Colorado University Athletics
Getting To Know: Anna Pfefferle, Volleyball
June 29, 2015 | Volleyball
This week we are 'Getting to Know' sophomore Anna Pfefferle, a middle blocker from Northfield, Minn.
Question: What have you and the team done this off-season to reflect and build off of last season's efforts?
A: I think the biggest thing is that every day, we come into the gym with the mentality that we're training next to our competitors; so we have the mindset that we're training next to Stanford or USC or teams that we are competing against in the Pac-12 that are really good schools or schools that we need to beat. We just need to come out every day to practice with the mindset that we're working harder than them. I think that's been a huge thing that helped us improve this off-season; just remembering the people that we're playing against and that they're working hard every day, so we need to work harder than that.
Q: What can the team do to replace the efforts of the seniors that you lost?
A: I think, honestly, I'll give a ton of credit to our seniors last season because they were awesome, but each year you have a new set of players and we don't get to control which players come in. So, instead of dwelling on who we need to replace, we just have to get a new outlook on our team and change our game so that we can play to the best potential with the players we have now. I don't think it's better or worse. It's just different and as soon as we have to accept that, which I think we have, then we can start our own style of play with our new team and new members. So, other people have to step up in different places and we just have to recognize that it's not the same.
Q: How did spring drills and practices go? What was the best part?
A: I think that spring practices went really well. For me, the best part was seeing how we've improved. Every person has improved in different areas, because spring is the time you get to work on those things that we didn't have time to correct during the season or haven't had a lot of individual work on developing. I think for us, especially this spring, we've gotten a really good team vibe going. We've just been able to gel really well with each other and work on playing as a team really well. I think that's been one of the things that have improved by far since the season. But for me, I really like being able to see results from the beginning of this spring season and seeing how little things that we've worked on every single day, how much better they are at this point.
Q: What are you looking forward to this upcoming season?
A: I'm really looking forward to getting a chance to come back a little bit stronger, a little bit smarter and a little bit older, as is everyone on our team, and being able to come out and show everyone what we're capable of, because I think we kind of did last year, but we still have so much farther to go. We need to build off that and place higher in the Pac-12, make it farther in the tournament, and make a national championship run. We have really high goals and I'm really excited to see how everything plays out and to get back out on the court.
Q: What team do you look forward to playing the most during the Pac-12 season? Why?
A: That's hard, because all of the teams in the Pac-12 are great competition. But, I'm really excited to play Stanford, because, especially for me, they have really good girls that are my same position. There's nothing greater than a challenge like that, so playing against a team as well-rounded and as talented as them is really a test to your ability. I'm really excited to play Stanford.
Q: Do you have a favorite non-conference opponent? Who and why?
A: I'm really excited to play Penn State, because they are a college volleyball powerhouse and it's always good to see how you stack up against a team that just won a national championship. I think that's a really good test. Other than that, I'd love to play the University of Minnesota, because that's where I'm from and we don't play in the Big 10, so we don't really have a chance to play them. But, that'd be a fun team to play for me to play against my home state.
Q: What kind of role have you taken now that you have had another year of experience?
A: I think I've stepped into my role as a starter more, and I worked really hard on things that I haven't been as good at in the past. I think this past year I was more of a blocker than I was as an offensive threat, so I've been working really hard making sure I'm a threat offensively and defensively. I think that's the biggest thing I've been focusing on this spring.
Q: What do you like about being a middle blocker?
A: There really isn't a feeling better than getting a huge block at a key time. I really like being a middle blocker, because there's nothing you want to do more for your team than just to block a ball so no one has to play defense after that. I really like being the first line of defense and that first wall that the other team has to get over to get to our back row and make the back row's job easier.
Q: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make last season coming from high school?
A: That was a really tough transition for me right away. The pace of the game is just so much faster. As a middle blocker, it's really difficult, because you have to be prepared for the setter to set any ball on the court and set any hitter. Especially at the Pac-12 level, the setters are phenomenal. They're not easy to read and all of the hitters are just as fantastic and are really good at playing around the block. I think that first step of just getting adjusted to the fast pace of the game was really hard for me and being able to connect with both my blocking and making sure I'm up in the offense. I think once I adjusted to the pace of the game, everything got a little easier.
Quick Hits:
· Favorite Athlete: Kevin Garnett
· Favorite Food: Pineapple
· Favorite TV Show: The Office
· Favorite Movie: Remember the Titans
· Favorite Music: Rap
· Favorite Hobby Outside Of Volleyball: Playing basketball
· Favorite Vacation Spot: San Francisco, Calif.
· What are your career plans after volleyball? I'd like to play professionally or open my own restaurant
· Biggest Fear: Getting trapped under ice on a frozen lake
· Where do you like to eat in Boulder? Cosmo's Pizza
· If you could play another college sport, what would it be? Basketball
· If you could have dinner with 3 people, dead or alive, who would they be? Michael Jordon, President Barack Obama and Beyonce Knowles
· Best Volleyball Player Of All-Time: Kerri Walsh
· One word to describe yourself: Determined
· Who is your biggest influence? My Grandpa Al and my parents
· Favorite thing about CU Volleyball: My teammates, being a family
· Who's the best singer on the team? Joslyn Hayes
· Who's the best dancer on the team? Alexis Austin
