You’ve probably heard the term student-athlete bantered around. A Miramar College trio more than puts “student” into that term. Between women’s beach volleyball players Mia Fox, Zaria Henderson, and Natalie Repetti, the trio are enrolled in a total of 87 units this spring, at three different colleges, all for the love of volleyball.
Natalie Repetti is currently a graduating senior at UC San Diego where she starred on the Triton’s division one indoor volleyball team through this past fall season. After playing in 85 matches over 3 seasons for the Tritons, she decided to play beach volleyball at Miramar College this spring. “I was in the transfer portal for division 1 volleyball and will play next season at Alabama," said Repetti. “I wanted to keep in shape, so here I am competing in the spring in beach volleyball.”
Repetti is one of only a few athletes nationwide to play two sports for two different institutions in the same academic year. But she’s not the first. Nor is she the only one in her own program. Her fellow UC San Diego teammate Zaria Henderson is also doing the same. Henderson played for the Tritons this past fall and now plays for the Jets beach volleyball team in the spring. Henderson is currently in the transfer portal hoping to find a new 4-year university to play beach volleyball for.
Since UC San Diego doesn’t field a beach program both athletes are eligible to play for a second school in the same year. However, you just can’t play two sports at two different schools in the same year without enrolling as a fulltime student at both institutions. And that’s where this story gets good.
Let’s also introduce you to Mia Fox. Fox is in her second year playing for the Jets volleyball program while taking a full class load at San Diego State in pursuit of her bachelor’s in Psychology.
To remain eligible to play at Miramar College and to graduate at their 4-year institutions, the trio must be fulltime students at both institutions. That means being enrolled in at least 12 units per school. In the case of Repetti, she is currently taking 32 total units. Yes, you read that correctly! Some students don’t complete that many units over a full year, let alone a student athlete. “I have 5 courses for 20 units currently at UCSD,” said Repetti. “I have an upper division cognitive sciences course in Neurosciences, I have two education courses, I have a cognitive science elective course, and I have a theater class. At Miramar College, I am taking an economics class, a philosophy class, a fashion class and a volleyball class." How does one do it? “It’s a little stressful, but it’s nothing too crazy, said Repetti. “The UCSD classes are harder, but because I am a senior there I have learned great time management.” Keep in mind, UC San Diego is on a nine-week quarter system. It can get daunting at times to make it all work. A typical day finds Repetti waking up at the crack of dawn and heading to Miramar College for morning practice. She then does a weight training program required by her soon to be new school, Alabama. After lunch, it’s off to La Jolla for on campus classes at UCSD. If that’s not enough, she coaches volleyball two nights a week at WAVE Volleyball club. Repetti then retires to her home to take her Miramar College classes online. Repetti and her pairs teammate Jaalyn Sotoa-Stuebing have qualified for the California Community College Athletic Association’s SoCal Regional playoffs. On April 26, the duo won the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference’s women’s pairs championship.
Zaria Henderson is currently enrolled in 28 units between UC San Diego and Miramar College. This past fall, she wrapped up her third season playing for the Tritons. “I am new to beach volleyball,” said Henderson. “Playing here helps me get in the work I need to get better.”
When asked about how she manages the grind of 28 units and playing, she quipped, “You get used to it.” Henderson does admit that she often looks at Repetti during practice and asks, “How did we end up here?”
Mia Fox has taken a slightly different route. While she doesn’t compete in volleyball at San Diego State, she is enrolled in 27 units this spring between SDSU (15) and Miramar College (12). She says that in order to ease the burden, “I take a full load of 8-week courses at Miramar College that begin in January and end in late March. It’s tough at first, and asynchronized learning isn’t for everyone, but I find a way to get it done.” As a result, her schedule gets a tad bit easier come April, but not by much. “It ends up being worth it. I do get burned out at times, but I try to ignore how tired I get.” Fox plans to graduate next fall from SDSU. If you are wondering, she also works as a volleyball coach at nearby Westview High School.
This trio of Miramar College student-athletes all qualified for the CCCAA SoCal Regionals Championships which will be held May 3-4 at El Camino College in Torrance, CA.
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