UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State University Athletics resumes its 'Student-Athlete Spotlight' feature, which focuses on different Cardinal student-athletes and what it means for them to be a part of the SVSU Athletics family.
The winter installment of the 'Student-Athlete Spotlight' series highlights Makenzie Frodle, a senior on the SVSU volleyball team and native of Fraser, Michigan who just completed her career in a Cardinal uniform.
Frodle had an outstanding senior season to finish her career in an SVSU uniform. The 6'0" middle hitter from Fraser, Michigan posted a GLIAC-leading .330 hitting percentage, registering 258 kills on the season for an average of 2.77 per-set. She added a team-high 80 blocks, an average of 0.86 per set and ninth best in the league. In addition to earning First Team All-GLIAC honors, Frodle was selected to the Daktronics, Inc. All-Midwest Region Second Team and as an AVCA All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention recipient. Makenzie finished her career with a 4.00 cumulative GPA as an English major, earning her 2014 CapitalOne Academic All-America Second Team honors for her performance in the classroom as well as on the court. Frodle holds a perfect 4.00 GPA as an English major.
She was honored as a Fall 2014 GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient, becoming just one of 12 SVSU student-athletes ever to earn the award.
SVSU Head Volleyball Coach Will Stanton had a few words on Frodle...
"Makenzie Frodle is the most focused and driven individual that I have coached here at SVSU. Her determination and drive for perfection are second to none, and it shows in her preparation and execution, both on the court and in the classroom. Her performance this season, and in her career overall, are an indication of Makenzie's ability to achieve whatever she sets her mind to. This season, Makenzie used her physical abilities, drive and focus to become one of the top Middle Hitters in the GLIAC and in the history of SVSU Volleyball."
We caught up with Makenzie recently and she shed some light on her experience here as a student-athlete at Saginaw Valley State University...
What about Saginaw Valley State University intrigued you and made you decide to study here?
I have been coming to SVSU since I was in 7th grade for Homecoming football games because this is where my stepdad attended school and played on the football team. I have grown up hearing his favorite stories of his time at SVSU, so I have always known that this was a place I could see myself spending my collegiate career. When I finally came on my official visit to SVSU, I was sure that this was the place I wanted to be. Not only was I attracted to the academic atmosphere, but I fell in love with what I saw within the athletic community. The athletic department’s focus on turning out phenomenal athletes who also perform well in the classroom was an idea that stuck with me, and the closeness of the volleyball girls I met on my visit made me want to be a part of such a tight-knit group of fun and passionate people.
What are the best aspects of being a student-athlete here at SVSU?
When I began my time at SVSU as a student-athlete, I was instantly surrounded by a new family. One of the best aspects of being a student-athlete at SVSU is the students themselves. I have been lucky enough to find a group of people who are just as passionate and hardworking as I am, and the athletic community as a whole is also extremely supportive. Even more so than the student-athletes I am now blessed to call some of my best friends, student-athletes at SVSU are given several opportunities that regular students are not privy to. Over the past three years, I have traveled to California twice with the track team and, I have been to both Florida and California with the volleyball team, all of these trips paid for through the athletic department. If it weren’t for my being a student-athlete I would not have the means to travel like this, and I feel truly blessed for these experiences as well as the opportunities I have had to compete against some of the best athletes in the country. In addition to the traveling opportunities, being a student-athlete at SVSU has opened up several other doors for me, including being chosen to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum where I was surrounded by an amazing group of student-athletes from around the country; introduced to some of the most important people in the world of college athletics; and encouraged and inspired to become a better athlete, leader, and contributor to society. These opportunities are immeasurable and irreplaceable, and if it were not for my status as a student-athlete I would have missed out on what I consider to be some of the greatest experiences of my life.
How has being a student-athlete at the collegiate level prepared you for your career after Saginaw Valley State University?
Whenever I am asked this question the first answer that comes to mind is that being a student-athlete in college has taught me incredible time management skills which will contribute greatly to the rest of my life. Being responsible for athletic success as well as a high level of academic achievement while also fitting in long practices, traveling on weekends, homework and projects, and those few blessed hours of sleep, I had to learn quickly how to budget my time to meet all of my responsibilities. This is not something that disappears as we transition from student-athlete, to student, to working citizen. When we graduate college, life does not slow down, and I know that in my future career as a teacher, this well-practiced time management will be an essential skill that will help me with lesson planning, classroom management, dedicating extra time to the well-being of my students, and hopefully coaching and raising a family. In addition to time management skills, I have learned a lot about myself—my strengths, my weakness, my abilities as a leader and a good communicator—and this self-awareness is unbelievably important when it comes to knowing how I am perceived by students and how I can and should interact with them. This also has helped me become a good collaborator, as I have learned how to work well with a team to achieve a common goal—and objective that is no stranger to the education system.
What are some of your fondest memories you will have as it pertains to your athletic career?
I’m sure there are many more memories than I can come up with right now, but the times I was able to spend with my teammates, some of whom have become my very best friends, are the memories I will cherish most when I think back to my time at SVSU. During my senior season at SVSU especially, I was blessed with the greatest group of teammates I could have imagined, and I will always think back to our team bonding trips over the summer that we spent getting to know one another as more than just volleyball players. Our most recent trip to California will be a memory that sticks with me forever when I think back to spending an evening at a luau with the team, learning (or trying to) how to surf in the Pacific Ocean, all made even better by the success on the volleyball court that we saw that weekend. I also think back to some of the experiences that I will never be able to have again. One of my favorite parts of the season is the Crossover Tournament between the GLIAC and the GLVC, where I found myself surrounded by 32 teams and some of the best DII volleyball players in the country. The feelings I experienced at the opening ceremony of the tournament while I looked around at every team lined up as the National Anthem was sung is one that is unsurpassable and unforgettable. And of course I can never forget my junior season when we entered the top half of the tournament by the skin of our teeth and ended up finishing 3-0 for the weekend. The feelings of accomplishment and pride in my team have never been so strong, and I will cherish that memory forever.
What does it mean to be part of the Cardinal Athletic Family?
I always hear that once you are a part of the Cardinal Athletic Family you are a part of it for life. And if my stepdad’s nostalgic stories and continued support of the program are not enough proof, the feeling of love and pride I feel when I think about my time here is one I know I will feel for life. The Cardinal Family has given me unparalleled experiences and opportunities, and our tradition of turning out phenomenal student-athletes is one that I am proud to have my name associated with. Now that I have been blessed with the privilege of calling myself a Cardinal, I know this is something I will hold onto as I continue to support SVSU athletics in any way that I can.