This week on Patriot Profiles, George Mason Women's Volleyball will profile the team's newcomers. Today, Emily Haak talks about why she chose George Mason, her experiences on campus so far and her goals for the upcoming season.

Aside from athletics, I chose George Mason because of its location and strong academics. My family is from the Washington D.C. area, and growing up only an hour away, I have always loved the city's culture and diversity. Being at Mason allows me to be close to the city and have freedom, but still be close enough to home that I can still return for a hot meal and some family time.
 
Since I'm still not sure what career path I would like to follow, I decided to stay undeclared, and Mason turned out to be the perfect school to do so. Being in such an urban area will expose me to so many people and professions, giving me the chance to explore before finally deciding what I want to do. When I do choose a major, I know that Mason has strong programs all around and will open doors to internships and life experiences that many other schools can't provide.

I absolutely love the coaching staff and their style. Coming to school in the middle of a coaching change, I was scared about what would happen to me, but Aylene has been so welcoming about everything. She is a great coach and even hearing her voice makes me want to play better—not for myself, but for the team. I have been working a lot with Chelsea and she's extremely tough on her defensive player "little people" but I'm learning very quickly and she's very patient. My biggest goal for the season is to consistently pass a 2.0, and I'm determined to reach it.
 
Transitioning has been more difficult than I expected. Although we haven't started classes yet, preseason has been a huge wake up call. Balancing two or three practices a day plus weights and film, I've never been this physically and mentally exhausted. However, I know that building up this toughness will help in the years to come both on and off the court, so I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to play.
 
I've already learned my way around campus well and bonded with the team, giving me a huge leg up on other incoming freshmen. It's nice to come in to a new school with the feeling that I belong already. I have been working with Ms. Rogers on scheduling and organizing tutors and it's really nice to know that the athletic department sees our academics as a priority. I'm excited to start classes and our season, and I can't wait to experience my first year of college.