Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

If there’s one member of the Rutgers-Newark men’s volleyball team who understands the true meaning of the sacrifices it takes to be a successful college student-athlete, it’s definitely Brett Pickens.

The talented senior middle hitter first had to make the tough decision to stay at Rutgers-Newark after the volleyball program dropped to NCAA Division III status from Division I, then had to make the choice to take a year off from competing in college volleyball so that his extremely young teammates could get more experience.

When Rutgers-Newark made the decision three years ago to move to the Division III level, Pickens was obviously upset. After all, Pickens was recruited by the previous coaching regime from Anaheim, California, to come to Newark via scholarship.

“I was definitely disappointed,” Pickens said. “I didn’t expect that to happen.”

Pickens had chances to transfer to other Division I programs, like Penn State and University of California-San Diego, but he decided to remain at R-N.

“I wanted to get my degree from here,” Pickens said. “Rutgers is a prestigious name and a great school. There really wasn’t a lot of thought. I was in a situation here where I was going to start and get a quality education. It was a good situation for me.”

Pickens had solid seasons in 2011 and 2012, leading the Scarlet Raiders in several categories, like blocking average and hitting percentage.

When plans were being made for the 2013 season, R-N men’s head coach and coordinator of volleyball operations Pedro Trevino had a discussion with Pickens.

“I knew that the year was going to be a complete learning experience for our younger guys and I didn’t want Brett to waste his senior year that way,” Trevino said. “He was open to sitting out the year. In fact, he was thinking about it as well. It’s easier to say you’re going to do it then doing it. It had to be tough for him, not being part of the team. It was a big disconnect for him. Brett’s a very competitive person, so it was hard not to be competitive. But he knew the reason why we wanted to do it.”

Pickens understood the situation to the fullest.

“I actually thought it was flattering that they decided to have me to wait the year,” Pickens said. “It was a good decision for me. The team was young. I figured it was a smart move for everyone.”

But sitting out the year meant that Pickens had to walk away from the game entirely.

“It was really tough for me,” Pickens said. “I thought I would be able to at least practice with the team. When I found out that I couldn’t even practice, that was pretty frustrating and a big disappointment. But I knew we had a very young team and had the tools to be successful. We just had to come together as a team.”

Trevino needed to have Pickens take over the responsibilities of being the team’s leader.

“Having the senior leadership that Brett brings is invaluable and unbelievable,” Trevino said. “My first year here was Brett’s junior year and he was the bright spot on the team. He just makes everyone around him better.”

Trevino was asked the importance of Pickens’ unselfishness and ability to sacrifice everything for his teammates.

“To me, that’s huge,” Trevino said. “He’s teaching everyone the proper way how to be a part of the team, in the weight room, how to eat, how to stay healthy. He really is a great leader.”

Pickens didn’t mind the leadership role.

“I just assumed I had to be the leader, because I’ve been around so long,” Pickens said. “I was willing to do it. We have a bunch of good young players. It wasn’t that hard to take that role. These guys know what they’re doing. It’s an honor for me to be the captain. It means a lot to me.”

Pickens feels that the year away has actually made him a better player.

“I feel like my game is stronger,” Pickens said. “My offensive game is stronger. The more I get sets, the happier I am. I’m excited to get all the opportunities to have great games this season. I love it.”

So far, Pickens has collected 19 kills and 28 total points in three matches, leading the Scarlet Raiders to a 2-1 record in the early stages of the season.

“Without a doubt, he’s a Division I athlete,” Trevino said. “Teams scout him and watch wherever he goes. It’s quite an accomplishment to have teams trying to stop you.”

But it’s the intangibles where Pickens truly stands out.

“We get along very well,” Trevino said. “He comes up with different things we should work on and different sets. He’s just that type of an athlete. The young guys listen to him all the time. He sees things and thinks we should do those things, so it’s like having a coach on the floor. You don’t find that often on any level, but that’s what Brett does. He’s fantastic.”

Trevino believes that Pickens will have a sensational senior year – which is what both Trevino and Pickens hoped when Pickens decided to take the year off.

“It just shows the dedication that Brett has had for this program,” Trevino said. “He came to Rutgers-Newark and then wanted to stay here. It shows the type of person he is. He bought into what I wanted to do right away. He’s just a dedicated kid and you can’t teach that. I certainly respect that. I’m glad he stayed and glad he helped this program.”

Pickens will graduate from Rutgers-Newark in May with a degree in economics. He will more than likely attend graduate school in his native California, but he doesn’t know what the future holds.

“I haven’t given much thought to it, to think about what kind of career I want to pursue,” Pickens said. “I might get a chance to play volleyball overseas, so we’ll see.”

As for the way his career at R-N turned out?

“Yeah, I’m definitely pleased,” Pickens said. “I was a Division I recruit and really thought the change to Division III would be a step down, but that was being shallow minded. The quality of the team and the play hasn’t changed. Our team is astronomically better. I couldn’t be happier with the way everything worked out. Taking the year off was a smart decision.”

And one that definitely benefits the Scarlet Raiders as the volleyball season kicks into full swing.