Badger for Life: Lauryn Gillis

MADISON, Wis. -- For Lauryn Gillis, it took a while for her to find her volleyball home but once she did, the New Castle, Indiana, native knew she'd be a Badger for life.

Gillis came to Wisconsin in 2015, after playing her freshman season at Southern California. The 6-foot outside hitter played in 87 matches as a Badger, averaging 2.91 kills and 1.90 digs per set. She was a member of three NCAA tournament teams, advancing to the Sweet 16 all three years, including the Elite Eight in 2016. She earned 1,000 career kills as a senior.

After graduating from Wisconsin in 2018, Gillis transferred to South Carolina to play sand volleyball. She earned her master's degree from USC in December of 2019 and played in Finland for two-and-a-half months before her season was canceled due to COVID.

Gillis is currently playing with Sigel Marsala Volley in Marsala, Italy, located on the far western tip of Sicily.

Why Wisconsin?

"To be honest, Wisconsin was not my first choice. The current staff wasn't there when I was going through the recruiting process and even if they were there, I still may have gone to USC for my first year. I wanted to get away from the Midwest. I wanted bright lights and a big city. It only took a few months of living in California to realize how special the Midwest is so I decided I wanted to transfer schools.

"I talked to numerous schools in the Big Ten and even the SEC, but there was something about Wisconsin. Current Badgers shared with me how strong the culture is. The blue-collar mentality that the girls come into the gym with every day. The expectation to be the absolute best you can be, not for just yourself, but for those around you.

"I scheduled a visit and it ended up being my only visit because I knew on the spot. What they said was right. There was an intensity to practice and a confidence among them all. And then of course, you have the campus which is beautiful. It is perfect.

"When I describe it to people who have not visited Madison, I tell them it is a city that was built to be a campus. There is such a seamless blend of restaurants, shops, families, college students and everything in between. Don't even get me started on summertime in Madison … and FOOD TRUCKS! I could go on for days about this place. It truly is one of the things I am most passionate about.

"If I had to pick one thing I love most about Wisconsin I would say the feeling of community. Sports bring people together and it shows in Madison. You're not going to find many schools in the NCAA that sell out a Field House of 7,000 plus every night for volleyball. Man, I have chills just typing this. So, while Wisconsin wasn't my first choice, it was absolutely where I belonged!"

Gallery: (12-3-2020) Lauryn Gillis in Italy

How did Wisconsin prepare you for professional career?

"The obvious answer would be to say the high-level training, but I think Kelly and the staff are some of the best at teaching a group of players how to be a team in a way that isn't only for a year, but for a lifetime. They teach us individually how to be a good teammate.

"Every year we sat down for a four-hour meeting (or longer) to learn each other inside and out. As a professional, we don't have these types of meetings, so I have to figure out the players I'm around on my own and thankfully I have the tools and knowledge to do so. Understanding people despite their words is pretty important when they speak in a different language!

"In addition to working with others, Wisconsin taught me how to work with myself and how to find courage even when my confidence is shaken. Living alone in a foreign country leaves you with little support, but the trials I was put through at Wisconsin have me breezing (okay maybe not breezing, but you get the point!) through my trials as a professional athlete."

What are some of the most important things that you learned at UW and how have your used that in life after college off the court?

"Everyone has their own thing. College taught me how unique we all are. Even when we have volleyball in common, we come from different backgrounds and those experiences shaped us in very special ways.

"For example, Danielle Hart is such an interesting human. Her love for adventure and photography and homemade Halloween cards might go unnoticed when you only think about her as the stud on the court, but if you take a second to get to know her you see what an incredible human she is and she is so true to herself.

"This goes for many, many players on the team and athletes in general at UW. This has inspired me to find my best version of myself, which I have a good amount of time to do overseas. I have taken up crocheting. I have always loved to create but I was never good at drawing or painting. I have found that creating sweaters and blankets for people to love forever is a passion of mine and I am kind of chasing a dream of having a little shop one day in the future!"

How is professional different from college?

"The biggest thing that I have noticed in the transition from college to professional volleyball is the culture. These players change teams constantly. Coaches come and go. This all makes it very hard to establish a consistent culture. When players and coaches are always moving, they are playing for the name on the back of their jersey instead of the name on the front of their jersey.

"My favorite part about playing in college was playing for something bigger than myself. So my motivating factors have had to adjust, but at the same time, I have tried to bring that Badger Pride mentality to the team I am on. To find a reason for myself and for the players on my team to want to win for our city."

How are you and your team handling COVID-19?

"My team is tested once a week. While it is a day I dread every week, I am comforted in consistently knowing that my team and myself are healthy. Every day we have to take our temperature when we walk into the gym. Our team has been very adamant about limiting our extra activities. They stress the importance of only going to the gym and home. Unfortunately, we have had a few games canceled due to positive cases on other teams, but it is obvious that the health of all the athletes is a priority."

What is best part of playing in foreign country?

"I got so lucky with the team I am on this year. They are young and full of life and have completely taken me in with open arms. They are constantly showing me more about their culture. What amazes me most is how similar we are. They grew up watching High School Musical, Camp Rock, and Hannah Montana! They watched with Italian voice overs, but they still know all the songs! I love sitting back and watching them interact. I don't know everything they're saying, but I pick up on a good amount and even when I don't understand them, their body language tells me so much. The way they communicate is just like the way I did with my teammates in Wisconsin.

"Even outside my team, the people in my city welcomed me immediately. I have made friends with a couple of restaurant owners that will bring me water on my way home from practice. I even made friends with the owners of the market where I get my fruits and vegetables. For me, relationships are everything so creating new ones in a foreign country quickly made this place feel more like home.

"So to answer the question, the best part of playing in a foreign country is getting to know the people and realizing that while we don't speak the same language, we're not as different as we might think."

What do you do during the off season?

"Well, the only off season I've had so far was a little unique because of COVID, so like everyone else, I was in quarantine trying to stay healthy in preparation for the following season that I was hoping would even happen.

"This coming off season, I plan to train of course, but seeing my favorite people will be a priority. Being away from home this long makes you realize what is really important to you. Living in a foreign country will definitely test your mental health so this summer will be a chance to reset my mental health."

Do you follow Badger VB?

"Of course! I was looking forward to following the games this fall so I was definitely bummed that season has been pushed back. For now, I'm still young enough to have played with a couple of the players on the team but in about a year or two, I won't be able to say that anymore. I'M OLD!

"But no matter if I have played with a current Badger or not, there's something unique about this program that will still make you feel connected and engaged years after you're graduated. I never played with Dominique Thompson, yet I could go to her as a close friend for anything. Some may even say as a sister (since we look so much alike!)."

How do you stay in connection with former teammates?

"Social media wins this one! I am very grateful to live in an age where it is natural to share on social media. I have to say, Molly Haggerty might be my favorite person to follow. She was when I was in school and she still is."

What is your advice to current players?

"The same thing they hear from every alum, parent, coach - enjoy every moment. It may be exhausting, but it must be remembered. I heard it over and over enough that I really did enjoy every moment. Even when I was mad as heck riding my scooter to the gym at 6 a.m. as I risked frostbite, there was a very, very, very small piece of me that loved it. The window for experiences like that is so short. I will literally never have that again and don't tell Kelly, but I miss it!

"On that note, trust your staff and support staff. They know more than you do! Even if it isn't necessarily what you want to hear, it's what you need to hear. They've seen so many girls come before you and they continue to learn and adapt to what teenage/early twenties girls need. They only want what is best for you so use their experience to your advantage.

"One last thing, keep a journal. As you know, you're living some of the best times of your life. Your memories will last in a way but things get fuzzy. Nothing is better than being able to look back at writings of your experience. You get a closer look at how you were actually feeling in the moment. Write about movie nights with the girls, funny things Kelly says in practice, really anything. You'll thank yourself later!"

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