Nov. 19, 2007

With a genuine love for volleyball, Mark Burik stands out as one of Mason's exceptional student-athletes. A fifth year exercise science major (minor in psychology) from Queens, New York, Mark came to Mason to play volleyball in his third year as a transfer student from Delaware. Upon high school graduation, Mark went to the University of Delaware intending to play college football, but joined the club volleyball team and discovered it to be his true athletic calling. He was named to the NIRSA National Club Volleyball Championships All-Tournament Team in 2005. His volleyball experience at Delaware gave him the drive and motivation to want more and seek the competitive edge. He found this at Mason. Mark has not only brought personality and skill to the Mason team, but he has also demonstrated his passion for life and achievement off the court.

Mark has been a key contributor to the success of the George Mason men's volleyball team for the past two seasons and will look to provide leadership during his senior season in 2008. Last season, Burik started all 22 matches, earning Second-Team EIVA All-East honors, while ranking second on the team in aces, aces per game, digs and digs per game. During the 2006 season, Burik appeared in 27 of the Patriots' 28 matches, helping lead Mason to one of the finest seasons in the history of the program as the team finished with a 22-6 overall record and an 11-1 mark in EIVA matches.

While Mark excels on the court, he is also impressive in the classroom, as he was named to the EIVA All-Academic Team the past two years. At last year's student-athlete awards banquet, Burik was the Aimee Willard Commemorative Award recipient. The award was established in 1997 and is presented to the Mason student-athlete who best exemplifies the standards of quality set by Aimee: intensity, consistency of purpose, achievement, and teamwork. Nominees are selected by head coaches and the recipient is selected by Gail Willard, Aimee's mother, and the Willard family. Additionally, Mark was selected to receive the 2007 Uvaldo Acosta Endowed Scholarship, named in memory of a legendary Mason men's volleyball alum.

Now in his final year at Mason, Mark is currently finishing up an intense internship as a Sports Performance Specialist with Velocity Sports Performance Training Center. He works with athletes of all ages, but focuses on high school students to prepare them to compete at the college level. Applying the skills he is learning as a student at Mason, Mark implements customized and developed training programs that focus primarily on linear speed and multi-directional skill development. Each program is tailored to specific sports demands for each athlete. Velocity has also given Mark the opportunity and exposure to work with professional athletes from the DC United, the Washington Bay Hawks, and the Washington Nationals.

After a strong performance in the 15th Annual NCAA Men's Volleyball Preview to the Final Four Tournament, earning a 3-0 mark against three national powerhouse programs, Mark and the team are excited for the regular season, opening at home on Tuesday, January 15 against the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez. This year, the Mason men's volleyball team looks to win their conference and defeat the long-time EIVA conference champion Penn State to clinch a spot in the Final Four. On a personal level, Mark looks to enjoy his last year as a student-athlete. After graduation, he hopes to play professionally in Europe, but his ultimate career goal is to coach men's volleyball at the college level.