Northwest Christian senior Brooke Stribling and the rest of the Beacons open the season vs. Simpson.
EUGENE, Ore. - To say that Brooke Stribling’s academic schedule is a chore is an understatement to say the very least. But, to the credit of Northwest Christian University and to the senior accounting major, it is a necessary vehicle to enjoy all the rewards of her success on the court and in the classroom. At the start of the week, Stribling, a Marist High School graduate, was finishing up her summer class requirements, preparing to open the 2008 schedule at the Morse Event Center on Thursday night and recharging her endless energy to begin her final fall semester at NCU.
A stark contrast to her demeanor at the close of the opening week of the double days, senior Stribling was her calm and reserved self. Stribling is one of the two team captains for the volleyball team this season, along with fellow senior Cotie Howard. They are responsible for helping to prepare the squad for the start of the season.
“I want to become a better leader for our younger players in the program, together as one team we will strive to encourage and motivate each other,” said Stribling. “This is a unit that acts as one body in a simulated game and in practices over the past two weeks. We have poured over the information given to us by the coaching staff, now Thursday night is our chance to transfer the information into results.”
Stribling speaks with the voice of a leader, yet has a refreshing sense of humility which accompanies her alter-ego on the court. The records that Stribling has set during her time at NCU will stand alone for quite some time. As she begins her third season with the Beacons, she is already the all-time leader in kills with 566. She had 294 kills to lead the team last season and will be in contention to top that number again this year.
Outside the lines Stribling is a leader in the classroom. She is a business administration major with a concentration in accounting, who has been recognized by both the Cascade Collegiate Conference and the National Association of Intercolleigate Athletics (NAIA) with scholar athlete honors. She was the NCU Scholar Athlete of the Year last season.
At times it is hard to tell which accomplishments she is willing to rejoice in more. Yet there is a sense that in all of her daily studies, practice and travels to play around the Pacific Northwest that Stribling is ready for the Beacons to ascend to new heights under the influence of new head coach Mike Gaffaney.
“This team is preparing itself for a berth to the postseason. Cotie and I want to take the energy we’ve seen from the team this past week and transfer it into the game preparation to produce more wins than a year ago,” said Stribling.
The pre-season kicks off Thursday night against Simpson University at 7 p.m. but the conference schedule is not far away. After three matches in the Lewis & Clark College tournament this weekend, the Beacons will turn back around next weekend as they open the CCC slate in Portland against Warner Pacific and Cascade, Sept. 5-6.