Redshirt freshman Hope Passarello has logged 200 assists in her opening season. PHOTO CREDIT: gorhody.com
This season, URI redshirt freshman Hope Passerello has burst onto the Atlantic 10 women’s volleyball scene, becoming one of the conference’s top players right out of the gate.
Passarello grew up in Davie, Fla., and attended West Broward High School, where she was named a team captain and team MVP for her freshman, sophomore and junior years.
Passarello grew up playing a multitude of sports, including soccer, swimming and basketball, but decided to focus on only volleyball once she got to the high school level. She also played for the club team, Wildfire Volleyball Academy, where she was also named a captain.
With many options for schools to attend after her impressive high school and club career, Passarello said that she chose URI due to the coaching staff and community feel in Kingston.
“URI has a great coaching staff, location and close proximity to family,” Passarello said. “And the team made me feel welcome and at home during my visits.”
In addition to volleyball, Passarello is also active in charity fundraising and social activism, having raised money for Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and led discussions and activities on mental health, human trafficking and Say No to Drugs in her role as a peer counselor.
Passarello’s dedication and stellar play were recently recognized as she took home the Atlantic 10 rookie of the week award with a flawless performance of 65 assists with zero ball-handling errors in seven sets played.
When asked how it felt to be recognized for this award on a conference-wide level, Passarello felt it was the culmination of two years of work for her.
“It felt amazing,” Passarello said. “Really felt like all of my hard work is paying off. Now I have something tangible to show for it.”
With URI’s season approaching its conclusion, Passarello said she has been happy with the team development and feels her squad has the talent to succeed at a high level.
“The season has been good as a whole,” she said. “We have been developing well as a team. We just need to find that one more gear to start winning more. I do feel like we’ve gotten better every week, though.”
With the team currently sitting at 5-19, Passarello has been a key contributor for her team all throughout the season. When asked about her goals for her career at URI, Passarello expressed her large aspirations for her career as a Ram.
“I want to win an A10 championship first and foremost,” Passarello said. “And also help my teammates get better in addition to myself.”
Head coach Angel Agu had glowing things to say about Passarello and her presence on the team.
“She adds a nice balance to the team, being able to both pump up herself and her teammates, but also help keep the situation calm when needed,” Agu said.
Agu has been thrilled with Passerello’s progress since her arrival at URI, claiming her work ethic is what makes her stand out.
“She has worked her tail off to improve tremendously as a player and as a leader, taking all of the right steps to refine her skills as a setter, and has earned the starting job,” Agu said
Moving forward, Agu has a strong belief in Passarello as a player and a leader, seeing her as an important part of the team’s future. When asked about her goals for Passarello as a player, Agu felt she just needs to trust herself moving forward.
“She needs to continue to trust her instincts as a player, as well as being able to make in-game adjustments when needed to help set her teammates up for success,” Agu said.
Passarello and her squad look to keep their postseason hopes alive this season when they travel to George Mason for matches on Friday and Saturday, with both starting at 5 p.m.