Juarez' native and volleyball standout Marian Ovalle has had successful season at NMMI
Growing up in nearby Juarez, Marian Ovalle began her journey as a volleyball player at a young age with dreams of making it to a much larger stage.
She's well on her way. The talented outside hitter is currently starring for New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico, a junior college with a history of success on the volleyball court.
Ovalle, who is 5-foot-8 and is an outside hitter, has helped NMMI continue that success in 2021 and the 30-4 team is headed to Hutchinson, Kansas, this week for the National Junior Athletic Association national tournament.
And on top of that outstanding season, Ovalle signed to play with UTEP volleyball last week.
"Marian is a well rounded player for us and she's really grown into a complete player," NMMI coach Shelby Fortchner said. "Her confidence level is high right now and her work ethic has been tremendous for us. She's been a leader."
Ovalle ranks eighth in NJCAA Division I with 452 kills and points with 544. She averages 4.6 points a set, which ranks fourth-best in the nation. She had a season-best 29 kills during a five-set win against Iowa Western on Oct. 16. In addition, Ovalle has tallied 36 service aces, 348 digs, 12 solo blocks and 88 block assists in 34 matches.
"Coming into this season, I really wanted to become a better all around player," Ovalle said. "Coming into the season I felt strong and felt more confident. This season has really been amazing for us. My teammates have pushed me to be better and so have the coaches. I've learned so much and I just want to keep building on what I'm doing."
Ovalle gained plenty of confidence prior to the start of the fall season when she played for the 23-and-under Mexican national volleyball team that captured a silver medal at the Pan American Cup in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in August.
She earned the best opposite hitter at the tournament by the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation.
"Playing at that level meant something special to me because I was able to represent my family and my country," Ovalle said. "It was a proud moment for my entire family and was an inspiration to be able to play in those games."
Growing up in Juarez, she sometimes traveled to El Paso to play against teams here in the borderland and compete with club teams. That's when she attracted the attention of UTEP coach Ben Wallis.
Wallis and Ovalle began to develop a strong relationship and last week, Ovalle signed to play for UTEP beginning next season and she'll have three years of eligibility remaining.
"I can't wait to be close to home," Ovalle said. "My family can some see me play. I have my parents and two brothers who are very supportive and always help push me. This season was tough because they weren't able to come see me play and that's important to me. But they have watched my matches on streaming and I know they support me. I know they want to come see me play as well and it'll happen again, just have to be patient."
Said Wallis: "Mirian is a talented scorer and she has a well rounded game. I'm really looking forward to seeing her come play for us and be a major contributor. She's a great kid and has a strong determination."
Because the border crossings are now open to those vaccinated, she's hopeful her family will see her in the future at UTEP's Memorial Gym, where the Miners play their home matches.
"Playing for UTEP will be special for many reasons," Ovalle said. "I want to be at my best for my family and make them proud. UTEP's program is improving all the time and it can be a special place to build something special."
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Felix F. Chavez may be reached at 915-546-6167; fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezeptimes on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP lands standout volleyball player Marian Ovalle from Juarez
