Before every volleyball game, Megan Toman '11 leans against her locker and closes her eyes. For a few minutes, she imagines herself making crisp passes and getting her hands in the perfect position for blocks and kills.
Then, she heads onto the court and - usually - plays as well as she imagined, just as she did over the weekend at the University of Miami's Hurricane Invitational.
At the two-day tournament, the outside hitter started her college career by notching a striking double-double (17 kills, 20 digs) against the University of Delaware. The next day, she recorded 23 kills in two games, including nine against the highly regarded Miami team.
And if that wasn't enough for her debut, Toman earned two accolades to go along with her lofty statistics: She was selected to the All-Tournament Team and named the Ivy League's Rookie of the Week.
Toman's reaction? Delight. And surprise. (Toman didn't even know of the Ivy League honor until she was interviewed for this article.)
"Coming into the season, I wasn't sure if I would be playing," Toman said. "I feel very honored."
The Newport Beach, Calif., native said she has been playing volleyball since she was 10 years old. Her two older brothers played the sport, inspiring her to do the same. Toman said she has played many positions over the past decade, but the 6-footer has now found her role at outside hitter.
Though Toman led her high school team to a top-50 national ranking during her senior year, she wasn't an especially sought-after recruit. She ultimately had to choose between Brown and Cornell.
"I chose Brown because everyone was just happy here," she said. "I didn't talk to anyone who didn't love their professors or classes. I love Thayer Street. I love (Head Coach) Diane (Short) and the players."
Toman's father, Dave, said he is thrilled with her decision to attend the University, especially to play a top-level varsity sport.
"It's a chance of a lifetime," Dave said. He said he and his wife, Janice, plan to fly to Providence next month to see their daughter play.
Toman is still adjusting to life at Brown. She's trying to figure out what she'll study (she said she's leaning toward commerce, organizations and entrepeneurship now) and how to get around campus. (She meandered around Thayer Street for 15 minutes Tuesday, in the rain, while desperately trying to find Smith-Buonanno Hall.)
But she's thrilled with her new volleyball team, which she called the best she's ever played on.
"I feel like we're going to be really good this season," Toman said. "We have great chemistry."
