Off the court with Lauren Mathewson

Q: For those who don't know, explain your role as the team's libero.


A: First of all, you can go in and out [of the game] multiple times. Normally you go in for middle, and you get to serve, once. Specifically, my role on this team is just to be a leader and a motivator through being on the libero. It gives me the opportunity to be on the court longer.


Q: What made you want to come to K-State?

A: I loved the coaches. Suzie — as soon as I met her — I could tell she really cared about her players and just genuinely wanted us to be better people, on and off the court. I met the girls, and they were great. It seemed like the coaches were recruiting girls from great places and going great places, so mainly the girls and the coaches are what brought me here.


Q: What is your most memorable highlight at K-State?

A: Probably Baylor last year. We were down 0-2, and we came back and won it, and we were down like 14-9 or 10 in the fifth game and we came back and won it. So it was pretty crazy.


Q: What are some of your goals as an individual and as a team?

A: As for me, I'm just always trying to get better, and then ultimately, I want to be one of the top liberos in the nation. I'm always there every practice, trying to improve my passing and improve my digging, or motivating the other girls and making them better. So I think as a team, we're all young and new, and so we're trying to be there for each other. So our goal is to get better each day and take each team one at a time.

Q: Was it intimidating playing immediately as a freshman?

A: I think it would have been, but I played with Lauren Rosenthal and Angie Lastra who are the two most awesome people I've ever met. So I think they made it a lot less difficult and a lot less scary for me. They made it comfortable for me back there.


Q: Which teammate are you most likely to hang out with when you're not on the court?

A: JuliAnne Chisholm. I mean, we all hang out together, and we all love each other, but Jules is my roommate. We know when we have to be alone and when we need our space, so she knows me pretty well. It's good.


Q: Do you have any hobbies when you're not on the court?

A: When I'm not playing, which isn't very often, I like to read. I'm a nerd. I also like to play golf.


Q: What are your plans for after college?

A: I dream of being a wedding planner, but it's not likely. So we'll just see how it goes.


Q: Is there a rivalry between you and your sister who attended KU?

A: She always jokes that she'll never wear purple, but my senior year I'm going to rip it on her if I have to. She loves me, and she's there for me, but she always has to put in her little joke of the day.