Lupu leaves with positive outlook

photo by Christian Velazco

University of La Verne senior Stacey Lupu, middle blocker for the women's volleyball team, has been playing volleyball since her first year of high school. Lupu was awarded All-West Region and First Team All-SCIAC honors this last season. A liberal studies major, she plans to teach second or third grade after graduating from college.

by Tim Tevault
Editorial Director

How does it feel to travel around the country, trampling those with whom you come in contact? Just ask Stacey Lupu.

The University of La Verne senior was part of last year's national title-clinching women's volleyball team and is wrapping up her volleyball career as First Team All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and First Team All-West Region.

Although her team did not cap off the year with the strong performance it exhibited in 2001 - the Leopards were defeated in the second round of regionals last month - Lupu believes the team was still strong and united.

"We didn't step up as a team. (However) I believe we were the better team out there," she said. "Sometimes you lose some. It's unfortunate that it had to be in the second round of regionals."

Lupu admitted to some personal weaknesses that also could have helped her team.

"I think I got down a little bit on myself," she said. "And when I get down on myself, I kind of take myself out of the game a little bit and I'm not as confident in playing.

"Overall, if I could have had a few more blocks or a few more kills, maybe it would have changed the game around."

Despite this, Lupu is still proud to have made it as far as she did this season. Her road to success has been paved with both recognition and injury.

Lupu played volleyball all four years at Charter Oak High School in San Dimas as a middle blocker-the same position she played throughout college. During her sophomore and junior years at Charter Oak, she was named to the first team all-league, but a shoulder injury and surgery plagued her senior year.

The resulting eight-month recovery period put a damper on Lupu's abilities until her career at ULV.

"My freshman year here, I didn't come back as strong," she said. "By my sophomore year, I was 100 percent."

During her run at ULV, Lupu racked up a slew of honors, including Second Team All-SCIAC her sophomore year, and First Team All-Region and second team All-American her junior year, in addition to winning the national title with the rest of her teammates last year.

"She brought competence, her skills and overall leadership to the court," said senior Meredith Zembal, who also just completed her run on the team. "She made our incoming freshman middle (Mandy Sedia) practice hard and get better."

This season, Lupu recruited her younger sister, Sarah, onto the team. Lupu says that Sarah has always been into volleyball, and is now able to show off her skills at the college level.

"She went to a JC last year, and I asked her to come over here and play with me in my final year," she said. "She's doing really well; every year I see more and more improvement."

Zembal agreed, saying that Sarah is a positive link to next year's team.

"Stacey and Sarah balance each other out," she said. "Sarah is very strong and vocally pushes all of us to be better. [She] is a good mental player for the team."

Lupu said that next year's team has the chance to be as big as it was last season.

"They have an extraordinary amount of talent on their team coming back," she said, pointing out that, in addition to herself and Zembal, the team will also be losing senior Kelsey Kennedy this year.

Now that the volleyball season has ended, Lupu is focusing her time on her academics and graduating on time. The liberal studies major holds a 3.4 GPA, still has some general education classes left to take and will finally be ready to take on the world of teaching second or third grade.

"I'm not sure if I'm going to do the intern credential or stick with school first," Lupu said. "It depends on if there's a job opening or not."

For now, Lupu plans to start her credential in the fall. She is currently working through work study at ULV.

Overall, Lupu believes her time spent at ULV has been beneficial. She said that even if volleyball were out of the picture, she would still have attended ULV.

"I talked to my friends that graduated two years before me, and they're still trying to find classes," she said. "(ULV) couldn't have been a better choice."