Thursday, December 3, 1998
Lawson sparks team’s spirits
FEATURE: Walk-on fulfills life-long dream as Bruin, playing on
winning squad
By Nick Taylor
Daily Bruin Contributor
There have been many inspirational leaders for the Bruins this
year and "Rhonda" may be the most dynamic of them all.
Rhonda is the rock star on the team. She wears a rainbow hair
bow along with muscle shirts and has a mischievous, impish
personality .
In fact, she usually causes trouble, and the team blames
everything on her. Apparently, coach Andy Banachowski cut her from
the team, but senior Mandi Lawson said that she usually lurks near
practice.
"Andy won’t admit it," said Lawson, "But, I think he likes her.
I think he thinks Rhonda adds a lot to the team."
The surprise is that Rhonda and Mandi Lawson are none other than
one and the same, and both have been an integral part of the
team.
As a defensive specialist, Lawson starts regularly in
Banachowski’s eight-man rotation. She begins the game on the bench
but comes in once Elisabeth "Whiz" Bachman rotates to the server
spot. Lawson immediately serves and provides superb defense for the
streaking Bruins, currently ranked No. 15.
Lawson boasts impressive stats, but numbers themselves don’t
tell enough about her.
Lawson is a walk-on player for the Bruins. Unlike most of her
teammates, she does not have a scholarship and was not recruited to
play for UCLA. In fact, Lawson, a Manhattan Beach native, spent her
first two years at North Carolina State. She had a full-scholarship
opportunity to play for the Wolfpack and did not pass it up; she
enjoyed her years there.
"I thought (going to the East Coast) would be a good
experience," Lawson said. "My first year was great because
everything was new."
Lawson played two years for NC State as their defensive
specialist. She posted 130 digs and 51 service aces in 235 games
played (67 matches) and was about to return to North Carolina State
for her junior year.
After her sophomore year, Lawson came home for the summer and
found she just couldn’t leave California. She decided in July that
she had to try and fulfill her dream of attending UCLA.
"UCLA was my dream school; all of my family had gone there. So I
decided to walk-on and try out."
Banachowski had heard about Lawson, but he made no promises to
her. She would have to earn her way onto the team.
Would Lawson cut it with the scholarship players? No problem.
She earned a spot in the starting rotation after a month and played
in the Bruins first 17 matches before she sprained her medial
collateral ligament in her left knee. Lawson was out for the year
and unable to play in the NCAA tournament.
Would it hold her back? No way. Although she didn’t get up to
playing-speed until the summer, Lawson was determined to earn back
her spot. She was at 100 percent but didn’t quite know where she
would fit in the Bruins’ plans.
"Things had changed," Lawson said. "We had lots of freshmen, and
I didn’t know what to expect."
When practice started though, her instincts kicked in and Lawson
was off and running.
"I feel I’m playing the best volleyball of my life," said
Lawson.
Exactly. Both Lawson and the Bruins have been hitting,
literally, on all cylinders. As any coach will tell you, defense
wins games, and that holds true with the Bruins.
The team is in sync. According to Lawson, they all get along
with each other so well they "look forward to practice and being in
the gym together."
They are also very excited about their winning streak, which has
vaulted them straight into the NCAAs. They all can’t wait,
especially Lawson.
"I’m really, really looking forward to the tournament. I’ve
never played in the NCAAs before," Lawson said.
She also wants to represent the university well when the Bruins
make it. The UCLA tradition is so strong, and it gives her so much
pride, that it really makes a difference.
"It was such an accomplishment for me," she said, "to make the
team, get to play, have a role and contribute."
UCLA is just as happy to have Lawson here. She wants to stay as
long as she can, majoring in business and economics with a minor in
accounting.
It is a heavy load for her, but as Lawson said, "I’m in no hurry
to graduate."
Lawson hopes to pursue either a pro-beach volleyball career, or
a career in the FBI. While those fields don’t seem to mix, anyone
whose alter ego fires up the team must be qualified to hunt down
the most wanted.
While criminals can run unafraid of "Rhonda," Bruin opponents
cannot find a way to stop her. But can anyone? Rhonda certainly
found her way into the hearts of her teammates and coaches. "Rhonda
for sure had to be mentioned," Lawson said.
Yes, she did, and the Bruins are glad to have her. DANIELA
DECCA
Senior Mandi Lawson’s energy has been a source of inspiration
for the women’s volleyball team.
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