Delaney Rohan is a senior ready to make her last stand. Rohan has been one of Georgia State’s best players during her time with the Panthers and continued to lead the team this season.
This offseason she was named to the preseason All-Conference team, which is selected by the coaches of the CCSA.
Rohan started playing Volleyball when she was nine years old.
“I started playing indoor volleyball when I was nine years old and have been playing nonstop since. Beach volleyball became an official NCAA sport right around the time I was getting recruited, so I switched gears when I was 15 and traveled the country to play beach volleyball,” Rohan said
Rohan is from Brooklyn Park, Minn, where she played volleyball for Totino-Grace. She had a very decorated career during her time there. She was named the conference MVP during the 2012 season, and she was named to the all-conference during that season as well. Rohan also set personal and school records while playing at Totino-Grace.
Once she finished her prep career, it was time to move onto the next level. Beach Volleyball wasn’t a popular thing when Rohan was playing finishing high school, and that went into her decision.
“Only twenty or so schools had beach volleyball when I was getting recruited. Beth Van Fleet had established a solid program at GSU, and her awesome personality and coaching style made it hard to pass up,” Rohan said.
Beach Volleyball is an exciting sport because there are only two players on the court at once and there is a lot of ground to cover, but it has its advantages and disadvantages.
“It’s challenging only to have two people on the court, especially after many of us are used to having six from indoor. That being said, it’s so fun to be able to touch the ball more while playing on such a forgiving surface,” Rohan said.
Rohan started her career at Georgia State during the 2014 season. Rohan went 16-10 during her freshman campaign and 11-5 with her partner Alexis Townsend.
Rohan has had a lot of different players during her career, but it has not stopped her from getting better.
“I enjoy getting to play with different partners because it makes you a better player. You have to be very adaptable, be able to communicate with different personalities, and work to make your partner look the best she possibly can,” Rohan said.
In total, Rohan played with three different partners and had a winning record with every single one.
During her sophomore campaign, Rohan went 21-7. She just continued to get better and better.
“I’m always striving to get better, and that starts in practice every day. It’s always helpful to go back to the basics and drill the fundamentals. My teammates challenge me everyday to become the best that I can be,” Rohan said.
Whatever she does certainly work and it showed off during her Junior season. That year Rohan went 29-6. Her 29 wins are the third-most for a single season during that season. Seh also has a winning percentage of .829 is the highest in school history.
Most of those wins came with her partner Milani Pickering. The pairing leads Georgia State to the inaugural CCSA tournament championship match. She was also named to the all-tournament team for her performance. Thee pairing also won a match against No.6 Arizona during the NCAA tournament.
“The whole team worked incredibly hard all year to prepare for that moment. We put that preparation into action as we battled against many tough teams to make it to the championship game. It was an honor to be named to the all-tournament team with so many great pairs, and I only have my teammates and coaches to thank for putting me in that position,” Rohan said.
Rohan is the true definition of a student-athlete because she gets it on in both the classroom and on the court. During her time at Georgia State, Rohan has made President’s list, Dean’s List, and the Athletic honor roll three times.
“Time-management is a skill that student-athletes begin to master after a few years. Although it’s hard to find time between practicing, weight lifting, conditioning, and treatments, as a senior, I’ve learned to use my spare time wisely, which means using those 30 minutes between classes to study,” Rohan said.
The things like that are what separate the good from the great. Rohan is off to a pretty decent start this season, and if her previous history if success is any indicator then she will have a very successful season this year.
Rohan loves love for the game is what makes her so good, and helps her to keep going.
“I love the relaxed atmosphere that comes with the sport, Rohan said. There’s always music blasting, and it doesn’t hurt to turn and see the ocean during a match!”
