Taylor Formico leads women’s volleyball team with dedication, energy
Taylor Formico (right) might not bring fans out of their seats with terminal swings or towering blocks, but the senior libero’s impact as a defensive player makes her one of the best players in the nation. (Shelby Scoggins/Daily Bruin)
By Melissa Zhang
Nov. 21, 2016 9:17 p.m.
At the beginning of the year, assistant coach Tony Ker asked all the members of the UCLA women’s volleyball team to close their eyes and mentally nominate two players.
The first was the teammate who needed the least amount of extra reps. The second was the player who regularly asked him for extra reps and video sessions.
Despite his two questions, the coach knew all along that he was only referring to one person in particular. When Ker asked who was thinking of Taylor Formico, every single player raised her hand.
As a libero, the senior will never lead her team in kills or get the crowd cheering by hammering balls through the opponent’s defense.
Yet, her presence on and off the court has been essential to the success of No. 9 UCLA (23-5, 14-4 Pac-12) this year.
The team captain leads the Bruins in digs with 541 so far this season, over 300 more than the second-highest amount, sophomore opposite Zana Muno’s 240.
Formico has played in every game the past three seasons and just locked up her third Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honor this year Monday.
“Not only is (Formico) leading our back court as she has done for the past two years, but now she’s the captain of our team, leading our entire force,” Ker said. “She does a great job of making people feel comfortable even when things aren’t going well.”
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According to Ker, Formico’s energy is so contagious that when she isn’t playing her best, then everybody else isn’t either.
He also said the veteran libero knows the scouting reports inside and out, enabling her to remind her teammates about their opponents’ key characteristics between each play. Formico not only vocalizes her leadership on the court, but also leads by action.
“She’s really fun to watch – she makes plays that I’ve never seen happen before and she does (that) on a constant basis,” Ker said. “I’m not even surprised anymore.”
Head coach Michael Sealy’s recent rotational adjustments have put Formico in a more favorable position, as they allow her to play out of the middle spot in the back row. The team captain has been subbing in for the outside hitters once the Bruins transition to defense, giving her a position with more coverage.
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UCLA currently stands at the top of the Pac-12 standings alongside No. 8 Washington, and is about to head into its postseason run. They will face the Huskies in Seattle on Wednesday before returning home for one final conference match against USC.
When Ker congratulated Formico on being voted the best libero in the nation by FloVolleyball in mid-October, she brushed it off and said that she hadn’t earned anything yet. Her focus was on getting better over the rest of the season and winning a national championship.
“That, right there, that’s the reason she’s as good as she is,” Ker said. “That is the reason why she’s the best on the team, one of the best – if not the best – liberos in the country and one of the best players in the country. That’s why she’s going to continue to be successful.”
