ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Silvia Sartori
“Every individual brings something to the team and you see the results," this week's Athlete of the Week Silvia Sartori said. "I think that’s the great thing about playing a team sport.”
Courtesy of Carianne Gaines, Staff Reporter
Senior Lady Flames volleyball player and 2017 “All South Region” award winner Silvia Sartori is soaring through her fifth and final season as a Lee athlete.
Sartori, an outside hitter for the Flames volleyball team since her start on the team as a freshman, is currently a part of the graduate school program at Lee University. In May 2018, she graduated with her bachelor's degree in business finance.
Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, Sartori traveled to the United States during her senior year of high school, making her way to Mississippi as part of an exchange program. During that year, Lee began to recruit her for volleyball, and she decided to stay in the United States for her college career.
Sartori said she began to fall in love with volleyball as early as five years old. Her 12-year-old neighbor stirred her excitement for the game when Sartori would see her practicing and going to matches.
According to Sartori, she asked her mom to talk to the club volleyball coach and sign her up to play. However, the coach told her to start off small.
“He said I was too little to play,” said Sartori. “But I was determined, and eventually he let me start playing with lightweight volleyballs.”
Sartori has been playing volleyball ever since and said she has fallen in love with many aspects of the game. She credits her teammates for making the game so enjoyable for her.
“Every individual brings something to the team and you see the results,” Sartori said. “I think that’s the great thing about playing a team sport.”
Sartori has been a fantastic asset to the Flames volleyball team throughout her time at Lee and will leave a great void to fill come next season.
On the court, Sartori is a force to be reckoned with in the Gulf South Conference, approaching 300 kills during the regular season and well over 1,000 kills for her entire career. With a nose for the ball and a competitive mindset, she is one of the most offensively-gifted players in the conference.
To see Silvia Sartori and the Lady Flames in action, catch them at Walker Arena. For their full schedule and statistics, visit Lee University Athletics.
