyball program, a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference, went through a tumultuous 2022 season, after only playing twice in the spring of the 2020-21 school year due to COVID, after head coach Rosanna Sguerra, who was hired prior to the shortened season, left, leaving also recently-hired assistant coach Kenzie Shand to navigate through a 2-17 season.
Tomamichel said the school was currently looking to formally fill the head coaching role, one that will have as many as nine seniors to work with but very few underclassmen as a result.
“Currently, (Kenyon) is interviewing for a new head coach,” Tomamichel said. “It’s definitely a growing program that will be getting its footing with a new coach.
“I’ve talked with the assistants and it seems like a good program to be a part of. The conditioning and lifting coaches have already reached out with workouts we can do every day, lifting 3-4 times a week with a conditioning day and a day of rest and recovery work.
“As an incoming freshman, it doesn’t come with a lot of playing time but I’m ready to jump in anywhere they want me to play,” Tomamichel added.
Though she will be new to the team, Tomamichel said she had already gotten to know several members of the roster and said that would help make the transition period smoother.
“I already know a lot of girls on the team, so I should be able to find a group to fit in with, along with the incoming freshmen,” Tomamichel said. “As far as academics, I already expect a big jump as the courses are more rigorous but everyone has said that the professors are willing to help everyone.”
Though there was plenty of work to be done on and off the court, Tomamichel said she was ready for the challenge and felt Kenyon was where she was meant to be.
“There’s a lot of planning to do but I’m very excited and can’t wait to go,” Tomamichel said. “It’s exactly the place for me.
“I love what I’ve seen and everything makes me know I’m excited to be there.”