My Volleyball Story: Catie Semadeni

Each Wednesday throughout the summer, Montana volleyball student-athletes will tell their volleyball stories. Read, in their own words, what the sport means to them and where their passion and drive comes from.

My Volleyball Story: Catie Semadeni

I come from a competitive and sporty family, and when I say competitive… I mean competitive. I have two older brothers, and the only time we ever fought was over games, sports or the rules of these games or sports. To be honest, we're a basketball family – March Madness is considered a sacred holiday in my house. My dad played in college, and so did both of my brothers. So, naturally, I played basketball. I'm tall, so that helped a lot. Unfortunately, pretty much the only thing I could do was swat people, but other than that my skills were subpar, if that. Now, my brothers were, and still are, my idols. I look up to them in every way and wanted so desperately to make them proud. You can image the embarrassment I felt when my two older brothers came to watch their gangly and awkward sister attempt to shoot a basketball with lacking coordination and athleticism.

As I grew up, I played both volleyball and basketball. Eventually, there came a time where I had to decide between the two, because the commitments conflicted too much. On one hand, there's a sport that I sucked at 80 percent of the time and would always be in the shadow of my talented brothers. Or, I could take on something new for our family and make my own path. Volleyball it was!

I remember going to Colorado State University to watch volleyball. My neck would snap back and forth in fascination during the games and I dreamed of playing on a court like that someday. I would sit in those stadium seats and watch the players with awe and hoarding way too many signed posters over the years. I also remember playing in an elementary school volleyball league and I was the last person on my team to learn how to serve the ball over the net. After most practices I came home and cried out of pure frustration, but luckily, I stuck with it and finally got the ball over the net! I chose to be No. 16 in middle school, because of my brother's basketball numbers. Their numbers were No. 12 and No. 14, so naturally, I thought No.16 was super cool. I love the number and I'm proud to wear No. 16 for my brothers.
Catie Semadeni

I loved volleyball. I loved that it felt like my own. I had no idea what I was doing for the first couple of years, but I just adored the sport. I started working with an incredibly talented former CSU player, Angela Knopf, for private lessons. One day, she pulled me and my mom into the hallway and said, 'Catie, you're special. You have so much potential in this sport.' That was the first time I had ever thought about taking volleyball seriously. It was a turning point for me, and that was the moment that ignited my passion for the sport. In that dimly lit hallway, I realized my dream of wanting to play volleyball in college.

One of my most memorable volleyball moments was my sophomore year of high school at the Colorado 5A state tournament. We were a young team, and I don't think anyone really though we were capable of winning a state title; our school was new and the previous year we didn't even make it to state. But, we made it to the championship. I was terrified. We lost the first two sets and ended up coming back and winning the state championship. After we won, I was so overwhelmed with emotion. I couldn't fully comprehend the fact that I was now a state champion. It was surreal. I remember the cameras, the fans screaming, our team hugging and my entire body trembling over a mixture of emotions. And if you know me, you know I'm an emotional wreck, so of course, I was sobbing. I remember the immense sense of pride I felt and the competitive energy burning inside of me. That moment. That is why I play volleyball. That is why I quit basketball and strayed from my family tradition. That is why I wanted so badly to play in college and chase my dream. That day I became a state champion, but I also remember it as the first day that I felt close to achieving my dream.

Catie Semadeni vs. Northern Colorado - 11/1/19 [Photo by Derek Johnson]

Catie Semadeni vs. Northern Colorado - 11/1/19 [Photo by Derek Johnson]

The first time I stepped onto the court at Montana, I was taken over by nerves, by doubt, by fear. But I remember looking around at that huge arena before the game and thinking of how far I had come. It took me back to being the little girl with the big dream. And I'd made it! Playing for Montana has allowed for me to appreciate volleyball in a new light. There is no better feeling in the world than stepping into the arena on game day. There is no bigger sense of pride than wearing No. 16 for the Montana Griz volleyball team.

My journey with volleyball hasn't been easy. It's been a series of tears, frustration, doubt and failure. I have stumbled and struggled and hated this sport. I've been disappointed and embarrassed. But through all of that, I still find ways to fall in love with volleyball over and over again. Being a kid who has always liked school, I fall in love with new plays, learning strategies and increasing my "volleyball IQ." I fall in love with allowing volleyball to humble the perfectionist in me and learning to accept failures as a part of growth. I fall in love with kids who are just as oblivious as I was but want to try volleyball. I fall in love with coaching these kids and trying to inspire the next generation of volleyball studs.

My definition of volleyball has greatly changed throughout the years I have played. When I was just starting, volleyball was just a sport. In middle school, it became a way to make friends. In high school, it was a competitive outlet and launchpad for my future goals. Now being a Griz, it's so much more than that. It's joy. It's pride. It's growth. It's love. It's grit. It's gratitude. It's family. And most importantly, it's a part of me. Volleyball does not define me, nor will it ever. But it's a piece of me and something that will always hold a special place in my heart. Younger me will always be proud of No.16 and how far she's come.

I am forever proud to play the sport I love for the University of Montana.

July 29 – My Volleyball Story: Lawrence
July 22 – My Volleyball Story: Harper
July 15 – My Volleyball Story: Wallingford
July 8 – My Volleyball Story: Horning
July 1 – My Volleyball Story: Hallisey
June 24 – My Volleyball Story: Moreno
June 17 – My Volleyball Story: Garrido
June 10 – My Volleyball Story: Vander Ploeg
June 3 – My Volleyball Story: Godwin
May 27 – My Volleyball Story: Gleasman
May 20 – My Volleyball Story: Nestegard
May 13 – My Volleyball Story: Semadeni

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Catie Semadeni

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