By Jim Hague:
It’s safe to say that Karolina Kopacz had no choice but to become a volleyball player.
Her father, Andrej, played volleyball extensively in his native Poland and taught the game to his three children.
“I’d say that he kicked my butt a few times,” Karolina Kopacz said.
So there was an older sister, Angelika, who played volleyball at Lehigh. And then there was older brother Chris, who played his volleyball at Rutgers-Newark.
“That’s how it all started,” Kopacz said. “When I was pretty young, I used to tip the ball against a wall. But being the youngest child, watching them all play, I liked it and wanted to play. I was super eager and excited to play right away, although I wasn’t any good.”
Kopacz vividly remembers the difficulty she had serving.
“It was rough,” Kopacz said. “I had to do it over and over. My brother and sister were big helpers. So was my Dad. I owe everything to them. Dad was my biggest critic. It was good for me because no one is as honest as your family. The criticism kept me going.”
Kopacz learned enough of volleyball to become a standout at Rutherford High School, leading the Bulldogs to the state playoffs three times and earning All-League and All-County honors.
When it came time to choosing a college, it was a no-brainer for Kopacz. She was going to the same school that her brother attended.
“I really liked being close to home,” Kopacz said. “My brother was the one who convinced me. I originally didn’t even apply. But he yelled at me and convinced me. My parents were happy with it. They’re always right.”
Kopacz decided that R-N was a perfect choice, because she wanted to major in criminal justice.
“Rutgers-Newark has one of the best criminal justice programs around,” Kopacz said. “It was a no-brainer, a win-win. In the perfect world, I’d love to work in some branch of the FBI. That’s the dream.”
Kopacz said that she was interested in seeing how it would be working with new coach Megan Knott, who became the new R-N women’s volleyball coach last spring.
“When I spoke with Karolina in the spring, she really didn’t stand out to me,” Knott said. “But when we started practices, she really stepped it up. She worked hard over the summer and took over as a team leader. That was very comforting to me. She stepped up on the court to become a leader out there.”
Knott also liked Kopacz’s versatility, being able to play the setter slot while also sliding over to play in a hitting position.
“She’s so versatile,” Knott said. “She’s been awesome. It’s such a great surprise that she’s been excellent in both. When she goes up to hit or to set, I don’t have to worry.”
Kopacz spoke of her relationship with the new coach.
“I actually think she’s a great fit,” Kopacz said of Knott. “She’s fresh out of college, so she can relate to us. She can be hard on us, but there’s an understanding there. I like the fact that she pushes conditioning, so we run a lot. It puts us in a better space.”
Kopacz missed most of last season due to a high ankle sprain.
“Because I was injured last year, I missed most of the season,” Kopacz said. “As soon as I feel anything, I get it checked.”
The injury eventually forced Kopacz to miss the entire season.
Knott said that the Scarlet Raiders had two other girls in the running to be the starting setter this year, but Kopacz fought off the challenge.
“When I think back, maybe it’s because she was injured,” Knott said of the change in Kopacz. “She just couldn’t stand it. There were two other setters, but I think her height helped her. We had to have a setter. She came ready.”
Kopacz, who stands 5-foot-9, gives the Scarlet Raiders a presence at the net.
“I guess I’m not half bad,” Kopacz said. “Freshman year really made me stable. It’s getting there. I’m doing both now, so it gets hectic, but I still get a rhythm every now and then.”
Kopacz said that the Scarlet Raiders have a good team in 2016 and it’s up to her to show some leadership and guidance.
“It’s actually really exciting this year,” Kopacz said. “This is my third year, but we have a completely new environment. We all have high hopes, so that makes it exciting. We’re going to have a good season.”
From Kopacz’s words to the ears of the Scarlet Knights, your captain has hope.
Note: Kopacz is leading Rutgers-Newark in assists and kills this season and recorded her second triple-double of the year Tuesday night in a loss to Rowan University.
