Olivia Rusek, a Niles West alumni, retired her jersey at a volleyball game vs. Glenbrook South on Oct 6. Rusek attended Niles West from 2011-2014. In 2013, she received a full Division 1 volleyball scholarship at Miami University of Ohio.

Rusek’s ceremony was touching for many, as people gathered in the stands to watch her give away her jersey and say a few words. West’s current volleyball team stood in a line beside her, acknowledging her accomplishment and dedication.

Being an athlete comes with many struggles, as there are some good and bad times. But among the best is being rewarded with full ride to college. Although this may seem like a difficult task, it is not impossible. Rusek is a testament to that possibility, as she now plays professionally in Geneva, Switzerland.

“When I heard we were going to have a Niles West professional volleyball player come back to retire her jersey, everyone on my team, including me, was very excited. We felt good that our program was being represented by a professional. It was also a pleasure to have her watch our game against GBN,” junior Amina Dervisevic said.

“I was in awe and just admired her talents throughout the whole speech. It was nice to see someone who has reached huge accomplishments come back to their roots. Furthermore, I remember gaining that motivation right before our game because I knew hard work will eventually pay off. And although I was motivated, we ended up losing our game which brought my and the team’s energy down. Luckily, Rusek ended up staying for our game, and she lifted up our spirits by giving us a pep talk and encouraging us to work together,” junior Xenia Hephziba Gonzales said.

Niles West lost against Glenbrook North but many still hold hope for the season. The girls have 5 games left this season.

“Throughout time the volleyball girls have been getting better and better. Even though they lost the game, I still can see them moving on and finishing the season with multiple wins,” junior Sebastian Figueroa said.

“The Volleyball girls had an amazing game, but with the tough loss on Thursday night hopefully they can move on and finish the rest of the season with more wins to come,” junior Ramy Idrissi said.

Come out next Tuesday the 18th, to show your support for the girls and cheer them on against Maine South.