Natalya Sauer '23 Recruiting Profile

'Relentless' is the word I hope that my coaches, teammates, and opponents use to best describe me as a volleyball player.  There is no quit in me, and I thrive when challenges get thrown my way.  I have found that there are two types of athletes: those who thrive under pressure and shine brighter, and those who curl up and mostly disappear.  My experiences have molded me into someone who competes best on the biggest stages.  I have never had either a club or high school volleyball coach for more than one consecutive season.  This has required me to continually prove myself and earn my spots and has made me a better player and teammate.  Nothing has ever been given to me.  Competing every day and taking nothing for granted come natural to me. 

Having a father who is a track coach and who represented the US internationally for 4 years has largely shaped my work ethic and mental toughness.  Full effort and dedication are all I know.  In the classroom, on the court, on the track and in my life; I ALWAYS give it everything I've got.  I never quit on a ball.   My favorite thing is to miraculously save a ball that everyone else in the gym would have let go.  Tell me I can't do something and I will go to the ends of the earth to prove you wrong.  I LOVE to be challenged.  Volleyball is a team game, and I feel that one of my strengths is doing everything in my power to make my teammates jobs easier and to put them in the best positions to be successful.  Often, this involves keeping them positive mentally...as many of my teammates handle stressful situations differently than I do.

I came to competitive volleyball later than most every teammate I've ever had. I was a 4 year competitive softball shortstop/centerfielder when I decided to try volleyball.  I made Rocky Select's top 14's team in 2019 at my very first competitive tryout, having nearly zero experience (not even knowing what a 'right side' was, lol).  We proved ultimately to be one of the best teams in CO and placed 3rd out of 64 teams at the Northeast Qualifier in Baltimore,  just missing out on a National bid. I pride myself in being adept at every position on the court, having been taught that athletes who can fill multiple roles make their teams better and allow for more rotation possibilities. I have played every position at a high club level in the Rocky Mountain region (even setter) and have earned High School Conference honors as a Libero my freshman year and as an OH the last 2 years. I have been told that as a strong as my skillset is on an indoor court... nearly every volleyball skill I have may be even better suited towards beach volleyball. While I haven't played much beach volleyball, my teammate and I won the Aspire Sand League Series last summer in Fort Collins, CO (the only tournament I've ever entered). I LOVE volleyball, and particularly appreciate beach because it challenges players to cover a lot of ground and be complete players.   My goal is to see exactly how far I can rise as a player over the next 5 years.

I am the oldest of 3, my brother Mason is a 9 time State gymnastics Champion, my brother Merrick is a CABA State Champion catcher who also called and caught a perfect game to win the 2021 Triple Crown World Series.  My dad is a 5 time National Champion and US Paralympic record holder at 800m.  My mom is a saint and the glue that keeps us all in line.