Simply put, Salisbury junior volleyball setter Carley Todd had a great year in 2011.  In addition to leading the Sea Gulls to the CAC regular season and playoff championships, Todd was named to the All-CAC team for the second-straight year, was voted as the conference Player of the Year, earned first-team All-Region and third-team All-American.  The Sea Gulls finished with a 32-4 overall record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament – Salisbury’s second national tournament appearance in her three seasons.  INTRODUCING … Carley Todd.

Briefly, what is your background in the sport you play?   I have been playing volleyball since the 7^th grade. I began playing volleyball year round my freshman year of high school. I played on Club Attack for three years and switched over to The Long Island Volleyball Academy for my senior year. I also was a member of the NYS Empire Games Scholastic Girl’s Team for two years.

What is your favorite spot on campus?   My favorite spot on campus is the picnic tables outside of Henson Science building. If I have time between classes, I’ll sit out in the sun and work on homework assignments.

Outside of your home and campus, where is your favorite place visit?  My favorite place to visit is the beach. I love swimming in the ocean and sitting on the beach during the summertime. It’s extremely relaxing. My family usually tries to plan one vacation where the entire family can go and spend the week on the beach.

Other than your team, what organization (s) do you participate in (on campus or off campus)?  I am a member of SAAC as well as SAM (Student-Athlete Mentoring), which provides athletes with advice on how to handle real life situations while playing a college sport.

Briefly describe the most memorable experience during your collegiate athletic career.  During my freshman year, we made it to NCAA Regional tournament at NYU in New York City. It was so much fun to be close to home and play against such high-caliber teams. It was also fun to be a tourist with my teammates because many of them had never been to NYC.

What is the most important societal issue facing college students?  I think one of the most important issues is time management. Going to college is one of the first times we are given so much freedom. We aren’t surrounded by our family and parents, we’re on our own. One of the biggest challenges is managing the time when you only have a few hours of class per day.

What is your major in college, and what is the most important thing you learned in that discipline?   I am a Biology Secondary Education major and one of the most important things I’ve learned is time management as well as having a good work ethic. Time management is an extremely important tool to have because I need to be able to balance school work as well as playing a sport. I think it will help me when I’m teaching a class because it will help me prepare the class as well as present it to my students. I also think having a good work ethic allows me to realize that school work comes first.

Other than your family members, who was the most influential person in your life?  Coach (Margie) Knight has been a huge influence on me for the past two and a half years. She always teaches situations that have happened and turn them into a “life lesson”. She strives for us to act with self respect as well as have respect for others. She encourages us to follow our interests and she also stresses the importance of education. She knows that once our four(ish) years of college are up, we have to go out into the real world and work. Coach Knight has a contagious passion for volleyball. Her enthusiasm and knowledge of the game make playing for her one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences I’ve had playing volleyball.

What is your favorite form of entertainment?  I love reading books because it allows me to use my imagination. It also enhances my vocabulary and I can read about things that have happened in the past and get a different perspective on them.

What is your favorite source of information (TV, book, magazine, website, friends in dining hall, etc.)?        I usually use the internet or a newspaper to get information. I read articles on Yahoo! and the N.Y. Times online to find out what’s going on in the world if a newspaper isn’t available.

If you could give one piece of advice to elementary school children, what would that advice be?  If I could give advice to elementary school kids I would tell them to treasure the time they have. I was able to participate in many different things as a child. I played many different sports, tried dancing as well as playing in the band. I was introduced to a lot of different things which gave me have a broad area of knowledge and experience.

Outside of the Capital Athletic Conference, who or what is your favorite sports person or team?  My favorite athlete is Misty May. She was able to make the transition from a great indoor player to a beach volleyball player. She has the ability to read hitters and cover practically the entire court. She trains hard and her time and dedication pays off because she has been extremely successful.

Name three (3) people, real or fictional, living or dead, that you'd like to have dinner with?  The three people I’d like to have dinner with are Atticus Finch, Abraham Lincoln and my grandpa Tom. Atticus Finch is such a role model because he was able to stand up for what he believed in. He represented an African American in the South during the 1930’s, knowing the repercussions of his actions. Abraham Lincoln knew he had to keep this country together somehow and he was able to maintain a sense of camaraderie between the North and South after the war was over, although it wasn’t easy. My grandpa passed away when I was seven-years old. I did not get the chance to know him very well but we were extremely close. I used to visit my grandparents several times a week with my mom and he would always go out of his way to talk to me.