On the court, Natasha Fomina is as energetic as they come. The 5-foot-10 sophomore outside hitter from Broomfield, Colorado had 289 kills and 116 digs last season and she’s on pace to rack up similar numbers in 2014.

Fomina, who transferred from Texas State after the 2012 season, attributes her play on the court to her fiery competitiveness.

“I think my competitiveness makes me a good player,” she said. “I hate losing more than I love winning, and that makes me play as hard as I can every time I step onto the court.”

Fomina’s teammates and coaches see the determination she plays with and it motivates them to play with the same type of intensity.

“[Natasha] is very competitive, fiery, and determined,” said coach Stephanie Radecki. “She works hard and when people see that, they’re going to want to be in that realm as well.”

Fomina loves volleyball, a sport she picked up in eighth grade, and even has a little family history in the sport.

I started playing volleyball in eighth grade. My mom wanted me to start earlier because she was a setter on the Belarusian national team,” she said. “I was never interested until my neighbor who played convinced me [to play], and I’ve loved it ever since.

“I was actually born in Belarus and moved to America when I was five, and most people around me call me Natasha but Natalja is my real name. I can still speak Russian.”

Fomina is majoring in marketing right now and has a plan for when her volleyball days are over.

“I either want to work in sports or entertainment marketing or work in the creative department of a magazine,” she said.

Outside of volleyball, Fomina enjoys just getting out of the house.

“I love doing anything outdoors, and I love being out on the river here, tubing and wakeboarding,” she said. “I just wish we got some real snow!”

Frisbee golf, bowling, and hiking also top the list of activities Fomina enjoys, but volleyball is still her true passion.

“If I wasn’t playing volleyball I probably wouldn’t be very productive,” she said. “I’m happy I have it and I can’t imagine what I’d do without it.”