Not knowing where the next chapter in his life would take him, Joe Norman decided to spend a semester at the State University of New York at New Paltz and make a push to win a National Championship. Knowing Norman's talent and athletic ability, former teammates and Hawks alumni Kevin Nardone and Christian Smith rallied behind his decision and informed Norman that he would be making the right choice by choosing SUNY New Paltz.
Norman strolled into preseason in jeans and a peacoat -- casual as always -- on January 2, 2016 ready to practice. No one knew who he was or how he could lead the team towards a successful season, but everyone immediately saw potential in his 6 foot, 9 inch stature. That year, the Hawks finished with 33 wins and two losses, ultimately becoming NCAA National Champions.
Nearly two years later, Norman is playing professional volleyball in Kastela, Croatia, suiting up for OK Mladost Kastela in the MEVZA League and getting the chance to participate in the Challenge Cup.
On the year, Norman has recorded an average of 13 kills on 30 attempts per game through nine matches. As the season continues to progress, Norman's stats continue to improve. In a recent game on Dec. 9 against Haok Mladost, Norman recorded 20 kills on 38 attempts, while adding an ace and block.
Current SUNY New Paltz student-athlete Mitchell Kennedy got in touch with Norman and asked about his experience as a Hawk, the road to the National Championship, and where it has led him now.
Joe, your decision to come to SUNY New Paltz came as a surprise to many teammates and even our coach, Radu [Petrus]. Why did you ultimately make this decision?
JN: After I stopped attending George Mason [University] I didn't exactly know what I wanted to do next. I knew I was a natural athlete and had a future in either physical training or volleyball. So, for a while I focused on building up my body and training on my off days to improve my beach volleyball skills. Living on Long Island, there are many opportunities to play on the beach or indoors because of how big the volleyball community is.
How was your experience attending SUNY New Paltz in the spring semester? Was it an easy transition to walk on to a team that you don't know?
JN: At first it was a little hard to get my bearing, but all the guys and coaches were really accepting of me and welcomed me in with open arms. They offered me a room to live in the volleyball house, which helped me mesh and form that connection with the teammates. I loved Radu and [assistant coach] Tony [Bonilla's] coaching style and the fact that they believed in us 100 percent. From day one when I stepped on the court they both believed we could win a national championship and they had us train in the mindset that we would win. Because of that, every game we played in we had the mindset that if we don't win this game then we don't deserve to win it all in the end. Sometimes coaches can get in the way of success, but Tony and Radu didn't do that. They let us create our own path to success. You could always count on Radu to put a smile on your face when you are nervous and you can always count on Tony to put you at ease when situations are uptight and tense.
How have you enjoyed your professional experience thus far?
JN: I love my experience in Croatia so far. It is much different than playing at the collegiate level. Primarily because it is the sole reason I am here; to play volleyball. The focus on getting better and excelling at the sport is at an all-time high. It was a bit of an adjustment at first, but I'm starting to find my stride. The level of play is very high and I'm gaining great experience.
