Maya Cortez '22 Recruiting Profile

“Impossible is nothing.”  This is one of my favorite quotes from Muhammad Ali. This statement and belief in myself drives me on and off the court.  As a libero/defensive specialist, this approach pushes me to go after every ball and study every move of my opponent.   

People’s first impression of me will never tell all of my story.   I was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age and I am not very tall. This says nothing about my intelligence or my ability or passion for volleyball. This only makes me work harder.  When I set a goal for myself, I know it will not be easy, but I will do everything in my power in order to achieve it, because that is who I am.   This hard work has resulted in me being a 2 year, 2 sport varsity Honor Roll Athlete and leader at my school since I was a freshman. My cumulative GPA is 3.5 and I earned a 3.75 this spring semester during the COVID-19 pandemic.  I feel more confident than ever. 

I have been playing volleyball for over six years and it is in my blood. I cannot imagine my life without it. When I am on the court, all of the assumptions and labels about me leave my mind and all I am thinking about is the game that I love.  I am resilient on and off the court.  In the words of Kobe Bryant, “you will not out-work me”.  I believe in wins and “learning”, not “losses” and every touch of the ball is an opportunity to get better.  I believe in being a positive and encouraging leader with my teammates and “being where your feet are” in the moment and not stressing over the last point or the next point.  

Outside of volleyball, I enjoy playing varsity lacrosse, my art classes, and writing poetry.  An interesting fact about me is that I took boxing lessons when I was five years old. 

The quality of my college education is very important, as well as my passion to play volleyball.  I am interested in studying Psychology and becoming a Sports Performance Psychologist.  I think an athlete’s mental fitness and approach are keys to success (whether on or off the court). Mental wellness and fitness are very important to me and following my volleyball experience in college, are a central part of my career aspirations.  How we understand and approach the game of volleyball translates to life in many ways.  I want to play for a coach in college that fosters this passion to grow my game and mental approach that will serve me well for the rest of my life, and get a great education and win many college volleyball games in the process!