Jessica Dood has been a dominant force in the Oakland volleyball team’s offense for the past two seasons. 

She has played in all 57 matches since she joined the team last fall and was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman team last season. This year she is currently third on the team with 256 kills. Her hitting percentage for the season is .246, good for second on the team. Dood’s favorite aspect of the game, however, is blocking which she has tallied 73 of so far this season. 

Dood prepares for each game by blasting “Fight Night” by Migos. She’ll also dance in the locker room with the team, which she feels helps get everyone fired up before the match. 

“I definitely get nervous,” Dood said. “But it’s an excited nervous. It means I’m ready to go.” 

Volleyball wasn’t the only sport Dood played growing up. She played softball and competitive dance growing up and was a member of the basketball team throughout high school. This team is different than any other team she’s played on according to Dood. 

“This team is a family. We aren’t just playing to play. We are playing for each other,” she said. 

It’s been quite the year for Oakland volleyball. When asked what the highlight of the season has been for her, Dood couldn’t pick just one. 

“It would either be beating Mizzouri because that game sent us on an uphill streak, or beating Milwaukee in the first round of conference because that gave us the confidence to believe this could really be our year,” Dood said. 

Dood’s favorite thing about Oakland is the relationship amongst the athletes. 

“We are one big, huge family,” she said.

However if she could change one thing, she’d want “more people to support their own school” by going to sporting events and having more pride in Oakland. 

Oakland appealed to Dood for a few reasons, but most important was the location. Oakland is not too far away from Dood’s hometown of Grandville, Michigan so her big family can make it to a lot of games. 

“My grandparents and four younger siblings are able to make it to a lot of games and my aunts and uncles watch on the Horizon League Network,” Dood said. “But my parents are my biggest fans. I wouldn’t be able to do as well anywhere else because I’d be too homesick.”

Dood said another big reason for choosing Oakland was the chance to make history, which the Golden Grizzlies have a chance to do this season. The volleyball team has never won a conference championship, but the team is two games away from that goal. The team is headed into the final weekend of regular season play with a one-game lead on Milwaukee who they play at home on Friday. 

“We are really hoping to get a lot of support on Friday. It will definitely be a game worth watching,” Dood said.