Scott Lawrence
Staff Writer
Her parents were Waves. Her sister was a Wave. Her grandfather was the first athletic director for the Waves.
For senior volleyball player Julie Rubenstein, selecting a college was pretty easy. From day one, it was clear she would one day proudly don Blue and Orange. What wasn’t quite so clear was that Rubenstein would soon emerge as the next great Pepperdine volleyball superstar.
A three-time All-West Coast Conference (WCC) honoree and two-time All-WCC academic selection, Rubenstein has proven to be a success on and off the hardwood.
1. How did you get your start in volleyball?
“My sister started playing when she was 13 years old, so I grew up watching her. She played club tournaments, and I used to play around with the volleyball in the background. I fell in love with it.”
2. What do you love most about playing?
“I love the opportunity of getting to play with some of my closest friends. I think it’s so fun to be able to work hard and to have everyone work hard together. When we accomplish what we want to accomplish, it’s great to be with them all the way through. Our coaches have really been emphasizing teamwork and doing everything together, which I think is how it should be. We’re all like a big family.”
3. How did you decide that Pepperdine was the school for you?
“My parents went here, and my grandfather was also the first athletic director, so there’s a lot of family history here for me at Pepperdine. I grew up coming to games here as a kid, and it was close to Camarillo, my hometown.
I knew I always wanted to come to Pepperdine. So, when I was recruited to play volleyball here, I was so excited.”
4. What has been your most memorable accomplishment?
“Freshman year, we beat USC in three sets to move on to the Sweet Sixteen. That was so much fun.”
5. How do you feel you have grown as a player throughout your career?
“I think I’ve grown as a leader. Obviously, being a senior, it’s expected out of me now, but it was harder for me as a freshman and sophomore. In the past, I was leading with kills and digs and all that, but I wanted to be more of someone that teammates can look up to anytime. Coming out of my shell a little bit and being a more vocal leader for my teammates is what I feel I’ve been able to do this season.”
6. How were you selected to the NCAA Student Athletic Advisory Committee (NCAA-SAAC)?
“It started with just the Pepperdine Student Athletic Advisory Committee and Roxanne Levenson, the head of the committee. She wanted me to be in it and nominated me to be the representative for the West Coast Conference for the national SAAC.
I was just learning what Pepperdine SAAC meant on a campus. I wrote an essay, and I ended up getting the spot on the board, so I was like, ‘Oh man, now I have to go research and look up what SAAC does.’
Basically, they promote student athletes on campuses for all sports getting involved in community
service. We talk about different issues that student athletes are having. There’s also the whole legislative process, too, that lets us vote on different proposals during the year.
I’ve been able to see what big voices students can have with the head-honchos of the NCAA. This was kind of thrown in my lap and not something I would have ever probably put myself out there to get, but I’m so grateful for the opportunity.”
7. Who has been your most influential coach or mentor throughout your Pepperdine career?
“I’m going to go with assistant coach Marcio Sicoli. He’s brought a fresh vibe to our team. We had him this past spring also, but he’s brought a lot of new drills and just a new attitude that has really been inspirational.”
8. What are your future plans and goals for volleyball and life?
“I’ve thought about being an elementary school teacher, but I would love to pursue volleyball for as long as my body allows me to. After I graduate, hopefully I can play in Europe. That’s the goal. Maybe even dabble in beach volleyball, like AVP, which might be fun.
I want to play volleyball until I burn out, because I just love it and want to play as long as I can. Then I’ll think about what I really want to do. I figured Liberal Arts was a safe route because I can do lots with it in the future.”
09-25-2008
