The first thing you notice about Leah Gagliardi is her height.

“When we did the physical I was 5’11″” Gagliardi says, laughing when asked how tall she is. “But I think I’m taller than that, because in volleyball I’m 6’1″, ‘cause the shoes add about an inch.”

With a towering height of about six feet, Gagliardi is striking—and slightly intimidating. I caught her right before practice, and as she walked in to chat she was decked out in her volleyball gear.

As we talk, her easygoing demeanor, lighthearted personality and friendly smile puts me at ease. With an air of enthusiasm and commitment towards the sport she loves, Gagliardi, a freshman this year on the UNC Wilmington volleyball team, has had a volleyball career that speaks for itself.

She was a three-year letter winner at her high school in Crescenta Valley, California; two-time MVP honoree and captain of her high school team for two seasons, just to name a few.

So, it’s clear why Gagliardi was offered a full scholarship to join the Seahawks, but how did Gagliardi choose Wilmington? She first came to visit Wilmington her senior year of high school and was given a tour of the campus.

She says that she had other offers, including another offer on the East Coast besides UNCW. But with steep competition in California for collegiate volleyball and a chance to have new experiences, Gagliardi chose UNC Wilmington, a school on the opposite side of the country.

When she told her parents about her college choice, they were excited for her to have a new experience out of her comfort zone. The full scholarship may have helped make her choice, but she says she ultimately wanted to go where she would be happy, and so far, she’s happy she chose Wilmington.

 Gagliardi says she texts her parents “every now and then” and has weekly phone calls, but homesickness is not a problem. Her integration to the new coast has been helped by having a team, like a family in itself, behind her from the first day.

“You already meet freshman girls and you already have a group,” she says. As one of six freshmen on the team this season, Gagliardi lives with freshman and teammate Katie Gratale, as well as two athletes from the softball team. After matches, the girls go out to dinner and bond through team meals.

There is a family atmosphere within the team, and this helps prevent drama that could tear them apart. The “team chemistry,” as Gagliardi coins it, may have contributed to the Seahawks’ first season victory over Mercer Aug. 27.

“We had a lot more energy that game. Everyone was wide awake—maybe had more coffee,” she jokes. “I think we were fed up with losing. The energy was different and really positive during that game. Christi (Laite, a sophomore) said that this season has the most chemistry.”

The relationship between Seahawks is a positive one, and can only benefit their performance. Recent victories over NC Central University and Central Connecticut State University emphasize the growing bond amongst the team members.

With five wins, the women’s volleyball season looks promising, and Gagliardi will play a dynamic role this year and for the rest of her Seahawk career.