To know anything about Nellie Spicer’s volleyball career at UCLA, one need not look beyond UCLA women’s volleyball coach Andy Banachowski.
Upon entering Banachowski’s office on the second floor of the J.D. Morgan Center, one is greeted by more than his firm handshake and optimistic smile.
Sitting behind the Bruins’ coach of 42 years are about a dozen All-American and All-Pac-10 plaques that his players have earned over the past few years ““ on no fewer than seven of those plaques, Spicer’s name is engraved.
“She stepped right in coming in as a freshman and took over the reins,” Banachowski said. “She has been the leader of the team during her time here.”
In her four years at UCLA, Spicer brought it all for the Bruins: numbers, leadership and commitment.
Spicer is one of two Bruins to record at least 6,000 career assists. The only other player to have more sets than Spicer is former Bruin Erika Selsor.
Spicer played in 134 matches as a Bruin, 133 of which were starts. Standing at third in all-time digs at UCLA, with 1,299, Spicer had also been a key defensive player for the Bruins.
“I think the thing that we’ll miss most is her precision, her location with her setting,” Banachowski said.
Being such a reliable setter for the past four years, it is obvious that the women’s volleyball team could not have performed as well as they did without Spicer, Banachowski said.
But Spicer, who was immediately thrust into the spotlight of starting at setter in her first match as a Bruin in 2005, was not expecting the immediate playing time.
“I didn’t think (starting) was actually a possibility from the start,” Spicer said, “but at the same time, being a competitor, obviously that was my goal.”
That said, she was in no way unprepared for her job with the Bruins.
“Coming here, I knew what was going to be demanded of me from the start,” Spicer said. “Having a good staff and teammates, it has really helped me out a bunch to accomplish what I want to accomplish while I’ve been here, as well as help out the program.”
After earning All-Pac-10 honors in her first season, Spicer entered her second season ready to make a serious run in the NCAA tournament until suddenly the team was struck with disaster.
The Bruins’ assistant coach Kim Jagd was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Jagd was a leader in practices and matches, but the illness took a toll on her strength and energy. Her battle further motivated Spicer and the rest of the women’s volleyball squad to make a run to the NCAA Final Four.
“Watching her fight and her passion everyday coming to the gym just showed me truly what perseverance is,” Spicer said.
The Bruins eventually fell to Nebraska in its home state in the national semifinals, but Spicer explained that the thrill of the Final Four still resonates with her today.
“The Final Four is an amazing experience, especially in Nebraska where they have such a good fan base,” Spicer said. With Spicer’s time as a Bruin behind her, Banachowski added that his team will sorely miss Spicer’s competitive nature.
“It’s just so infectious and everybody just follows her lead,” he said.
Spicer will be taking her competitiveness to the U.S. national team, with which she has been training over the past months in Anaheim.