Academy of Notre Dame’s Riley Shaak is Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week
Riley Shaak, a 6-foot-3 senior co-captain and four-year varsity starter with the Academy of Notre Dame’ s volleyball team, plays both OH and MB in addition to being a defensive specialist in the back row. She recently scored her 1,000th career kill for Notre Dame, and has been a key player in the Irish winning the last four of its seven consecutive PAISAA state volleyball championships as well as the Irish’s last four Inter-Ac championships (co-champions in 2019). She has committed to play volleyball at North Carolina State. Her father, Mike Shaak, played basketball as a 6-foot-8 forward for Saint Joseph’s University in the late 1980s.
Q: Tell us a little about your 1,000th career kill. What is your sharpest memory of that event?
A: My 1,000th kill was one of the craziest moments of my life. It was filled with stress but huge excitement leading up to the beginning of the match. My sharpest memory of the moment was my whole team coming off the bench and my teammates on the court screaming and hugging me. My eyes filled with tears because of how much support I had around me and how awesome and excited my teammates were.
Q: What do you think is the biggest key to your success in producing kills?
A: I feel like my biggest key to success in getting kills are my teammates; the players in the back row passing well and then my setters that allow me to get a good swing. I could never have done it without my teammates who get the ball up there for me to hit.
Q: What do you think is the strongest part of your game? What part of your game are you currently working on the most currently?
A: I believe that blocking is the strongest part of my game because I have played middle blocker since I was 12 years old. Blocking is one of my favorite parts of the game because it is a lot of fun reading your hitter on the other side of the net and figuring out where she is going to hit. It is an important part of the game because you are protecting the people in the back row and allowing them to get perfect passes to the setter. The part of my game that I am working on currently is my overall game. I want to be able to hit, pass, block, serve, and play defense well. My goal is to feel confident that I can play all positions to the best of my ability.
Q: Tell us a little about your experience in the recent PAISAA championship.
A: The championship game was so fun and exciting. The whole team was so hyped and ready to play hard. My fondest memory was before the game when we had a dance party coming into the gym. That is one of our favorite things to do as a team, have dance parties to get hyped before a match. The match was super competitive but fun because it was really close, with each set ending at 25-23. With the hype from the bench and all the fans that came out to support, we were able to pull out the win.
Q: Tell us a little about your pre-game preparation on the day of a game.
A: In preparation for a game I normally have a really big dinner, like pasta or steak, the night before. Throughout my day, I eat breakfast, lunch, and then a pretzel or a pixie stick for energy right before I play. Our team sometimes has someone braiding everyone’s hair in preparation for the game. The team and I normally have a dance party to get us excited and ready to play! We then stretch and do our pre-game ritual clap, then it’s game time!
Q: What do you think you’d like to major in at North Carolina State? Is there a career path that particularly appeals to you?
A: I am going into North Carolina State undecided to start, as I’m not sure what I want to do as a career as of yet. I want to examine all my options and all the classes that NC State has to offer, then see which I like best and go from there. I do have an interest in the mental health field and may want to do something with psychology.
Q: Do you participate in any other extracurricular activities at Academy of Notre Dame?
A: Aside from volleyball at school, I play club volleyball for East Coast Power. At school, I am involved in Student Council and service groups including iCan Shine Bike Camp, Operation Smile, and Meals for Many. I occasionally help out with my grade school CYO volleyball team, when I can find the time.
Fun facts – Riley Shaak
Favorite book: Hunger Games.
Favorite author: Dr. Suess.
Favorite TV show: The Office.
Favorite movie: Hoosiers.
Favorite athlete: Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid.
Favorite pre-game pump-up song: Move Your Feet by Junior Senior.
Favorite team: Sixers.
Favorite place to visit: Bahamas.
Favorite pre-game meal: Pretzel or Pixie Stick.
Person I most admire, and why: “My mom is the person I admire the most in this world. She is my best friend who has taught me everything about being a good person and friend. My mom is always there for me when I need her the most and is my biggest supporter in everything I do. I would not be the person I am today without the positive influence I have had from her. Love you Mom!”
(To be selected as Main Line Girls Athlete of the Week, a student-athlete must first be nominated by he coach.)
To view a gallery of the Main Line Girls Athletes of the Week from 2013 to present click here
