The libero is in complete control from the back row. I talk to all the other positions to help and control tips.”
Caroline “Carks” Niedospial
Caroline Niedospial
Caroline “Carks” Niedospial’s quick reactions and stellar instincts have made her one of Northwestern top liberos, a defensive specialty position on the Women’s Volleyball team.
Last season Niedospial led the ‘Cats, and was second in the Big Ten, with 4.72 digs per set. “The libero is in complete control from the back row,” she explains. “I talk to all the other positions to help and control tips.”
Niedospial applied those same skills of anticipation and responsiveness to her journalistic ambitions. Originally from Chicago, Niedospial captained her Marist High School team before choosing Northwestern over several other prestigious programs. She studied journalism at Medill and completed a residency as a reporter at Sports Illustrated, getting published along the way.
This year Niedospial is studying sports management at the graduate level, where she continues to hone her reflexes. “It comes naturally in a game now,” she admits. “I don’t even think about it.”
Looking forward, she’s following her instincts again, this time to pursue a career in broadcast journalism. She believes her ability to dig deep and stay a step ahead will ultimately translate into great success.