Arizona Volleyball Coach Rubio and Players Ready to Spike Into this Season

2015 Mia and Trey Mason – University of Arizona – photo credit Jeannine Mason

Now that you’ve learned a little bit more about Coach David Rubio and the team, I’d like to take a closer look at one of Arizona’s newest athletes and incoming freshman, Mia Mason. Here she is with the rest of the freshman on the team. (Mia is fourth from the left)

"freshies"

Mia’s background is really interesting and full of Wildcats. Her father, Harvey Mason Jr, played basketball at Arizona then went on to become an accomplished and very successful music producer. His latest work includes the film Straight Outta Compton. (If you haven’t seen it yet, GO SEE IT! You won’t be sorry! I was quoting it the entire next day after watching it and the music has been stuck in my head for days!)

Her athleticism was not only inherited from her father, but she also inherited volleyball skills from her mother.  Mia’s mother Jeannine Mason is also a former Wildcat who played on the Arizona volleyball team, so Mia is a legacy in the Wildcats Volleyball program following in her mothers footsteps.

Harey Mason Jr. Instagram post

Athletic talent runs in this entire Wildcats family. Mia’s brother, sophomore Trey Mason also attends UofA and is following in his fathers footsteps playing for the Arizona Wildcats Basketball team. Trey is a very supportive and loving brother who can guide his sister through the college experience.

Mia loves life and takes nothing for granted. She is a proud survivor of brain cancer which she was diagnosed with about five years ago,. Thanks to her strong will and determination along with her supportive loving family and friends, she beat this disease, is fully recovered and is ready to take on college volleyball as a Wildcat stronger than ever. Mia gives back when she can, her family is active in the community raising money for cancer research to help others.

Growing up near the beach in Manhattan Beach, California, Mia played both Sand Volleyball and Indoor Volleyball in AAU Club teams and for her alma mater Marymount High School in Los Angeles where she earned three letters as a setter.

In an interview in OurSouthBay.com Mia talked about her accomplishments, “Two of my biggest achievements are being named to the Girls Volleyball Junior Olympic All-Tournament Team just two years after my cancer diagnosis and winning the CIF State Championship in 2012 with my Marymount High School volleyball team.”

"Graduation on Friday"

Read more about Mia from her interview with Southbay Magazine. 

Another interesting facet to this story is that Zona Zealots Editor, Shereen is goes way back with the Mason family living in their home town. She was kind enough to send me her thoughts.

"I’ve had the pleasure of watching Mia grow from an adorable little girl full of athletic talent to a beautiful young woman who has accomplished more in her young life than most of us in our first 20 years."

"When I found out Mia was coming to the UofA to play volleyball, I was extremely happy for her, and I think its wonderful that she and her brother will be Wildcats together.  Mia is one of the strongest and most talented young women I have had the pleasure to watch grow into a beautiful young woman. She inspires me and our entire family. She is a fierce competitor who never gives up, beats the odds and Arizona is lucky to have her."

Support the volleyball team and go cheer on the Wildcats, take a look at their schedule for the season!

Beardown Coach Rubio, Mia and the entire Volleyball team! We will be watching and cheering you on!

Next: Arizona Wildcats Womens soccer off to a 2-0 start in stunning fashion