University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Valeria's Journey to the 412
7/2/2024 12:50:00 PM | Volleyball
The road to Pittsburgh wasn't the most conventional journey for All-American outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez. The Puerto Rico native grew up in the small town of Manatí, just 40 minutes outside of San Juan. Like many kids, she played multiple sports growing up. Valeria was influenced from her father to start playing basketball and also tried her hand in swimming. "I swam for maybe a few months and hated it," Vazquez Gomez laughs. Her older sister Zahira played volleyball, so as most younger siblings do, Valeria followed in her sister's footsteps and started playing at the age of 5. The two played on the same team growing up.
Volleyball is growing quickly in Puerto Rico, like everywhere else, but volleyball players there are much different in both technique and build compared to volleyball players in the United States. "We're not the tallest, so people from Puerto Rico are very scrappy and known for their defense," said Vazquez Gomez.
It did not take long for Valeria to fall in love with the sport, but she did overcome a hurdle as she started in an undesirable position. "When I was little, I started as a middle blocker and hated it. I feel like when I transitioned to outside hitter I started to like the sport more. I liked to hit the ball and loved how fast paced it is. Playing with my sister also made it more special."
Valeria's young career quickly blossomed, and she eventually caught the eye of a recruiting coordinator in Puerto Rico during her junior club season. The recruiter had connections with U.S. coaches that could give her the opportunity she was looking for. The recruiting coordinator knew that Pitt was looking for an outside hitter in her class and immediately thought Valeria would be a good fit. After he showed the Pitt coaching staff her film they were interested and planned to see Valeria play in person. Long-time assistant coach and current Oregon State head coach Lindsey Behonick came to Puerto Rico to watch her play at a tournament, and associate head Coach Kellen Petrone followed Behonick's lead. "Kellen saw me, and I played really badly. The game was on a Sunday, and on the following Monday they asked if we could chat. I was super anxious because, of course, the one time they saw me I played so badly. It turns out I was wrong, and they offered me a scholarship! I cried and made the decision on the spot to come to Pitt."
We buy into what our culture is every day. We care about each other, our team and how much we prioritize winning in season and in the off season. We push each other because we care."Valeria on the culture built by Coach Fisher
Valeria was confident in her decision after her conversations with head coach Dan Fisher and the quick rise of the program. She also knew she wanted to go into Physical Therapy and was impressed with Pitt's highly respected PT program. "I did not visit before I committed, so I was mainly looking at pictures. I liked that the campus was in a city, and I wanted to go somewhere where I could gain independence and grow. I also wanted somewhere that had a change in seasons since Puerto Rico is hot all year long."
Although Pittsburgh was a culture shock to Valeria, she was welcomed with open arms by the Pitt volleyball team. Pitt greats like Kayla Lund, Chinaza Ndee, Sabrina Starks and Layne Van Buskirk went out of their way to make sure she felt at home. A huge reason she felt this way is because of the strong culture Fisher has built at Pitt and how much the team and staff values relationships.
"Fish does a good job of getting good people, not just good volleyball players. We buy into what our culture is every day. We care about each other, our team and how much we prioritize winning in season and in the off season. We push each other because we care."
Valeria's collegiate career didn't begin the way she anticipated, though, as Coach Fisher and his staff concluded that she would redshirt her freshman season. “Kayla [Lund Thomas] and Stephanie [Williams] were doing very well, so they just wanted to save me for another year,” said Vazquez Gomez. "Coach Fisher told me, and I was fine with it. It let me adjust to the system and figure out school too. In season you're traveling a lot, and it definitely helped me."
After getting a few seasons under her belt, Valeria became an All-Conference and All-American performer for her efforts and well-rounded play. "I didn't even know what an All-American was until later in my career," she laughs. Five years, three Final Four appearances and three ACC Championships later, Valeria reflects on her career saying, "I didn't think we would make it to three straight Final Fours. I knew we had a good team, but so did everyone else. Every year gets more and more special."
The All-American announced in the fall of 2023 that she was set to return for one final season in the blue and gold. "When I decided to come back, I didn't know we were going to lose in the Final Four. I expected us to go further, but I know how special of a team we have. I don't think I could see myself playing professionally or finishing my career anywhere else. College volleyball is a one-time thing. Not everyone has the opportunity that I have, so professional volleyball is always going to be there. It made sense for my master's degree as well."
Valeria is pursuing her master's degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology and will complete her externship this fall. She chose to work in pulmonary rehab at Falk Pulmonary. "I'll be working with patients who have respiratory diseases and incorporating exercise training and health education. Helping them do daily activities without them becoming fatigued quickly is crucial. I'll do exercise testing as well and write exercise prescriptions based on the patient's individual needs."
While Valeria is excited for all the academic opportunities Pitt has offered, she is just as excited for what is in store in her final year on the court. "I'm excited for another year and the opportunity to play the new ACC opponents, but ultimately, I want to win a National Championship."
