Cal State San Marcos head volleyball coach Andrea Leonard had a message for Oceanside native and freshman middle blocker Hazel Livingston-Jones as she entered the season: get overwhelmed, but don’t get frustrated.
The Cougars, a team in transition, came into the season having lost nine seniors and returning only one starter. Leonard replaced a veteran lineup that went 9-16 last season with nine true freshmen and two redshirt freshmen.
Through the first nine games, CSUSM struggled, dropping eight matches, but Leonard says the record doesn’t tell the whole story.
“Looking at the record, it’s deceiving,” Leonard said. “We knew we were going to be challenged this year. We intentionally brought in freshmen because we saw their potential. While they’re talented, they lack the speed and experience that upperclassmen have. Volleyball doesn’t give you time to develop; you have to go with what you have. What doesn’t show in the record books is our resilience, tenacity, and volleyball IQ — we’re working on that every day.”
Central to the Cougars’ rebuilding effort is Livingston-Jones, a 5-foot-9 graduate of Rancho Buena Vista High School. Her height and athleticism are evident, but with only two years of lower-level club experience, the pace and intensity of Division II volleyball have been a shock.
“It’s definitely been a big jump, especially with the speed of the game,” she said. “Setters can hide who they’re setting to, and the sets and hitters are much faster. The adjustment has been more mental than physical — I know I’m athletic, but it’s really about volleyball IQ and knowing what moves to make and when.”
“She’s in the starting lineup because of her athleticism and her drive, but her lack of experience at this speed is showing,” Leonard added. “We’ve had to adjust her lateral footwork, how she transitions off the net, and her timing on pressing over the net. She’s learning to read hitter routes, setter cues, and whether the ball is passed on or off the net — all things she didn’t have to focus on before. It can be overwhelming.”
The middle blocker position itself poses unique challenges for a freshman.
“She has to read the play in front of her,” Leonard said. “Setters are more deceptive at this level, and she has to anticipate hitter rotations rather than just react. Her lateral movement, transitions, and timing all have to be faster — landing, pushing off, and getting up in two steps instead of four — while staying in position to make the play.”
“I feel like all of our middles and I are doing a good job adjusting to the block, but it’s probably the hardest part,” Livingston-Jones said. “The game is so much faster, and your volleyball IQ has to be way higher than it was in club.”
Through six matches this season, Livingston-Jones has tallied 13 total blocks, 17 kills on 39 attempts with 12 errors, five assists, and two aces.
“We’ve got to take some chances with her and let her learn on the court,” Leonard said. “We’re giving her playing time right away because we see her potential. It may not fully show until midseason, but she’s already made significant strides, and soon she’ll start making real impact plays in the middle.”
With early-season losses mounting, Leonard wants the team to focus on “small wins.” For Livingston-Jones, that means refining her timing — whether blocking or attacking — and starting in a “loaded” position, anticipating plays rather than reacting.
“On the mental side, I’m working on being my own inner coach instead of my own inner critic,” she said.
Opening CCAA play on Sept. 19 with a three-set loss to San Francisco State, Leonard — who has guided the program since its inception in 2011 — knows that growing pains and early losses in what she calls the toughest Division II conference are inevitable.
“Like in life, we can’t get so caught up in outcomes that we forget the little things,” Leonard said. “We’re not peaking yet; we’re climbing a hill. With eight freshmen, often five on the court, we’re asking them to perform like upperclassmen. Focus on what you can control, take it one point at a time, and the wins — and eventually championships — will follow.”
For Leonard, the Cougars’ potential is most evident in Livingston-Jones.
“She’s going to be one of the best players in our program,” Leonard said. “Physically, she has incredible potential, but her mindset sets her apart. She’s competitive, embraces challenges, and that’s what makes her so exciting for us.”
“Watching myself in practices and games, and meeting with the coaches, has been huge,” Livingston-Jones said. “It shows me where I need to improve — whether it’s my eye work on hitters or my timing. Extra work outside practice, even in the weight room for speed, helps me lock in and really grow. That’s boosting my volleyball IQ and keeping me in step with the speed of the game.”
