Bianca's Journey to the 412
Freshman middle blocker Bianca Garibaldi had never heard of the University of Pittsburgh seven months ago. The 18-year-old was finishing her senior year of high school, figuring out what her next steps were.
Bianca was born in Carlos Paz, Argentina, in the province of Córdoba. Living with her family and two brothers, she grew up as a middle child. She is proud of who she is, the people she comes from and the Argentinian culture. “It makes me who I am. I really like our culture. It’s so easy to communicate with different people. We also have a lot of Italian and Spanish influence.”
Her family and the people in the province of Córdoba also enjoy each other’s company and celebrate anything and everything they can. “We always find an excuse to get together with friends and family and celebrate something.” This is just one of the reasons Bianca believes the people there are so close.
As Bianca grew up, she competed in many individual sports: swimming, track and field and gymnastics. Both of her brothers played basketball, and her dad also enjoyed the sport. Bianca, however, wanted to create her own path and started playing volleyball at a local club when she was eight years old. Her family, and specifically her dad, were hesitant about her decision, as no one in their family had ever played the sport. “My dad had to learn the game, but he started becoming friends with my friends’ parents, and now he is an actual fan. He watches every match. He loves it.”
The volleyball culture in Argentina is much different than that of the United States. Volleyball in America is more popular, but as the sport has risen to unprecedented heights globally, so has the game in Argentina. Recently, the Argentinian National Team has started selling out stadiums and continuously maintaining people’s interest in the game. The hiring of a new coach and a more inspired and excited generation of athletes have helped change the culture. Volleyball has grown at an incredible rate in youth sports as well.
As Bianca grew and became established in the Argentina volleyball scene, she began training with the U-19 National Team and then progressed to the U-21 National Team, and eventually, the Senior National Team. “Kids started asking me for photos and interviews, and it’s crazy because when I was a kid, I did that. I want to be a good example for them the same way the athletes that I admired were when I was little.”
Bianca was passionate about the opportunity to play college volleyball in the United States. Because of this, she moved 10 hours away from Córdoba to Buenos Aires by herself to play at a higher-level club. She gave up all her senior celebrations, her friendships and so much more in order to chase her dreams. During that year a recruiting coordinator helped Bianca get in touch with the volleyball staff at Pitt. “When I first got into contact with Kellen and Dan, I didn’t picture how big this whole thing was. I was super nervous, and then coach Fisher started speaking Spanish, and then I began to relax.”
I’m excited to be in a jersey. I’m making a dream of mine come true. I’m trying to enjoy every single moment and make it count.
During the recruiting process Bianca had two video calls with the coaches in October of 2023 before reaching out to Valeria Vazquez Gomez about her experience playing volleyball in the United States as an international student-athlete. “After I had my call with Valeria, I hung up and immediately called coach Fisher telling him I was coming to Pittsburgh. I started crying, I was so excited.” The rise of the volleyball program, culture and coaching staff were all important factors in her decision to become a Panther.
In Argentina, seniors in high school graduate in November; therefore, Bianca was set to finish her classes then. However, since she was so involved with the Argentinian National Team, Bianca missed quite a bit of school due to travel. To graduate on time, she doubled her work load her senior year to get to Pitt in January. “I was so excited. I was like ‘I want to be there!’”
Bianca is enjoying being a volleyball player at Pitt and learning and growing outside of her comfort zone. “I’m being challenged every day, getting the opportunity of practicing every single day with the teammates I have. I can’t believe I’m here. I’m so happy.”
Bianca experienced culture shock making such a big move but was excited to get to the city. “I’ll never forget the first time we crossed the tunnel and saw the city. I was shocked. It was so beautiful, and I will never forget that feeling. I remember saying, ‘I’m actually here!’” She also has been pleasantly surprised with the food here in Pittsburgh. “The first dinner I had with my teammates I had fried pickles and pierogis. In Argentina we have empanadas. An empanada stuffed with mashed potatoes is so weird, but it is good. Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?”
The best part of her time in the Steel City so far has been her experience in the gym with the team. She has been able to learn skills that translate into her everyday life, like practicing gratitude and active listening. Bianca has learned so much, not only in her game but also about the culture of Pitt volleyball. “We want to be better for others. I feel taken care of. It’s not only about the athlete but the person behind the athlete. They are not only looking for how we do on the court but want us to have specific values, be good teammates, be disciplined, little details that other coaches wouldn’t pay attention to.”
With the 2024 season around the corner and an eager team and fan base, Bianca is anxious for the season to start. “I’m so excited. I’m liking it so much. The spring went by so quickly. We’re training really hard. I trust my teammates and know that we will be successful. I’m excited to be in a jersey. I’m making a dream of mine come true. I’m trying to enjoy every single moment and make it count."