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From star-crossed to standout
Dominican University’s Gabby Pecora, a 2006 Justin-Siena High School graduate, smashes a ball during a recent match against Holy Names University. Courtesy of Dominican University Sports Information | Buy photos
Justin-Siena product puts injury behind to lead Dominican
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CommentGabby Pecora hasn’t forgotten the date: Oct. 10, 2006.
As a freshman, she was practicing with the Dominican University of California volleyball team. She remembers going up to take a swing.
As a freshman, she was practicing with the Dominican University of California volleyball team. She remembers going up to take a swing.
And then things suddenly turned bad.
“I rolled my ankle really bad,” Pecora said. “My ankle went sideways and the rest of me didn’t.”
“I rolled my ankle really bad,” Pecora said. “My ankle went sideways and the rest of me didn’t.”
Pecora, a Justin-Siena High School graduate who was All-Marin County Athletic League and All-Napa County as a junior and senior, tore ligaments in her right ankle. Her first year of college volleyball was over. She watched the rest of the season from the bench. The Penguins were without one of their top players for the rest of the season.
“I was done,” she said.
“I was done,” she said.
Fast forward a year and Pecora is just fine. As a left-side sophomore hitter, she led Dominican — a small, private NAIA-Division II school in San Rafael — in kills (323) and digs (295) as the Penguins tied for the California Pacific Conference title with Holy Names University. For her all-around play, she was named as the CalPac Player of the Year and First-Team All-Conference.
Pecora averaged 3.67 kills and 3.35 digs per game while hitting .249 percent as the Penguins went 14-9 overall. The CalPac is one of the largest Division II leagues in the NAIA.
“To earn the CalPac Player of the Year award as a sophomore is pretty impressive,” said coach Roger Goodwin. “Last year, she only played half the season. This year I told Gabby, ‘I want you for the whole season and we’re going to have a shot to win the CalPac.’ ”
Pecora played at a very consistent level all year — hitting, passing, serving, digging, defending and blocking to lead the Penguins’ attack. She was named CalPac Player of the Week three times.
“She’s growing as a player,” said Goodwin. “From a coach’s perspective, obviously it’s a great pleasure to see that. She came in here as a good player with a strong work ethic, but she wanted to become a better player. I think that’s what drives her.
“She definitely deserved the CalPac Player of the Year award. She does more things on the court well than any of the other candidates this year that were also nominated for CalPac Player of the Year. She plays the back row game as well as she does the front-row game.
“She’s a complete volleyball player. She’s not a one-dimensional player. That’s what makes her so valuable to our team, and that’s why she earned the CalPac Player of the Year award this year.”
Pecora had a season high 23 kills in a match Nov. 8 against Menlo College. She went for 19 kills in five other matches.
For the year, she had 25 assists, 41 service aces, 31 blocks and 25 block assists.
“She’s just a consistent player,” said Goodwin. “She brings her ‘A’ game to the court every day. Her results speak for themselves. She comes to play with enthusiasm every match. She has a killer jump serve.”
In September, Pecora was named to the All-Tournament team at the Point Loma Seaside Invitational in San Diego. She recorded 49 kills, eight service aces and 60 digs in four matches for the Penguins.
“This year, just being healthy, was motivating,” she said. “I just came back excited that I was able to play, so that was motivation in and of itself. I was just happy to be out there and not on the bench. I was determined to get back out there. I felt 100 percent the whole time as far as my ankle.”
Pecora, 19, rehabbed the ankle, getting physical therapy. She spent the offseason working on her game with Konrad Ott, the head volleyball coach at Marin Catholic-Kentfield and a former Justin-Siena coach. She also worked with a personal trainer.
“She came in this year I think with a mission,” said Goodwin. “She worked out real hard in the offseason. She rehabbed her injury and made herself a stronger volleyball player. She continued to play with that passion that she’s always had. She has this passion for the game and this great enthusiasm. She plays smart on every single point.
“She does not take a break during the match at any time. She’s playing every point with an equal effort. She’s just a pleasure to coach.”
Pecora was a key player on some very successful Justin-Siena teams. In 2004 the Braves were 29-7, finishing third in the MCAL and winning their third straight CIF North Coast Section Division IV title while getting to the quarterfinals of the Northern California playoffs.
The Sonoma resident was named as the “Newcomer of the Year” on the 2003 All-Napa County team. She was the Braves’ offensive player of the year as a junior and team MVP as a senior. She started three years for Justin-Siena.
She played for the Northern California Volleyball Association for the 16’s age-group team at the U.S. Nationals in Austin, Texas.
Pecora was also the first Hall of Fame player and team captain for the Absolute Volleyball Club, which is based in Marin County.
Pecora averaged 3.67 kills and 3.35 digs per game while hitting .249 percent as the Penguins went 14-9 overall. The CalPac is one of the largest Division II leagues in the NAIA.
“To earn the CalPac Player of the Year award as a sophomore is pretty impressive,” said coach Roger Goodwin. “Last year, she only played half the season. This year I told Gabby, ‘I want you for the whole season and we’re going to have a shot to win the CalPac.’ ”
Pecora played at a very consistent level all year — hitting, passing, serving, digging, defending and blocking to lead the Penguins’ attack. She was named CalPac Player of the Week three times.
“She’s growing as a player,” said Goodwin. “From a coach’s perspective, obviously it’s a great pleasure to see that. She came in here as a good player with a strong work ethic, but she wanted to become a better player. I think that’s what drives her.
“She definitely deserved the CalPac Player of the Year award. She does more things on the court well than any of the other candidates this year that were also nominated for CalPac Player of the Year. She plays the back row game as well as she does the front-row game.
“She’s a complete volleyball player. She’s not a one-dimensional player. That’s what makes her so valuable to our team, and that’s why she earned the CalPac Player of the Year award this year.”
Pecora had a season high 23 kills in a match Nov. 8 against Menlo College. She went for 19 kills in five other matches.
For the year, she had 25 assists, 41 service aces, 31 blocks and 25 block assists.
“She’s just a consistent player,” said Goodwin. “She brings her ‘A’ game to the court every day. Her results speak for themselves. She comes to play with enthusiasm every match. She has a killer jump serve.”
In September, Pecora was named to the All-Tournament team at the Point Loma Seaside Invitational in San Diego. She recorded 49 kills, eight service aces and 60 digs in four matches for the Penguins.
“This year, just being healthy, was motivating,” she said. “I just came back excited that I was able to play, so that was motivation in and of itself. I was just happy to be out there and not on the bench. I was determined to get back out there. I felt 100 percent the whole time as far as my ankle.”
Pecora, 19, rehabbed the ankle, getting physical therapy. She spent the offseason working on her game with Konrad Ott, the head volleyball coach at Marin Catholic-Kentfield and a former Justin-Siena coach. She also worked with a personal trainer.
“She came in this year I think with a mission,” said Goodwin. “She worked out real hard in the offseason. She rehabbed her injury and made herself a stronger volleyball player. She continued to play with that passion that she’s always had. She has this passion for the game and this great enthusiasm. She plays smart on every single point.
“She does not take a break during the match at any time. She’s playing every point with an equal effort. She’s just a pleasure to coach.”
Pecora was a key player on some very successful Justin-Siena teams. In 2004 the Braves were 29-7, finishing third in the MCAL and winning their third straight CIF North Coast Section Division IV title while getting to the quarterfinals of the Northern California playoffs.
The Sonoma resident was named as the “Newcomer of the Year” on the 2003 All-Napa County team. She was the Braves’ offensive player of the year as a junior and team MVP as a senior. She started three years for Justin-Siena.
She played for the Northern California Volleyball Association for the 16’s age-group team at the U.S. Nationals in Austin, Texas.
Pecora was also the first Hall of Fame player and team captain for the Absolute Volleyball Club, which is based in Marin County.
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