Temple University Athletics
Izzy Overseas: Temple Volleyball’s Rapacz Makes Her Mark as a European Professional
5.23.19 | Women's Volleyball
Season one as a professional volleyball player is in the books for Owls' alum, Izabella "Izzy" Rapacz. The right side hitter recently wrapped up her rookie campaign with Enea Energetyk Poznan in the top Polish professional league.
Rapacz's rise to the professional ranks started from day one at Temple, but it wasn't easy. As a freshman, she played in just 39 sets in 16 matches during her first collegiate season with 66 total kills. However, even then, Rapacz knew she wanted to play professionally. So, she put in the work during the offseason and made huge strides, firming up her path to professional volleyball.
"Ever since I had the opportunity to play at the Division I level, I knew I wanted to play professionally," said Rapacz. "I always believed it was a possibility however, I really felt like I would be able to handle it after my junior year. I got first-team all-conference for the first time and realized I could only get better from there. I also knew from the beginning I had coaches with a lot of international experience, so I knew I was in good hands."
Rapacz finished with three All-Conference selections, earning the distinction as a sophomore, junior, and senior, with back-to-back first team selections. Temple's first ever American Athletic Conference unanimous first team selection, she ended her time in Cherry and White with 1,065 kills, 628 digs, 308 blocks, and 37 aces, earning the numbers in mostly three seasons of action.
Following her graduation from Temple as one of the Owls' most accomplished student-athletes, Rapacz spent two months in training camp in Poland before her season started in October. Enea Energetyk's schedule finished in April, and Rapacz is back in the states preparing for her next contract.
While the transition to her professional career wasn't easy, Rapacz's work ethic kept her on track.
"It took me two weeks just to get used to the ball before I could train properly," she noted.
But despite the physical differences between playing NCAA Volleyball in the states and professional volleyball overseas, the biggest difference was mental.
"The biggest adjustment for me to make was the mentality," explained Rapacz. "I think this year was more about having my head on straight and having a good thought process, than learning new things on the court."
High-level volleyball is all about who is mentally stronger. Overseas, year by year, you have a smaller and smaller error margin. Coaches expect the best out of you at every practice, every game, so, consistency is something that I have continued to work on."
One thing that Rapacz didn't have to adjust to was the language, as she speaks Polish. A dual citizen of Poland and the United States, she was born in Poland but she grew up in Glenview, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Rapacz also comes from a long line of accomplished athletes, as her mother, Dorota, played volleyball in Poland and her father, Grzegorz, played professional soccer there.
As her career went on at Temple and Rapacz shined, she was selected by the coaching staff to attend the USA Volleyball Open tryouts. She credits both her Temple experience and her USA experience with helping her prepare for professional volleyball.
"Playing at Temple definitely prepared me for this next level," said Rapacz. "Year-by-year I was learning more aspects of the game. You're expected to do more than your job here. For example, every player needs to be ready to put up a good second ball so there is a chance for a counterattack."
USAV tryouts definitely helped me with the speed of the game and having endurance. Teams here are so experienced; rallies that go over 30 seconds to a minute are increased. So, it is a combination of being mentally strong and having the strength after a minute-long play to finally put the ball away."
Despite having to adjust to the professional game, Rapacz made the transition seamlessly. After her first ever professional volleyball match, she was named the MVP.
With one professional season in the books, and many more to come, Rapacz wants to pass along some advice to the current Owls that she would have told herself on preparing for a professional career.
"If I could tell my freshman and sophomore year something, it would be to start getting involved in European volleyball earlier," she said. "I wanted to play overseas so bad, but I never kept up with the leagues, teams, scores, all the tournaments and cups, and rarely did I watch European volleyball. Then, try and incorporate that into my every day training at Temple."
Rapacz's rise to the professional ranks started from day one at Temple, but it wasn't easy. As a freshman, she played in just 39 sets in 16 matches during her first collegiate season with 66 total kills. However, even then, Rapacz knew she wanted to play professionally. So, she put in the work during the offseason and made huge strides, firming up her path to professional volleyball.
"Ever since I had the opportunity to play at the Division I level, I knew I wanted to play professionally," said Rapacz. "I always believed it was a possibility however, I really felt like I would be able to handle it after my junior year. I got first-team all-conference for the first time and realized I could only get better from there. I also knew from the beginning I had coaches with a lot of international experience, so I knew I was in good hands."
Rapacz finished with three All-Conference selections, earning the distinction as a sophomore, junior, and senior, with back-to-back first team selections. Temple's first ever American Athletic Conference unanimous first team selection, she ended her time in Cherry and White with 1,065 kills, 628 digs, 308 blocks, and 37 aces, earning the numbers in mostly three seasons of action.
Following her graduation from Temple as one of the Owls' most accomplished student-athletes, Rapacz spent two months in training camp in Poland before her season started in October. Enea Energetyk's schedule finished in April, and Rapacz is back in the states preparing for her next contract.
While the transition to her professional career wasn't easy, Rapacz's work ethic kept her on track.
"It took me two weeks just to get used to the ball before I could train properly," she noted.
But despite the physical differences between playing NCAA Volleyball in the states and professional volleyball overseas, the biggest difference was mental.
"The biggest adjustment for me to make was the mentality," explained Rapacz. "I think this year was more about having my head on straight and having a good thought process, than learning new things on the court."
High-level volleyball is all about who is mentally stronger. Overseas, year by year, you have a smaller and smaller error margin. Coaches expect the best out of you at every practice, every game, so, consistency is something that I have continued to work on."
One thing that Rapacz didn't have to adjust to was the language, as she speaks Polish. A dual citizen of Poland and the United States, she was born in Poland but she grew up in Glenview, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Rapacz also comes from a long line of accomplished athletes, as her mother, Dorota, played volleyball in Poland and her father, Grzegorz, played professional soccer there.
As her career went on at Temple and Rapacz shined, she was selected by the coaching staff to attend the USA Volleyball Open tryouts. She credits both her Temple experience and her USA experience with helping her prepare for professional volleyball.
"Playing at Temple definitely prepared me for this next level," said Rapacz. "Year-by-year I was learning more aspects of the game. You're expected to do more than your job here. For example, every player needs to be ready to put up a good second ball so there is a chance for a counterattack."
USAV tryouts definitely helped me with the speed of the game and having endurance. Teams here are so experienced; rallies that go over 30 seconds to a minute are increased. So, it is a combination of being mentally strong and having the strength after a minute-long play to finally put the ball away."
Despite having to adjust to the professional game, Rapacz made the transition seamlessly. After her first ever professional volleyball match, she was named the MVP.
With one professional season in the books, and many more to come, Rapacz wants to pass along some advice to the current Owls that she would have told herself on preparing for a professional career.
"If I could tell my freshman and sophomore year something, it would be to start getting involved in European volleyball earlier," she said. "I wanted to play overseas so bad, but I never kept up with the leagues, teams, scores, all the tournaments and cups, and rarely did I watch European volleyball. Then, try and incorporate that into my every day training at Temple."
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