EDINBURG – Senior Tina Sekulic, of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley volleyball team had no idea what volleyball was when she first started playing but since then it has been something she has been addicted to.
 
Sekulic started playing when she was around 11 years old. Her dad was a former basketball player and wanted Sekulic to be in sports too so they decided volleyball was the right fit. While it was brand new to her, volleyball quickly became something that revolved around her life.
 
"Once it got in my veins, it has never gotten out of me," Sekulic said. "Since then, I have never stopped playing it. There were birthdays and other activities that were happening around me but my priority was always practice."
 
Sekulic explains how she loves the competitiveness that volleyball brings out of her. She says she feels like volleyball brings out a person's true selves when on court. On the other hand, volleyball can also help you meet new people whether it is teammates, coaches or competitors.
 
Another reason she loves volleyball is because she has been able to meet so many people from all over the world.
 
"In these four years that I have been here, just the fact that I have met so many people, internationally and world-wide, is an amazing thing," Sekulic said. "I believe I can go anywhere on this globe and I would know people. That is one thing that I appreciate the most in my college career."
 
Sekulic wants to go to Brazil to visit her teammates one day because they talk so wonderfully about it. She even wants to go to Turkey with Idil Türk of the UTRGV women's basketball, who she says she is very close with.
 
Just this year alone, there are six different countries represented on the roster. Of course, that doesn't take into account her team at the University of Texas at Brownsville and all the teams she has played on before starting college.
 
Her journey into college volleyball started when she was visited by UTRGV head coach Todd Lowery in Serbia. From there, they kept in touch through social media and one of Lowery's players at UTB, Vanja Joksic, kept reaching out to her to try and get her to the United States.
 
All of the courting worked. In her freshman season, she recorded the second highest total in both single-season and for a career in UTB history with 1,319 assists. She went on to earn Red River Athletic Conference Setter of the Year and All-RRAC First Team honors.
 
When she found out about the start of UTRGV, she and teammate and fellow senior Bojana Mitrovic had one plan and that was to follow coach Lowery wherever he went.
 
"To be honest, me and Bojana had a deal that we would go wherever coach decided to go," Sekulic said. "For us, it wasn't really a surprise. We would follow him wherever he went. I am glad I ended up here."
 
Over the last four years, coach Lowery has played a big role in Sekulic's life, not only as a coach but also a father figure. He has played a big part in her growth since coming to the U.S. back in 2014.
 
Sekulic found it tough to leave her family back in Serbia though, but coach Lowery and his wife have made her feel like she is part of their family. She has so much gratitude towards them because she knows that they didn't have to do that for her.
 
"It was really tough to get away from my family since I am super close to them," Sekulic said. "He is the one that has played the role of my parent here and his wife as well. Without him, I don't think any of this would be possible. Off the court, we have conversations that have really helped me grow up and develop myself."
 
She knows that her family had to sacrifice for her to be at this point in her life and the love she has for them shows when she talks about them. Sekulic wants to pass along the message of thanks to them for all they have done for her.
 
What has helped Sekulic over the last four years was having special people around her. She has enjoyed her time in college and has been able to meet all different types of people, made special relationships with her coaches, and has been able to make memories on road trips.
 
While she can't pick just one trip specifically, she says that each one has been uniquely special for her because the people she is with help her create different moments in her life that she will cherish forever.
 
Speaking of people, Sekulic has been happy to see that more and more people are filling the stands at home matches since she has been here. She is happy to be a part of the change in the last three years.
 
"I am super happy that the gym is getting so much more people to watch our games," Sekulic said. "When we first started it was empty. I am glad we kind of changed the history in the gym and I am super thankful for our band as well for coming and supporting us every game. It really means a lot to us."
 
As a sophomore, Sekulic played in 17 matches while averaging 8.50 assists per game. Last season, she played in 33 matches while posting nine double-doubles and leading the team in assists 24 times.
 
She reached double-figures 28 times, including one match of 55 assists, five matches with over 40 assists, 11 matches with over 30 and 19 matches of over 20. Sekulic currently ranks eighth in Division I program history with an average of 7.50 assists per game.
 
She was a big part in helping UTRGV to its first ever WAC Volleyball Tournament Championship and the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. It is hard to describe the feelings she has when thinking about that historic team.
 
"It was just crazy," Sekulic said. "I can't really describe that feeling with words. I am super happy. The other day we had our banner revealed and words can't describe what I was feeling. It was amazing."

Sekulic is majoring in international business and she is not quite sure what is going to happen after graduation. She knows there are somethings that are out of her control but she wants to try and get her MBA.
 
She is thankful for her time here at UTRGV and hopes that her teammates and others who are thinking about joining the program can see what a great opportunity it is to come here. She says that UTRGV, in all aspects, is getting better each year.
 
"I just think that this is a great opportunity and people may not have the right thoughts about this school," Sekulic said. "I think we are getting great knowledge from here because first of all we are students and then athletes so one of the most important parts is having our degree. The sports programs are really developing. All the people that are working for this program are really trying hard to make us look good. There are so many more people behind the scenes that are working."
 
Sekulic says she keeps getting questions from people overseas about her decision to come here and if she would recommend it. She didn't know how it was going to turn out and yeah, she had her questions, but at the end of it all she knows she made the right decision.
 
"Right now, I am getting more girls texting me and asking me for advice and opinions," Sekulic said. "I was skeptical about this decision and I wasn't sure how this was going to end up but I think this was the right decision for my life and I would definitely recommend it for other generations."
 
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