280 [athletics] S ome students enjoyed sports for recreational purposes or for casual entertainment.They had played their sport of choice in high school and maybe even played on a club team. But commonly, by the time they reached the collegiate level, the passion they once had for athletics petered down to small involvement in intramural or social club sports. But this was not always the case. For Manuela Nesheva, a sophomore student from Bulgaria, volleyball was her life. Because her mother was a volleyball coach in her hometown and her dad was a physical education teacher, Nesheva was always playing sports and surrounded by an athletic environment. “As soon as I started walking I was in the gym all the time with my parents, my brother and my friends,” Nesheva said. Nesheva was asked to come play for Harding University two years ago when Coach Keith Giboney saw a video of her that was given to him from a coach at University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR). Nesheva said that her first plans were to play for UALR, but, because of her height, she was unable to play for a Division I university. However, this setback proved to be a positive one because Nesheva said she enjoyed her time on and off the court at Harding. “I am thankful that I have the chance to study and play volleyball here,” Neshva said. Giboney said he had also been very pleased with Nesheva’s contributions to the team. “She is the first international student the team has ever had,” Giboney said. “She plays the outside hitter [position], and she is one of the best.” Moreover, Nesheva was nominated player of the week five times during the 2007 season, and she was named 1st team AllConference at the end of the season. Because of her excellent seasons her freshman and sophomore years, Giboney had big expectations for her junior and senior years. “She really impressed me because she is such as a hardworker,” Giboney said. “That’s in school as well as in volleyball. She is making the best of the opportunity she has been given.” Manuela had proven to be a devoted student as well as a passionate volleyball player. Between her rigorous athletic and academic responsibilities, she rarely had any time left for other activities, especially during the volleyball season. Although it was time consuming, she said she could not imagine her life without the sport and that playing for Harding’s volleyball team helped her a lot. Nesheva majored in criminal justice while at Harding. She said that she missed Bulgaria and that the most difficult part of coming from Bulgaria to Harding was the language barrier she encountered. “Adapting in the beginning was hard,” Nesheva said. “But I’m getting into it better now.” Her love for and dedication to volleyball brought Nesheva very far away from where her passion for the game began, but she said she could only imagine where else it would lead her in the future. [Cesia Martinez and Jennifer Harris] Volleyball player spans continents with skills on and off court Sophomore outside hitter Manuela Nesheva serves the ball during the Lady Bisons’ Sept. 8 match against Eastern New Meixico University. The Lady Bisons defeated the Zias 3-0. [Craig Rainbolt] INTERNATIONAL
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