Deriana Brown '21 Recruiting Profile

My name is Deriana Brown. I live, breathe, and sleep volleyball. I grew up watching my older sister play volleyball when I was in elementary school and immediately fell in love with the game. When I got to sixth grade, I was finally able to start playing for my middle school's volleyball team and I couldn't get enough of it. Six years later, I am a junior starting on my high school's varsity volleyball team, dominating the game and loving what I'm doing. I am a dedicated and versatile player. I can play outside hitter, right side, middle, you name it. I am up for every challenge that comes my way and I am eager to keep getting better.  Playing at the collegiate level means to me a high level of competition, and a greater passion for the game, which, I definitely have. I strive to be the best person that I can be on and off the court. I am apart of the Best Buddies International chapter at my high school where we build lifelong friendships with our peers who have mental disabilities. I am also apart of the Black Student Union at my school, where we address the representation of African Americans at Albany High School and work towards equal opportunities for all, as well as, celebrating our community. I hold helping others and standing up for what I believe in close to my heart, and that is what both Best Buddies International and Black Student Union are all about. These clubs also allow me to be an effective communicator, which is extremely useful in volleyball. When I step onto the court, I feel that volleyball is a place where I can forget about all of the drama and craziness going on in my everyday life, now, as a high achieving junior. Volleyball to me is a place where we can come together as women, as teammates, and as a family, to uplift and support each other, through the game that we all adore. This is what makes volleyball home to me. Going off to college and being away from home, it would mean the world to bring volleyball with me. Playing at the collegiate level would be an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity that I would love to be apart of. I am determined to do the work and do everything it takes to get to the next level.