Virginia volleyball setter Megan Wilson enters her senior season seventh on the all-time assists list at UVA. With the spring disruptions due to CCVID-19, Wilson shares how life as a volleyball student-athlete has changed as well as the impact on her school work as an astrophysics major.
 
Q: How/where are you spending your time away from Grounds?
 
Wilson: I’m in my glorious homeland of Maryland during this time. Other than keeping up with all the work for my courses, I’ve picked up yoga and started focusing on building healthy habits so that I can enter my fourth year in the best place possible. 
 
Q: What has the adjustment been like to taking online classes, especially with your major?
 
Wilson: I’ve found that staying engaged is absolutely key. It is so easy to do other things during lecture time, but dedicating time to give 100 percent of myself to class helps me stay on track. Chatting with the other kids in my major is also super important, so to keep in touch we Zoom a lot and keep our group chat up and running.
 
Q: How are you keeping yourself motivated and on track?
 
Wilson: Staying in a routine is so important, and as much as I’d like to, I try not to sleep in too often. Reflecting on past seasons and gearing up for my final year keeps me motivated to show up as prepared as I can be. 
 
Q: How are you staying in touch with teammates?
 
Wilson: We Zoom as a team every Tuesday and Thursday and we also Zoom with just the players too. Of course, we also keep our group chats active and stay in touch on social media. 
 
Q: For those who may not know, what is the typical day in the life of volleyball like in spring semester and how has that changed due to the coronavirus?
 
Wilson: On a typical spring day, we would be up in the gym practicing by seven and finish our lift and conditioning by 10:30. After that is reserved for classes and studying. Now, I try to stick to a schedule, but definitely not as rigorous as a normal spring season. I will go to my classes first then workout in the afternoon. 
 
Q: How are you working on volleyball right now and what are some of the unique challenges being away from the team right now?
 
Wilson: Nikki puts quizzes together for us that focus on reading the hitter and the setter. It’s hard to not be able to play as a team, so those quizzes are designed to keep our minds sharp. I miss it a lot, and there is only so much I can do on my own to sharpen my skills, but I’m so excited for next season.
 
Q: You all finished the 2019 season on a high note with perhaps two of the best performances of the season. Where do you think this team is at heading into your senior season?
 
Wilson: I can definitely see us being a very elite team this next season. We have a strong group of ladies who have a lot of experience under their belt, and I am confident that everyone is on board with our goals. Finishing our last season strong gave us a lot of confidence that will carry over into this year.
 
Q: Have you picked up anything new (hobby, etc.) during your spare time?
 
Wilson: I’m learning to cook more, especially meals that I can easily replicate when I’m at school. I’m also getting back into yoga and reading a bit more in my spare time.
 
Q: What do you miss most about UVA right now?
 
Wilson: Definitely the team and training. As much as it sucks to get up super early and train hard, it is so incredibly rewarding to work hard and bond with my teammates through that. Obviously, I’m missing the girls right now too, as much as they get on my nerves sometimes, I don’t know what I’d do without them.
 
Q: What’s the first thing you will do when you return to Grounds?
 
Wilson: Probably play volleyball. I literally have nightmares about not being able to perform, and playing actual games is an itch that I just can’t scratch right now. Also, I’ll probably go to Canes or Cookout or something because they don’t have those southern chains in Maryland.