Written by Joseph Barrett
- ECGulls.com Contributor

BEVERLY, Mass. — The International Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Mass. is a spectacle unlike any other in the volleyball world. For two Endicott student-athletes, an opportunity to become a part of that world made for successful internships.

Junior Colleen McAvoy (Coventry, Conn.) has been a special talent for the Endicott women's volleyball team, racking up 234 kills and a .316 hitting percentage last season. McAvoy also has been named a Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) All-Conference selection twice during her career, as well as the 2018 CCC Rookie of the Year and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) New England Region Rookie of the Year.

Off the court, her passion lies in the marketing field. Choosing a major of the same name, she jumped at the opportunity to combine her on and off-the-court interests.

"I was so excited to reply to the internship [email offer] because it was the best of both worlds," McAvoy said. "I could combine marketing with volleyball."

At the site, there was one particular strength McAvoy portrayed with ease: research.

She was tasked with researching other hall of fames to compare the reopening process, monitoring social media accounts of inductees, and supplying valuable information that will be added to the organization's website.

Due to unimaginable COVID-19 circumstances, the process wasn't mainstream. McAvoy was forced to work remotely, but her competitive spirit translated quite nicely to the workforce.

"I think that it was a fun challenge and now I know how to handle any remote jobs or learning opportunities in the future," McAvoy said. "Just because I'm not face-to-face with someone, I still need to keep up with bosses, coworkers, or whomever it may be."

McAvoy's head coach, Tim Byram, is in the midst of his 21st season at the helm. That being said, he knows a hard worker when he sees one-- there was no doubt in his mind that it'd be a successful experience for his middle-blocker.

"She's a hard worker; she shows up every day with a great attitude. She works hard in the weight room, on the court, in the classroom," said Byram. "Just a quality person."

In a year where many students have struggled to find internships, senior Justin Kegebein (Liverpool, N.Y.) prevailed and found himself at the same site as McAvoy.

When he wasn't in countless amounts of Zoom calls, he spent most of his time comparing ticket prices to other hall of fames, transforming the website, and learning the ins-and-outs of the industry.

The remote experience was, again, rather unordinary. Kegebein, who is a sport management major at Endicott, felt the experience was initially difficult, but it became more doable as the summer went on.

"The thing I mostly got out of it was understanding how a company's employees work together: throwing out numerous ideas as to how to move forward," Kegebein said. "I gained valuable skills and knowledge that will help me prepare for my future in the sports industry.

Despite the remote inconvenience, the power of adjustment is nothing new to Kegebein. His head coach, George Chapell, a 2008 alum of the men's volleyball program, has always admired Kegebein's strength to persevere.

"Last year, Justin's father passed away after a long battle right before the beginning of our season. He was dealt a tough hand, but never quit. He was able to adapt and continued to put his best effort forward," Chapell said.

As for the internship, Kegebein and Chapell both felt the experience only reassured Kegebein's everlasting love for the sport. He thrived at the site, and it's something that will linger in his duties for years to come.

"He saw the opportunity and took it in stride," Chapell said. "He was able to combine his passion with an educational opportunity which enriched his experience. In a way, it is pretty great to see him come back and serve the sport."

McAvoy and Kegebein relished every second with the sport's most iconic organization; for more information on the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke: https://www.volleyhall.org/

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)