Biography
By Jim Hague
Being a setter on a volleyball team is not a glamorous position. The pressure is always on to make the perfect pass that leads to a powerful hit or a light touch over the net, yet there aren’t a lot of chances to get notoriety or recognition for a job well done.
All of that doesn’t faze Jen Mendoza. She’s a setter and she’s happy about it.
“I think I’ve basically become used to it, because I’ve been a setter since high school,” said Mendoza, a junior on the Rutgers-Newark women’s volleyball team. “I do get a little nervous when the scores are close and I have to make the play to put the ball where it needs to go to get that key point. But I don’t mind if the pressure is on me. I just have to perform my best all the time.”
Jason Madsen is the new women’s volleyball coach at R-N. When he took over the position, he knew that it was important to have a quality setter, so realizing Mendoza was there was a sense of relief.
“She’s the leader on the court,” Madsen said. “As the setter, she’s like the quarterback of the football team. She has to be a vocal leader and looking to help everyone out. She has to make the plays. It definitely helped coming in, knowing that we had a setter, because it’s really a tough position to fill.”
Madsen knew that there would be a bit of a transitional period, as a new coach taking over.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Madsen said. “We had to try to get the most potential out of all of the players. I didn’t know much about the team coming in, but having Jen as a setter wasn’t a bad start. She’s really helped us out.”
Mendoza, who was a standout volleyball player at Parsippany High School, wasn’t concerned about a new coaching staff.
“I didn’t think it was that hard,” Mendoza said. “I think we already knew that there were going to be new coaches. I think we all wanted a fresh start and I was accepting of it. I think I was able to click right away with the coaches. Jason wants us to have fun while we’re playing and that’s how we all feel. I feel very comfortable with him. He wants the best for us.”
Madsen likes Mendoza’s approach to the game.
“She sometimes gets a lot of heat from the others, especially when they want the ball to be in one place,” Madsen said. “Jen takes it all in stride. She handles all the positives and the negatives and does a great job with it.”
Pedro Trevino, the R-N head men’s volleyball coach, serves as an assistant with the women’s team. Trevino and Mendoza have worked hard together to fine tune her skills.
“I think it helps that Pedro and I were both setters when we played, so we’re all on the same page,” Madsen said. “We know what Jen has had to go through, so we can help her out. Pedro cleaned up a few things with her. With our background, we think we can raise Jen’s game to the next level.”
Mendoza has been appreciative of the support she has received from the coaches.
“Pedro has been a big help,” Mendoza said. “If he notices something I do wrong, he corrects me and cleans me up. He gave me advice how to put my hands when making a pass. He’s been able to give me more confidence. He tells me not to hold on to a mistake and that has helped.”
Mendoza realizes that she has to do more than just make the perfect pass.
“If you’re quiet on the court, you can’t do well as a setter,” Mendoza said. “You have to get the right setter attitude. If I don’t say something or offer encouragement, then no one will do it. There’s definitely a chain reaction. It helps when we’re all behind each other.”
Recently, Mendoza was selected as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, a unique honor for a setter. But her defensive skills earned recognition from the league.
“I didn’t even know that was possible,” Mendoza said. “Our assistant coach (Ivana Kapetanovic) told me that I got it when we were warming up for the last match and I was totally surprised and shocked. I really didn’t think it was me. It left me speechless. It’s really a great honor.”
Madsen loves Mendoza’s personality.
“She’s a great kid,” Madsen said. “She always has a smile on her face. She’s willing to learn and always has a positive, upbeat attitude. That hasn’t been easy, because we haven’t had much success this season, but her attitude has been great all season. She has a lot of heart and plays that way. I think that attitude helps the other players as well.”
Mendoza is majoring in criminal justice at R-N with a minor in psychology.
“My ultimate dream would be to become a homicide detective,” Mendoza said. “Or maybe I could be a missing person’s detective or an undercover narcotics detective. Or maybe something with juveniles. I just know I want to do something in that field.”
Right now, Mendoza has been doing a great job on the court, setting things straight for the Scarlet Raiders.
“I just try to go out and do my best,” Mendoza said. “I have to go all out in order to perform at my best ability. That’s my goal every day.”
So far, it looks like that attitude is working.
