Augusta, Ga. - It's been a good start to the year for the Augusta University volleyball team with several newcomers producing in a big way. One of them is Sofiia Snitsarevych, a freshman from Ukraine. She's started every match and is an important cog for the Jaguars. It's been a remarkable journey for Snitsarevych to get to Augusta.
 
At the age of 14, she and her family moved from Ukraine to Romania to escape the war. While the war was just starting, and her family was far from the fighting, they were taking no chances. Snitsarevych, her sister and mother moved first to neighboring Romania, and a few weeks later, her father was able to join them. It was a confusing time for the teenager.
 
"I didn't want to leave - that was my home," said Snitsarevych. "The fighting was not in my city, but we were by the sea and so the danger could come from there. We didn't know it was going to be for years. But I'm glad we left."
 
She was also concerned about her dad not joining them at the start. With the war underway, men were being forced into serving in the military and the borders were being closed. Fortunately, he found a job and was able to move as well.


 
Now that she is in Augusta, she still worries since she has relatives and friends in Ukraine. Snitsarevych doesn't consume all the news about her home but pays attention since her grandmother lives in a city that has been attacked.
 
While living in Romania, she was playing volleyball and was planning on going to a university there. She was playing in a European league with adults when Augusta University volleyball coach Sharon Quarles came across her profile and video of her.
 
She did plenty of vetting of Augusta, the city and the university, before making the decision to come to the states. Snitsarevych said she was a little scared since she would be traveling alone to the other side of the world to start her collegiate playing days. So far, she likes AU.
 
"I like being here. I like my classes. Teachers are so nice to me and all my classmates," said Snitsarevych.
 
Like any freshman, there are some growing pains. Throw in the fact she's so far from home, still learning the language and being an athlete, it's not easy. Balancing volleyball and schoolwork can be a daunting task for anyone.
 
Even the style of volleyball is different from Europe.
 
"I've had to make some adjustments because here, everything is based on communication. Sometimes that was hard, especially in the beginning because on my club team we didn't communicate that much on the court because everyone knows their job and that's it," said Snitsarevych.
 
She was also playing with adults in Romania at the highest level which also made her a better player.
 
"In adult volleyball, it doesn't matter how old you are. You have to work as hard as everyone else. It was so hard because I was not used to the speed. But after all the practices and conversations with the coach, I was able to adapt," added Snitsarevych.
 
 
Being a 16-year-old on the team was a challenge since everyone else was much older and had families of their own. But here, she's able to fit right in with the close-knit group of her teammates.
 
"I would say we hang out a lot, and I really like that," said Snitsarevych. "I like how we treat each other, how we communicate on and off the floor. We hang out together. We discuss how our day was. We see the support that makes everything easier."

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