There's nothing like being a New Mexico State Aggie.  As a freshmen very few people plan to be a redshirt athlete.  Nobody says "Oh boy, I get to sit out for a full year!!!?? This is great!" And that's exactly how I felt when I learned that returning to NMSU after playing a season at Florida would only come with a consequence. 

I’m the oldest player on the team, I recently turned 23.  My bones and muscles (or lack thereof) are feeling the toll of old age.  I once asked Coach Jordan if I could have 15 extra minutes to warm up before matches to get the blood flowing again haha.  So being older has its obvious disadvantages.  On the other hand, the advantages are serious profit in terms of maturity.  I’m expected to be a leader on our team and a very consistent player.  These are examples of two responsibilities I fully accept.  I also know the way things have been run for the past five years so it comes in handy when my younger teammates have questions about college, coaches, traveling, scheduling, Las Cruces, boys and life in general.  I’m proud to have this responsibility and thanks to old age the past several years have taught me how to handle all these aspects of life. And I hope that I can pass these skills onto my younger teammates so they may have the greatest five years of their life too.

This fifth year of being  a part of the Aggie volleyball team has been a real blessing.  And I truly feel like my transfer and redshirt season were divine intervention so that I could be an Aggie just one more year. Getting a chance to play with this year’s freshmen is such a privilege.  They are dynamic and athletic, a fantastic bunch that I know I can help grow as players on the court.  I love to coach just as much as I love to play so getting the chance to watch and help them develop skills and mentalities that they might not have had during high school is a benefit I would not have had if I didn’t stay at NMSU for an extra year.

While I’m thrilled to play with the freshmen I’m unexplainable blessed to play with the rest of my teammates again as well, for I missed them more than anything while I was away at Florida.  The relationships on this team thrive with time and that’s exactly what I’m experiencing with each and every one of my teammates.  I know these young women will be people I will have lifelong connections with and I’m thankful for their friendship, support and most of all laughter.

So transferring cost me a year of the uniform but like I said, there is nothing like being an Aggie.


#3 Brynja Rodgers


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Hey aggie fans!!

I'm Deirdre Pajares and I am a sophomore this year! I am really looking forward to this season not only because of the great talent we have this year but also because our expectations for each other are definitely higher than what we had last year. My freshmen year was kind of rough for me.. I was just coming off of a total knee reconstruction and I was struggling to get back to how I was playing before I hurt myself. So two knee surgeries later, I am back as a sophomore! I couldn't be more excited! Besides the fact that we have a ton of talent, we have a bunch of REALLY great girls that have become our "home away from home" family. As a freshmen it is pretty easy to get lost and not know how to prioritize your time. So this year I know a little more of what to expect and how to stay ahead of the game. This season will be GREAT for us! So thank you everyone for your continued support and can't wait to see yall in the PAN AM!! 

#31 Deirdre Pajares:))

Hello Crimson Fans!

My name is Bradley Nash, and I'm from a small town called Kayenta--its on the Navajo Reservation in Northeastern Arizona. I loved growing up there; the support the athletes received was wonderful and helped me develop a good sense of pride and school spirit--something that has definitely transferred as I've come here to NMSU. The competition was pretty dang good but there was one problem: I was a good distance from any club volleyball organization. So while most collegiate athletes are picked up during club season, I never got that opportunity. It has made the transition slightly more difficult, I believe, because although nothing quite compares to the speed of Division I volleyball, club-caliber competition is probably a lot closer to it than high school ball. Although I wish I could have been able to play club ball, especially since I love volleyball so much, my high school did play year round, and I also played basketball, which is a pretty big deal on the reservation, so I was constantly competing athletically. Through this tough transition, I have found that the upperclassmen have been really helpful, as well as the coaches. I have a feeling the success of Aggie Volleyball will only continue to thrive, and nothing less! I hope all you Aggie fans come watch our always exciting, nail biting, kung fu fighting (thank you my wonderful roomie Meredith Hays for that lovely description) matches all season!

GO AGGIES!

Bradley Nash #9

                                      Hello!

      For those of you who don't know, I am from a tiny 1A high school in the small town of Elfrida, AZ. My graduating class had about 35 kids in it, so as you can imagine, it has been a huge transition from high school to here at NMSU! However, I am absolutely loving my experience here so far both on and off the court. The change in level of play for one, is huge. I love having great competition and an AMAZING team to play with. Especially with all the team chemistry that showed right from the very beginning! As for off the court I love the fact that I can meet someone new almost every day. Everyone on campus is incredibly friendly and Las Cruces already feels like home! Although the change from such a small school to a university was a bit intimidating at first, I am so thankful that I took the opportunity to come here and be an Aggie! 

#23 Gwen Murphy

Going on the first road trip to UNM was very enjoyable. Bonding with the team and having that first experience of playing on the road was a lot of fun. Even though car rides aren't typically anything special, the unity the team is starting to form is exciting to see happen. The chemistry of the team is already very strong, so for it to be only the beginning is remarkable. All the hard work we put in during double days and practices is really starting to show when facing other opponents. Getting to play someone else besides ourselves really gave us a feel for where we are at. Expectation levels are set very high and working to achieve them is what we all are striving to do. This season is going to be a great one.  We're bonding already as you can see in the picture

#19 KIley Mansfield