Bowling Green State University Athletics

Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications
FEATURE: From One Court To Another
March 02, 2015 | Women's Basketball, Volleyball
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio—Being a student-athlete takes a great amount of effort as one tries to be successful both on and off the court during the season and throughout the offseason.
While balancing classes, practice, games and travel can be difficult during the season, the offseason often consists of time developing new skills and improving in the weight room. For a senior, though, there is often an opportunity to take a sigh of relief and just enjoy being a student once the last game comes to an end.
Unless, of course, they are like Erica Fullenkamp, a Bowling Green State University senior who recently became a two-sport athlete. After playing four years for BGSU's volleyball team and carrying a remarkable 4.0 grade point average, she recently transitioned to the women's basketball team after injuries depleted the squad's roster.
Despite the fact that she had not played basketball since her senior year in high school, Fullenkamp has taken on the challenge of getting back into the groove of things, which came easier than expected.
"I think it is going as smooth as it could be," Fullenkamp said. "The pace is a lot quicker than high school so [it was] adjusting to the pace of the game, the shot clock and how college basketball is a lot more physical. It took a little bit to knock off the rust but besides that I think it came back pretty well."
In four years while playing for Minster High School in Ohio, Fullenkamp led the team to a combined record of 63-26, in addition to helping the team receive two playoff berths her junior and senior year.
While her skills helped the team prosper, it was her leadership, hard work and selflessness that ultimately helped not just in her high school team but with the BGSU volleyball team. And now, those same skills are helping her to make a smooth transition to the Falcon basketball squad.
"She truly is a great leader," Danijela Tomic, head coach of BGSU volleyball, said. "She was always one of the hardest working players in the gym and that is everything that most coaches want to see."
So in the short time Fullenkamp has been with the team she has already made it clear what every coach wants for all of their student-athletes as she is already making an impact.
"We needed someone like Erica to show the culture we wanted to build in our program," Tomic said. "It is exactly what she represents and it is priceless for any coach and any team. So she talked to coach Jennifer Roos and coach told her what her role was going to be and she accepted it."
Although Fullenkamp is not playing the same role on the basketball team as she was with the volleyball team, she is still embracing her new role and contributing in any way she can.
"I have always been really comfortable with accepting my role with whatever it may be," Fullenkamp said. "If it is cheering on the sidelines or being the leader on the floor, I have been the person that the team needed to step in. So, I'm not necessarily a leader on the floor like I was in volleyball but providing leadership in other ways like always talking, being loud, and being encouraging."
Despite the wear-and-tear being put on Fullenkamp's body after playing a full volleyball career, she is seizing the moment and making the most of the chance that she was given.
"Coach Roos gave me an opportunity and I made lemonade," Fullenkamp said. "So I know it is a great opportunity to be able to play two sports and in the long term, being able to say that I did that, I will definitely will not regret that."
While balancing classes, practice, games and travel can be difficult during the season, the offseason often consists of time developing new skills and improving in the weight room. For a senior, though, there is often an opportunity to take a sigh of relief and just enjoy being a student once the last game comes to an end.
Unless, of course, they are like Erica Fullenkamp, a Bowling Green State University senior who recently became a two-sport athlete. After playing four years for BGSU's volleyball team and carrying a remarkable 4.0 grade point average, she recently transitioned to the women's basketball team after injuries depleted the squad's roster.
Despite the fact that she had not played basketball since her senior year in high school, Fullenkamp has taken on the challenge of getting back into the groove of things, which came easier than expected.
"I think it is going as smooth as it could be," Fullenkamp said. "The pace is a lot quicker than high school so [it was] adjusting to the pace of the game, the shot clock and how college basketball is a lot more physical. It took a little bit to knock off the rust but besides that I think it came back pretty well."
In four years while playing for Minster High School in Ohio, Fullenkamp led the team to a combined record of 63-26, in addition to helping the team receive two playoff berths her junior and senior year.
While her skills helped the team prosper, it was her leadership, hard work and selflessness that ultimately helped not just in her high school team but with the BGSU volleyball team. And now, those same skills are helping her to make a smooth transition to the Falcon basketball squad.
"She truly is a great leader," Danijela Tomic, head coach of BGSU volleyball, said. "She was always one of the hardest working players in the gym and that is everything that most coaches want to see."
So in the short time Fullenkamp has been with the team she has already made it clear what every coach wants for all of their student-athletes as she is already making an impact.
"We needed someone like Erica to show the culture we wanted to build in our program," Tomic said. "It is exactly what she represents and it is priceless for any coach and any team. So she talked to coach Jennifer Roos and coach told her what her role was going to be and she accepted it."
Although Fullenkamp is not playing the same role on the basketball team as she was with the volleyball team, she is still embracing her new role and contributing in any way she can.
"I have always been really comfortable with accepting my role with whatever it may be," Fullenkamp said. "If it is cheering on the sidelines or being the leader on the floor, I have been the person that the team needed to step in. So, I'm not necessarily a leader on the floor like I was in volleyball but providing leadership in other ways like always talking, being loud, and being encouraging."
Despite the wear-and-tear being put on Fullenkamp's body after playing a full volleyball career, she is seizing the moment and making the most of the chance that she was given.
"Coach Roos gave me an opportunity and I made lemonade," Fullenkamp said. "So I know it is a great opportunity to be able to play two sports and in the long term, being able to say that I did that, I will definitely will not regret that."
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