Biography
By Jim Hague
When Eduardo Hernandez was a little boy growing up in his native Puerto Rico, one of the first sports that he was introduced to was basketball.
After all, it was only natural that young Eduardo should participate in basketball, considering that his grandfather, Arnaldo, his father, Eduardo, Sr. and his uncle, Arnaldo, Jr., were all standout basketball players.
“My grandfather played professional basketball and had offers to play for the Puerto Rican national team,” Eduardo Hernandez, Jr. explained. “My father played basketball in college in the United States. My uncle was a very good basketball player. Basketball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It still is a part of my life.”
But young Eduardo had to make a tough decision as a teenager.
“I never played volleyball until I was about 13 years old,” Hernandez said. “But I really liked it. I wanted to stick with volleyball. I wanted to dedicate my life to it. I liked volleyball too much. It was addictive to me and too much fun.”
So Hernandez decided to go against the family tradition and become a full-time volleyball player. He gave up basketball and also playing baseball to concentrate on the sport he liked the most.
“It really meant a lot to me to play volleyball,” Hernandez said. “My family was actually happy about it. They said that if I were happy, then they were happy. They’re actually proud I made it in another sport.”
Hernandez always dreamed of playing competitive volleyball in college in the United States. However, there aren’t many Division I programs that were willing to take a chance on an undersized outside hitter. Those players who protect net play are usually tall trees, standing 6-foot-6 or better. Hernandez stands only 6-0 even.
“I knew that I needed someone to take a chance on me, even though I wasn’t 6-8,” Hernandez said.
Enter Karl France and the Rutgers-Newark volleyball program. France knew that there weren’t a lot of schools in the market for an undersized outside hitter, so he recruited Hernandez.
It’s pretty amazing how France and Hernandez became entwined.
“We were in Puerto Rico to play and we were scheduled to go back again after I inherited the (R-N) program,” France said. “While we were there, I got a call from a coach who asked me to take a look at them. I knew Rutgers-Newark had players from Puerto Rico before, so I thought we had a chance.”
In fact, one of R-N’s best performers ever, Jose Estrada, hails from Ponce, Puerto Rico - the same town that Hernandez is from.
“Jose talked to Eduardo and Eduardo was pretty much ecstatic to know that there was a school interested in him,” France said.
“It was my dream to come to the United States and play Division I volleyball,” Hernandez said. “When they said they were interested to give me the opportunity, I didn’t have to give it a second thought. I didn’t hesitate. I was coming to Rutgers.”
However, there were some tough times in the early going for the affable Hernandez.
“It was very difficult for me at first, because it was the first time I was away from home,” Hernandez said. “I’ve always been close to my family and having no one here made it very difficult.”
“When you’re a young guy and away from home for the first time, you’re bound to be homesick a little,” France said. “That’s what happened to Eduardo. He just had to get past that.”
Hernandez’s desire to want to return to Puerto Rico hampered his production as a volleyball player for the Scarlet Raiders. Although he didn’t play much last year as a freshman, he did show signs of being a fine player.
“We saw flashes of brilliance,” France said. “We knew we didn’t need him to come in and start right away. But we knew that he could jump as high as anyone we had and he could hit the ball with velocity. We didn’t have to worry about his skill set, because coming from his part of Puerto Rico is like coming from the Dominican Republic with baseball. There’s a natural skill set. We didn’t have to worry about him. We knew he would come along.”
Now, as a sophomore, Hernandez has fit in nicely with the Scarlet Raiders’ rotation. He has collected 160 kills and has scored 193.5 points (an average of 3.52 per set), both totals placing him fourth among the Scarlet Raiders.
“It’s been a win-win situation for us,” France said. “We held him back a little in the beginning of the season, but since he was inserted into the lineup, he’s played very well. He’s a solid team player who is only going to get better. As he gets stronger, he’ll get better. He’s only 19, so he’s a little younger than most of them. But we’ve had some matches where he’s been our best player.”
France isn’t concerned about Hernandez’s lack of height.
“He’s always been one of the shortest guys up front, but it’s never been a problem,” France said. “He’s definitely the perfect position player for us, playing alongside Marcin (Midura, the Scarlet Raiders’ leading scorer). Eduardo can handle himself well against the player who is 6-6 or the player who is 5-7. It doesn’t matter.”
“I think I’m letting everyone know that you don’t have to be 6-8 to be a good volleyball player,” Hernandez said. “If you work hard, you can make it, despite the height. I was told I couldn’t be an outside hitter at my height. I want to prove people wrong.”
Hernandez is certainly doing that, becoming a player of impact for the Scarlet Raiders.
“It feels good to contribute,” Hernandez said.
“I think it’s all part and parcel of what Eduardo has become,” France said. “He’ll be one of the team leaders if he continues to follow this path.”
Hernandez has been studying in American schools since first grade, so his English is impeccable without a trace of a heritage accent.
“It was really good that I was taught a lot of English in school,” Hernandez said. “I learned a lot.”
Hernandez has no idea what he would like to major in just yet at Rutgers-Newark.
“I think I’m leaning toward business, but I am not sure,” Hernandez said.
One thing is for sure. Hernandez is happy he stuck it out in Newark.
“I am glad I made the right decision,” Hernandez said. “It would have been wrong for me to leave. The guys on the team made it easier for me. They treated me well. It was tough for me, getting used to being away from home. It was so hard for me to be away from the people I loved, but I am glad I stuck it out.”
And so is everyone else involved with the Rutgers-Newark volleyball program.
