Aug. 8, 2008

Freshman Q&A Index

By Scott Latta UA Media Relations

There will be five standout rookies on Alabama's Volleyball squad this fall, making up a class that PrepVolleyball.com, ranks as the 27th-best in the country, saying Alabama "added depth, versatility and athleticism" to the program.

Rolltide.com caught up with each of Alabama's new comers to see how they were getting acclimated to college life, what went into the recruiting process, and what their expectations for 2008 were.

Today we catch up with Christina Hobbs, a 6-foot-1-inch middle blocker, who comes to Alabama from Houston, Texas.

UA: Coming from Texas, why did you choose Alabama?

Christina: It's warm. They made me feel wanted and you always want to go where you feel wanted. There were some schools pressuring me, saying, `Oh you're going to sign,' and there were some others that let me make my own decision, that didn't pressure me at all.

UA: What adjustments do you need to make to get ready for the college game and playing in the SEC?

Christina: I need to be quicker. I've been told I'm quick, but just to get quick enough to move up to the next level and try to play college is going to be a tough adjustment.

UA: Has it been tough at all having to get used to living on your own?

Christina: It hasn't been tough. Part of me is glad to be away. I have a really close family; we eat dinner together, we go to church together, and now I can be independent and do things on my own.

UA: What high school accomplishment are you the most proud of?

Christina: Taking a first-year school to playoffs. We combined different schools and we came together and worked and made the playoffs.

UA: What is your biggest goal for your freshman year?

Christina: My biggest goal is to just be on time for class. If you like volleyball this much and you want it this bad, you'll work toward it. My goal is to be on top of school and be on top of volleyball too, but school as well.

UA: Do you know what you want to study yet?

Christina: Restaurant and hotel management. The people are awesome. Dealing with people is great for me. I'm just trying stuff out and am not quite sure what I want to do with it yet.

UA: Has anything funny or embarrassing happened to you so far in your brief college experience?

Christina: Nothing's happened yet, but it's coming. I know it's coming.