June 5, 2002

USC middle blocker Sam Alban took some time to chat with uscsports.com and discuss her thoughts on being a student-athlete at USC and living in the South.

uscsports.com: How do you spend your time off in the summer?

SA: Rollerblading, hiking, biking, and getting some quality time in.

uscsports.com: What has been your favorite class at USC? Why?

SA: My favorite classes have been my mid-early adult class and my aging class. They are both psychology classes that I love and my teacher, Dr. Kirasic, is absolutely amazing.

uscsports.com: What are your goals after college?

SA: Right now, I am not absolutely sure. I think I would enjoy either being a doctor, or being a child psychologist in a hospital surrounding, like a cancer ward.

uscsports.com: What has been your most memorable volleyball moment at South Carolina?

SA: Probably when Trina and I collided in practice and I flattened her. I think that was my freshman year. 🙂

uscsports.com: What is something that you like in South Carolina that you don’t get in Michigan?

SA: HOT WEATHER and the diversity.

uscsports.com: Do you have a favorite “Southern” food?

SA: I am not a really big red meat person, which seems to be a staple in the South, but I guess I would have to say the potatoes and corn from Frogmore stew.

uscsports.com: Do you like or dislike “sweet tea”?

SA: I CAN NOT DRINK IT!!! YUCK!!!!

uscsports.com: Coming from Michigan, do you miss the snow?

SA: I miss things like the FIRST good snow, fires and hot chocolate, and sledding and skiing for the first time, but bedsides that, not really. I am not a cold weather person.

uscsports.com: You are now entering your senior year. What are your expectations for the team this upcoming season?

SA: To win.

uscsports.com: Looking back, what was hardest about making the transition from high school to college?

SA: Truthfully it is all kind of a blur. Something that I still struggle with everyday is being away from my family though.

uscsports.com: List three words that describe Sam Alban.

SA: Energetic, hard-working, honest (straight from the mouth of Christie Galeota…THE strength coach:))

uscsports.com: What advice would you give to a possible future Gamecock volleyball player?

SA: STAY IN SHAPE and have fun with everything you do, because if it isn’t fun, it isn’t worth doing.