Haylee Deponte '24 Recruiting Profile

Growing up at Maryknoll I was constantly watching the upperclassmen play volleyball competitively and it was a goal of mine to get there. Over the past two years of middle school, I believe I grew the most as an student, athlete, and a person. I was fortunate enough to play on the intermediate volleyball team both years of middle school. My first year of Intermediate volleyball in the seventh grade was one of the toughest experiences for me. I was introduced to a new level of competitiveness and it was a completely new level of volleyball. My team was able to compete with the others but we weren't able to win any games. It showed me that I needed to get back in the gym and work even harder for the following season. During my eighth grade year  my team worked very hard and things started to pay off. Our team record improved significantly and it taught me a lot. It showed me that progress takes time and your hard work will pay off in the end. It taught me how to have a good work ethic, dedication, and the importance of teamwork and trust. Im learning to trust the process.

Although I love volleyball, academics comes first for me. I do everything to the best of my abilities and I try to get involved as much as I can in my school community. I strive to be a good role model for my peers. Besides playing club volleyball, I play beach volleyball and softball. Sports have taught me how to communicate well with my teachers and peers and how to get along with others. I have also learned many different skills which has made me well rounded. I am looking for a program that will challenge me academically and athletically. I want to pursue playing next level volleyball and get a good education while I'm at it.