By Jim Hague
It’s not every day that a boy from northern California would want to seek refuge and release in a place like downtown Newark.
But that’s what Clovis, CA, native Nate Stott did two years ago, when he decided to take a scholarship offer to play volleyball at Rutgers-Newark.
“I wanted to play volleyball in college, but I only had a couple of options back home in California,” said Stott, an outside hitter with the Scarlet Raiders. “Plus, no one was giving me any scholarship money. Rutgers recruited me. I came to visit the campus and I really liked it. I knew that I wanted to keep playing volleyball and this was a good opportunity for me.”
However, it had to be a wild ride, going from the laid-back world of California wine country to the hustle and bustle of New Jersey’s biggest city.
“Yeah, it was definitely a lot different,” Stott said. “But I was looking for something different. I wanted to experience something new. Rutgers-Newark had a good business school and that’s what I wanted to study. I knew it was going to be a big change for me, but I welcomed it.”
Perhaps one of the first differences Stott experienced was the temperature.
“The weather was definitely different,” Stott said. “I wasn’t used to the cold weather.”
Stott never once regretted his decision.
“This is one of the most diverse campuses in the country,” Stott said. “There are so many different ethic backgrounds here. It’s a lot different than what I’m used to. But I like that a lot. It’s one of the best things about this school.”
Another aspect that the 6-foot-5 Stott enjoys is the ascent of the Scarlet Raiders’ volleyball program under new coach Karl France.
Rutgers-Newark has one of the most unique situations for its men’s volleyball program. While all of the school’s other athletic teams compete on the NCAA Division III level, the men’s volleyball team is Division I in stature, so the Scarlet Raiders face perennial powerhouses like Ohio State, Princeton and George Mason in their regular schedule.
Although Stott was recruited by the previous coaching regime, he welcomed the fact that the school had hired France, the former coach at New York University, to take over the program this year.
Stott and France had previously met at a volleyball camp in Santa Barbara when Stott was still in high school and then France tried to recruit Stott to go to NYU.
“I knew him well, so I wasn’t too nervous when they brought him in to be the new coach,” Stott said. “I think it was a good move and our program needed something positive. Karl and Gary (Moore, the assistant volleyball coach) are going to turn us around and we’re going to start to win.”
One of the main reasons why the Scarlet Raiders will become winners is the play of Stott, who after three matches, is sitting atop most of the team’s statistical categories.
Stott leads the team in kills, is second in total assists and leads in digs and total points scored.
It’s almost a 360-degree transformation for the sophomore, who barely played last year as a freshman.
“I didn’t expect to play right away as a freshman,” Stott said. “It was a hard transition going from high school to college volleyball. But this year, I feel a lot more comfortable and it’s a lot easier. I definitely feel like I’m playing better.”
France can see the improvement.
“I knew he had a chance to be an outstanding player for us,” France said. “Nate’s a very physical player and it’s a very good thing that he decided to remain with us. When I took the job, three other guys left, but Nate decided to stay. I knew it was definitely a good thing, because I inherited someone I was familiar with and knew. It was a good situation to be in.
Added France, “Nate showed he wanted to stay after I got hired and that says a lot about his character. It showed me a lot that he wanted to be here and see our program improve.”
France says that he has a lot of hope and promise for Stott.
“I have to say that we’re going to go as far as Nate takes us,” France said. “He has room for improvement, but he’s a pretty solid player right now. And a lot of the other guys look up to him, even though he’s a sophomore. I don’t want to put any added pressure on him, but he’s a powerful attacker and a solid blocker, things that we look for him to do.”
Stott said that he doesn’t mind the added responsibility of being a team leader.
“I actually like it,” Stott said. “I thought it might be tough and hard, but we’re all working hard together. We’re trying to bring some respect back to the program. After the season we had last year, we didn’t get a lot of respect.”
The Scarlet Raiders were only 2-26 a year ago, but with their win over France’s former school, NYU, Tuesday night, they have already improved to 2-1 on the young season, already tying last year’s win total in the process.
“Things are definitely looking up,” Stott said.
If there is one thing that took a little adjustment period, it’s France’s demanding practice schedule. The Scarlet Raiders regularly work out at 7:30 a.m., way before classes begin.
“It’s definitely rough,” Stott said. “I’m definitely not used to getting up and getting out while it’s still dark. But I think the time has helped us to be focused and more dedicated. I think maybe that’s what we need as a young team.”
France is encouraged by the performance of his young standout.
“I’m happy that I get three years to work with him in this program,” France said. “I’m pretty excited about that.”
Stott doesn’t have set plans about his future after school. He is enrolled in the business management program.
“I don’t exactly know what I want to do,” Stott said. “I will get my degree and see what the future holds. But I’m definitely happy I made the decision to come here.”
So is the Rutgers-Newark volleyball program.
