Elizabeth Pederson '22 Recruiting Profile

I believe what sets me apart from other student athletes is my sense of compassion. This skill of mine is partly why I want to pursue a career in psychology! When I was younger, I struggled a lot with anxiety and OCD. I want to use what I learned from these experiences to help other kids like me live happy and fulfilled lives through my studies in psychology. I believe that being a student athlete in college will help me stay focused on the things that I prioritize greatly: my physical/mental health and my knowledge of the world around me. 

As a current junior at the Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this will be my 3rd year playing volleyball. I was a competitive gymnast for 12 years before deciding that I wanted to move on from gymnastics to pursue other sports (volleyball, diving, and track and field). Because of this, I know what it feels like to be a beginner in a sport that so many of the people around me have been playing for their entire lives. From this experience, I have acquired a heightened sense of perseverance and self-confidence in my athletic abilities. I am willing to do whatever I need to do in order to reach my goals. 

I have experience in beach volleyball through ARVC in Albuquerque, NM, high school volleyball through the Albuquerque Academy, and club volleyball also through ARVC. Over the past few years, I have fallen in love with the fast pace and agility of the sport of volleyball.

Academics have always been an extremely important aspect of my life. I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be a student athlete at the top private school in New Mexico. I was awarded the Follansbee Award from my school a few years back, which acknowledges a top performance in both athletics and academics. I believe that being educated in the modern world is essential to success. My favorite subjects are math and science!

Thank you so much for taking the time to view my profile! I hope you will give me an opportunity to show you all I have to offer at the collegiate level of volleyball. :)