Team Tampa Bay's Take with Joey Johnston - Meet Our NIL Brand Ambassadors
Growing the Game with Liv Mogridge and Isabella D'Amico
By Joey Johnston
Georgia Tech coach Michelle Collier said playing ability is only part of the equation when she’s recruiting newcomers to her volleyball program.
“We’re very demanding, but we’re looking for good people, good teammates, people that represent our values, people who are accountable and treat others with respect,’’ Collier said. “Chemistry is important.’’
Ah, chemistry. That ever-elusive quality in sports sometimes separates good teams from great ones.
The Yellow Jackets are on the move as a volleyball program — three straight NCAA Tournament bids, a No. 16 final ranking last season, a program-tying Elite Eight appearance in 2021 — and Collier said she believes in the importance of having the puzzle pieces nicely fitting together.
When Georgia Tech appears in the Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational — a season-opening event staged Aug. 25-26 at downtown Tampa’s Amalie Arena and USF’s Yuengling Center — it will be particularly meaningful for a program newcomer, 6-foot-4 sophomore middle blocker Liv Mogridge.
She’s a graduate of Tampa’s Steinbrenner High School. After one season at North Carolina, her father’s alma mater, Mogridge opted to transfer within the ACC to Georgia Tech, mostly because of Collier’s influence and the program’s close-knit reputation.
“The thing with Georgia Tech is the great coaching, but also how they don’t just look at ability and skill, but also personality,’’ said Yellow Jackets setter Bella D’Amico, who is from Westerville, Ohio — in the shadow of Ohio State University. “They recruit people, not just players. And I think that translates in the way we play.
“We have a lot of academic challenges at Georgia Tech, so we’re all in this together. We play our hearts out, look out for each other and play off each other because we’re so like-minded.’’
Mogridge, whose father Allen is the former USF football assistant head coach/offensive line coach (now at East Carolina), said her transition was simple. And that’s partially because volleyball long ago became her happy place. In the sixth grade, she was 6-feet-tall. Her height didn’t cause awkward or uncomfortable moments — “I’ve always loved it and always saw it as a blessing, something unique,’’ she said — but once she discovered volleyball, her confidence blossomed.
“Liv is a great new player for us,’’ D’Amico said. “She has a ton of potential. She’s just super powerful in the middle. But the thing I’ve noticed is her kindness, how easy it is to form a relationship and how she’s going to fit perfectly into what we do.’’
D’Amico and Mogridge are serving as the Tampa Bay Sports Commission’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Brand Ambassadors, where they will promote the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, its social impact initiatives and its commitment to growing the game of volleyball.
Georgia Tech will be joined in the event’s field by the Penn State Nittany Lions, Florida Gators and home-standing USF Bulls. The college volleyball season will also end in Tampa when the NCAA Final Four lands at Amalie Arena in December.
“It’s a great opportunity to see where we are as a team and showcase our program,’’ said Collier, a former USF standout who is in the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. “We believe we have the right approach to get the results we want and a big part of that is having fun and enjoying the people you are around. If you keep things simple and remain consistent, those things trickles down to the team.
“When you bring different people into your program, it can go either way, but I think we have made some good decisions. Personality-wise, culture-wise and the pace of the way we run things, I think Liv Mogridge can make an immediate impact. She sort of just got here, but it seems like she’s been here forever. I think that’s when you know it’s a good thing. It just feels very comfortable.’’
It seemed comfortable when Mogridge chose UNC, where her father played football. She agonized over the decision to leave.
“When you’re uprooting your life and changing everything, it’s never easy,’’ Mogridge said. “I prayed on it like a mad woman. I prayed so hard. I was led to Michelle Collier and Georgia Tech.
“I have teammates from all over the world — kind of a weird mix — but it has been so welcoming and easy. When you talk about chemistry, I think of it as going to the gym, playing your way, playing hard and feeling completely comfortable. When you have that in volleyball, it’s awesome. From the first day I walked in, I had the feeling of being wanted and being appreciated. Everyone has the same goal, the same standard, the chemistry naturally follows.’’
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