Dec. 4, 2009

The first time Army coach Alma Kovaci saw Ariana Mankus playing volleyball, she could not take her eyes off her.

"I saw this little kid with so much fire and so much heart,'' Kovaci said. "She made an impression on me that this is the type of kid we want.''

Mankus had plenty of college coaches recruiting her, but those schools could not give her what she truly desired -- a chance to play Division I volleyball, plus serve her country in the military.

"I knew that West Point would offer more opportunities than I ever could dream of,'' Mankus said. "It's a great institution. It's something I wanted to be a part of. They emphasize teamwork, and I love being on a team and working together.''

To read the rest of the article by Ken McMillan of the Middletown (N.Y.) Times Herald-Record click here