Class of 2013 alum Sam Hala’ufia has been seeking success in his collegiate volleyball career at UC Merced. Most recently, the previous two-sport athlete at Aragon was named part of the All-Conference Second-Team.
“Being named an All-Conference player is definitely validating for me. I feel like the hours I put in are reflected in being honored with that sort of recognition,” says Hala’ufia. “I owe a huge amount of success to my teammates for pushing me to work harder than ever this past season. Honestly, I feel like this is more of a team award than an individual one.”
The UC Merced junior finished his season with an efficient .289 hitting percentage. He also lead the nation in blocks per game with a 1.19 average. In addition to his junior year season, Hala’ufia played in all 17 matches his sophomore year with 53 total sets played.
For Hala’ufia, his college career has been something more than he could have dreamed of. Last year, Hala’ufia was named as an All-Tournament Player in UC Merced’s Conference Tournament.
“Being a part of this young program at UC Merced, I think I’ve been able to measure my growth as a player though standards beyond just our wins and losses,” says Hala’ufia.
At UC Merced, Hala’ufia has also had to undergo the difficult balancing act of any collegiate athlete. Hala’ufia mentions how he must be focused and dedicated to stay at the highest competition level. “I have had to buckle down a little bit more in my studies to ensure that I get to play volleyball. Training is harder, too. You have to gain some more discipline, once you become a collegiate athlete,” says Hala’ufia.
Of the change he underwent at UC Merced, Hala’ufia’s sister, Kristie, says, “He was more quiet and reserved when he first got to [UC Merced] and that does come with stepping into a brand new environment, but now he is more involved on campus, and not just with volleyball.”
Among his on-campus involvement, Hala’ufia also joined InterVarsity, a faith based group on campus, where he has made new friends and developed essential leadership skills. In his junior year, Sam became the captain of the team. “He’s grown to be a great leader for his team and his teammates look up to him now. Sam has always had leadership qualities, but I think it took a collegiate sport to bring it out of him and portray it on and off the court,” says Kristie.
On top of that, Hala’ufia notes how he has had to adjust his game to the college scene, saying, “In the high school level, you feel like you’re playing at a really high speed with people hitting as hard as they can, but people hit much harder, jump higher, and and all around play much faster than you’d expect on the collegiate level.”
With the success Hala’ufia has attained at UC Merced, he has established himself as a hardworking athlete and person. Although UC Merced’s Men’s volleyball program is three years old, Hala’ufia seems to not only be growing as a player, but helping the program grow itself. Hala’ufia states, “I’ve noticed I’ve done so much growing as a person and an athlete after realizing that I had so much [more time] to go, once arriving to college.”
