Natalie Marsh, a senior middle hitter from Cincinnati, will be playing her last season of volleyball at UNA this year.

Marsh, 23, has been playing volleyball for nine years. She has been playing for UNA’s team since 2010.

Marsh receives an athletic scholarship at UNA, where she is a middle hitter for the volleyball team. On Sept. 13, she was named GSC Offensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row after hitting .294 average in 11 games against Queens, Nova Southeastern and Saint Leo.

Marsh was a first team All-Gulf South Conference selection last season, and she received an honorable mention All-South Region from the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

She was ranked second on UNA’s team with 311 kills and 350 digs last year. She recorded 12 assists and 24 service aces with 50 total blocks, and 11 double-doubles on the year.

Marsh’s inspiration to play volleyball comes from her family. Her sister, Emily, and two cousins, played at the collegiate level, and one of them played professionally.

“I always looked up to them,” Marsh said. “I was always in the gym when my sister was practicing.”

She played soccer up until 8th grade before deciding to play volleyball.

Marsh played for two other colleges before coming to UNA. She played for the University of Kentucky, where she helped the Wildcats advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2006.

She also played for Kishwaukee Community College in 2007, where she was named All-American and first team all-tournament of the conference championships.

After taking a couple of years off to work, Marsh came to UNA to complete her education in 2010.

“I decided that it’d be better (than working without a degree) to go back and get an education,” Marsh said. “And I missed volleyball too much.”

Marsh said she chose UNA because head coach Stephanie Radecki had been trying to get her on the team for three years, and she would be able to get scholarship here.

Marsh does not plan to play volleyball professionally. In fact, the current season at UNA is the last season she plans to play.

“My knees are done,” she said. “This is definitely my last year.”

Marsh is majoring in Early Childhood Education. After college, she plans to work on her career. She plans to graduate this May.

Marsh and the rest of the No. 21 ranked Lions are scheduled to play at home against New Orleans Friday at 7 p.m. and West Florida Saturday at 2 p.m. in Flowers Hall.