For the first time since 2023, a Blue Streak has received an award from a weekly athletic conference. Kendra Dziubinski ’26 of the JCU volleyball team was given the honor of Athlete of the Week from the North Coast Athletic Conference on Sept. 30. Dziubinski has been playing volleyball for seven years and is currently in her fourth year as a Blue Streak.
Despite her talent, this middle hitter was completely caught off-guard by this achievement. “It’s a huge honor, honestly,” Dziubinski shared, “I was not expecting it at all.” She was a team leader in the Blue Streaks’ 3-1 win against Mount Union on the 24th. She insists the whole team played very well, but “I was fortunate enough that my stats were really good.”
She emphasizes the importance of the volleyball team’s dynamics, as her teammates have helped her to get “a lot more comfortable… but also confident.” Dziubinski has noticed the sense of community since her first year at JCU, where “the older girls were really welcoming and they really embraced me and the other underclassmen with open arms.”
In addition, the coaching staff has been crucial in her personal athletic journey. She names coaches Michele Benoit, Joe Dreyer and Brooke Turner as people who have “helped me push my limits [and] really helped me grow.” Whether on or off the court, Dziubinski says “it’s nice to know that they’re always there for you.”
Despite being originally from St. Charles, IL, Dziubinski wants “to stay here in Cleveland” as an intelligence analyst after graduating. As a political science major, she looks forward to a career that is focused on researching and finding data.
In her spare time, she likes to read, spend time with her friends and “go out and see new places, whether it’s shopping or hiking.” Though she admits it’s difficult to find time to read during the season, she hopes to read “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden soon.
The most important piece of advice Dziubinski believes she can pass on is “if you make a mistake, you gotta get back up.” Despite acknowledging it as cliché, she emphasizes that volleyball is “such a mental game” that brushing off personal mistakes can help a person “focus on the next point” and thrive in the sport.
Dziubinski is excited for the remainder of the volleyball season and the NCAC Tournament in November. With a great team and coaching staff, her hopes are high for the Blue Streaks.
