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Cmaylo jumps back in
Ex-Vintage star’s healthy, anxious for return at Santa Clara
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CommentThe Santa Clara University women’s volleyball team’s annual preseason retreat was very special for Anna Cmaylo.
Cmaylo, a 6-foot-4 senior middle blocker who missed all of last year’s season while recovering from surgery to repair her labrum and bicep tendon, played tour guide last week as she showed her teammates around the Napa Valley and Vintage High School, her alma mater.
Cmaylo, a 6-foot-4 senior middle blocker who missed all of last year’s season while recovering from surgery to repair her labrum and bicep tendon, played tour guide last week as she showed her teammates around the Napa Valley and Vintage High School, her alma mater.
They enjoyed a barbecue at Yountville’s Bell Wine Cellars, owned and operated by Cmaylo’s mom, Sandra Hewitt-Bell, and stepfather, Anthony Bell.
“None of the girls had ever been to Napa, so it was fun to bring them to my home and share my home,” said Cmaylo.
“None of the girls had ever been to Napa, so it was fun to bring them to my home and share my home,” said Cmaylo.
After having breakfast the next day at her family’s home in Napa, Cmaylo and the Broncos wrapped up their trip with a practice in the new gym at Vintage. They were welcomed by Eric Schneider, the school’s principal, and Crushers Athletic Director Dave Shipp.
Cmaylo, a two-time All-American and All-West Coast Conference First-Team selection, also visited with her high school coach, Jim Cherniss, and some of her former teachers.
Cmaylo, a two-time All-American and All-West Coast Conference First-Team selection, also visited with her high school coach, Jim Cherniss, and some of her former teachers.
“I met a few of the girls that are on the Vintage team this year,” said Cmaylo, Vintage’s all-time-kills and kills-per-game leader. “It was just a lot of fun to come back and see the school.”
For Cmaylo, who earned AVCA All-Pacific Region First-Team honors while also being named as the Broncos’ Offensive MVP as a junior, it’s fun being back on the court, being part of the team, being competitive, and being counted on as a front-row player. It’s also fun to be healthy once again — blocking shots and putting down kills with the same consistency and authority as she did her freshman, sophomore and junior years.
She used 2007 as a redshirt season after injuring herself in a spring tournament that year against UC Davis. Cmaylo hurt herself when she landed on her right shoulder, diving for a ball. Dr. Michael Dillingham performed the surgery in Palo Alto.
“I was hoping to be back by the middle of September,” said Cmaylo, a 2004 Vintage graduate who led the Crushers to the CIF Northern California playoffs. “But I couldn’t even hit a ball in September, so I didn’t want to risk burning up my last year of eligibility if I wasn’t going to be at full strength. I decided to sit out, which was really a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”
The injury was originally considered career-threatening.
“For a while there, I was definitely scared that I wasn’t going to get to finish out my volleyball career. It’s hard coming back from an injury — physically getting your body back and getting your muscle memory back. You doubt yourself a lot. You lose any confidence that you had.
“The coaches did a great job of really helping me get back into the role to where I could pick up where I left off. I had a pretty good rehab team. The coaches worked with me however they could to make me feel good again and confident. All I wanted out of that surgery was the ability to play volleyball again, which Dr. Dillingham gave me.
“It was a really hard time last year, and last fall especially. But it’s made it so much more sweet to be back now. I’m so happy to be back. I don’t have the nervousness that I used to have. I’m confident in the way that I play. I love my team and I love my coaches. I’m trying to embrace my last couple of months here, because I know that in the blink of an eye I’m going to be done with Santa Clara and I’ll be on my way. I’m excited to be here.
“I actually feel really good. I feel great about my offense. I’m not really worried about being a step slower or not being able to hit as hard as I used to. I think I’m right there.”
Cmaylo experienced a lot of ups and downs in her recovery from shoulder surgery, said Broncos coach Jon Wallace.
“Now she is in a very good spot in that she is practicing hard every day and is being the great player that she is,” the coach said. “She is still in pain, but being a fifth-year student-athlete, she knows how to manage and deal with that pain. I’m very impressed with her comeback from such a tough injury.”
Cmaylo graduated on time, earning degrees in political science and environmental studies. She is now fulfilling studies in her French minor while taking one other class.
“We expect a lot from Anna as she comes back to us as a two-time All-American,” said Wallace. “She will carry a big load for our team offensively. We expect her to be the seasoned veteran that she is who will show great leadership at critical times in matches. And, of course, we expect her to have another great season on the court.”
As a junior in 2006, she was named AVCA All-America honorable mention, becoming Santa Clara’s second two-time All-American. She was named to the All-WCC First-Team for the second year in a row. She led the WCC with a .405 hitting percentage, which was also eighth-best in the nation and also the highest single-season hitting percentage in Santa Clara history. She posted double-figure kills in 18 matches, while hitting over .400 in 16. Starting all 28 matches, she also averaged 3.89 kills and 1.12 blocks a game.
As a sophomore in 2005, she became Santa Clara’s fifth AVCA All-American recipient, picking up Third-Team honors. She participated in 30 matches, compiling 336 kills and 117 total blocks in 103 games, ending the year with a .356 hitting percentage. She was selected to the 12-member All-Pacific Region team. She was named to the All-WCC First Team.
As a freshman in 2004, she was voted Best Offensive Player and Most Improved by teammates. She ranked fifth in the WCC in hitting percentage (.308) and seventh in blocks (1.15 pg).
“Anna’s strengths as a volleyball player come from her strengths as a person,” said Wallace. “As a player, she is one of the best attackers in the nation. What makes her so great is that she is a great person to be around and people want to play hard for her and around her. She makes people feel very comfortable in life and on the court. And, as nice as she is, she is a fierce competitor.”
Santa Clara opens the season with an eight-match road swing that begins on Saturday in Salt Lake City at the Utes Invitational hosted the University of Utah. The Broncos open the season against the Wolverines of Utah Valley and then face tournament host Utah on Sunday.
Cmaylo has legitimized Santa Clara as a top-15 program in the nation, Wallace said.
“She is the perfect student-athlete,” said Wallace. “She is an All-American on three levels: as a student, a volleyball player and a person. She is a great representation of what we want in our Bronco program.”
She likes the look of the Broncos and the way practices have been going.
“We’re starting to feel like we can play some great volleyball this year. This team is awesome. I’ve seen nothing but great things so far. I’m surrounded by just a great group of people. I can’t imagine not being part of this team. I love the program so much. Just because I had shoulder surgery, I don’t think my expectations have dwindled at all.”
For Cmaylo, who earned AVCA All-Pacific Region First-Team honors while also being named as the Broncos’ Offensive MVP as a junior, it’s fun being back on the court, being part of the team, being competitive, and being counted on as a front-row player. It’s also fun to be healthy once again — blocking shots and putting down kills with the same consistency and authority as she did her freshman, sophomore and junior years.
She used 2007 as a redshirt season after injuring herself in a spring tournament that year against UC Davis. Cmaylo hurt herself when she landed on her right shoulder, diving for a ball. Dr. Michael Dillingham performed the surgery in Palo Alto.
“I was hoping to be back by the middle of September,” said Cmaylo, a 2004 Vintage graduate who led the Crushers to the CIF Northern California playoffs. “But I couldn’t even hit a ball in September, so I didn’t want to risk burning up my last year of eligibility if I wasn’t going to be at full strength. I decided to sit out, which was really a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”
The injury was originally considered career-threatening.
“For a while there, I was definitely scared that I wasn’t going to get to finish out my volleyball career. It’s hard coming back from an injury — physically getting your body back and getting your muscle memory back. You doubt yourself a lot. You lose any confidence that you had.
“The coaches did a great job of really helping me get back into the role to where I could pick up where I left off. I had a pretty good rehab team. The coaches worked with me however they could to make me feel good again and confident. All I wanted out of that surgery was the ability to play volleyball again, which Dr. Dillingham gave me.
“It was a really hard time last year, and last fall especially. But it’s made it so much more sweet to be back now. I’m so happy to be back. I don’t have the nervousness that I used to have. I’m confident in the way that I play. I love my team and I love my coaches. I’m trying to embrace my last couple of months here, because I know that in the blink of an eye I’m going to be done with Santa Clara and I’ll be on my way. I’m excited to be here.
“I actually feel really good. I feel great about my offense. I’m not really worried about being a step slower or not being able to hit as hard as I used to. I think I’m right there.”
Cmaylo experienced a lot of ups and downs in her recovery from shoulder surgery, said Broncos coach Jon Wallace.
“Now she is in a very good spot in that she is practicing hard every day and is being the great player that she is,” the coach said. “She is still in pain, but being a fifth-year student-athlete, she knows how to manage and deal with that pain. I’m very impressed with her comeback from such a tough injury.”
Cmaylo graduated on time, earning degrees in political science and environmental studies. She is now fulfilling studies in her French minor while taking one other class.
“We expect a lot from Anna as she comes back to us as a two-time All-American,” said Wallace. “She will carry a big load for our team offensively. We expect her to be the seasoned veteran that she is who will show great leadership at critical times in matches. And, of course, we expect her to have another great season on the court.”
As a junior in 2006, she was named AVCA All-America honorable mention, becoming Santa Clara’s second two-time All-American. She was named to the All-WCC First-Team for the second year in a row. She led the WCC with a .405 hitting percentage, which was also eighth-best in the nation and also the highest single-season hitting percentage in Santa Clara history. She posted double-figure kills in 18 matches, while hitting over .400 in 16. Starting all 28 matches, she also averaged 3.89 kills and 1.12 blocks a game.
As a sophomore in 2005, she became Santa Clara’s fifth AVCA All-American recipient, picking up Third-Team honors. She participated in 30 matches, compiling 336 kills and 117 total blocks in 103 games, ending the year with a .356 hitting percentage. She was selected to the 12-member All-Pacific Region team. She was named to the All-WCC First Team.
As a freshman in 2004, she was voted Best Offensive Player and Most Improved by teammates. She ranked fifth in the WCC in hitting percentage (.308) and seventh in blocks (1.15 pg).
“Anna’s strengths as a volleyball player come from her strengths as a person,” said Wallace. “As a player, she is one of the best attackers in the nation. What makes her so great is that she is a great person to be around and people want to play hard for her and around her. She makes people feel very comfortable in life and on the court. And, as nice as she is, she is a fierce competitor.”
Santa Clara opens the season with an eight-match road swing that begins on Saturday in Salt Lake City at the Utes Invitational hosted the University of Utah. The Broncos open the season against the Wolverines of Utah Valley and then face tournament host Utah on Sunday.
Cmaylo has legitimized Santa Clara as a top-15 program in the nation, Wallace said.
“She is the perfect student-athlete,” said Wallace. “She is an All-American on three levels: as a student, a volleyball player and a person. She is a great representation of what we want in our Bronco program.”
She likes the look of the Broncos and the way practices have been going.
“We’re starting to feel like we can play some great volleyball this year. This team is awesome. I’ve seen nothing but great things so far. I’m surrounded by just a great group of people. I can’t imagine not being part of this team. I love the program so much. Just because I had shoulder surgery, I don’t think my expectations have dwindled at all.”
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