FAIRFAX, Va--- GoMason.com went off the court with senior Jelena Cobanovic, a defensive specialist and libero from Serbia.

You have a very diverse background of experience. You grew up in Serbia before moving to America to attend Northeastern Junior College, before transferring to George Mason. How do you think your experiences, both in JuCo and back home, helps you at Mason?

My experiences, both at home and during my junior college career, helped shape the player and person I am today. Volleyball is extremely competitive in Serbia, and I have been playing in highly competitive leagues since I was a child. Junior college was a great step for me as it allowed me to get adapted to American culture and gave me great experience on the court.

How did you get your start in volleyball?

I started playing volleyball when I was 10 years old. The funny thing is volleyball was not my first hobby as a child. I started as a ballerina and grew bored with it as I got older. I saw some older kids playing volleyball in the gym at school one day and decided I wanted to go ahead and play that sport.

You're back home for the summer, what's the first meal you crave when you return to Serbia?

Nothing extremely specific, I just crave my mother and grandma's cooking in general. I love everything they make me. If I had to choose my favorite, it would be "gibanica", which is Serbian pie dish stuffed with cheese.

A tourist is going to be in Novi Sad for one day. What is the one place they have to visit? Why?

There are various things to go and see in my city. Going to downtown Novi Sad is a must. It is very beautiful and has a very rich history. There is the Petrovaradin Fortress 10-15 minutes away by walking from downtown. The view over Novi Sad and Danube river is beautiful. The clock tower is also something that Novi Sad is known for. The true beauty of the city, however, is the attitude and demeanor of the people. There are always smiling faces and always something fun to do in Novi Sad.

This is your senior season, what are you looking forward to most?

I simply look forward to competing. I want our team to consistently win games and compete for a conference championship and beyond. As a senior, I feel it is very important to go out with a bang and be the best team we can be.