19岁时，科尔·哈特克（Cole Hartke）得到了一个他无法错过的机会。 Pepperdine University—a school on the California coast some 2,000 miles away from his hometown in Barrington, Illinois—had invited him to play outside hitter as a member of its storied volleyball program. 对哈特克来说，这个决定很简单。 From his perspective, the Waves were offering more than a chance to continue playing the game he loved.

“Pepperdine gave me a family,” says Hartke when asked why exactly he chose to leave the Midwest behind. As he reports it, the distance from home and the new environment were all outweighed by the community he found with his teammates. Upon entering school, Hartke felt immersed in a supportive culture that promoted his volleyball passion, academic interests, and Christian faith all while uplifting him, he believes, into a better person.

Since making the move this fall, the first-year student has gone on to enjoy one of the strongest athletic and academic years one could hope for. His success story illustrates the nurturing effects of an encouraging environment filled with exciting new growth opportunities.

哈特克解释说：“在佩珀代因大学，我觉得自己来到了正确的地方。 “As soon as I got here, I knew where I wanted to be—where I needed to be.”

繁荣的第一年

事实支持哈特克的直觉。 In his first-year campaign, the outside hitter recorded a total of 346 kills while appearing in 25 matches. He racked up an average of 3.60 kills, 0.50 blocks, and 4.34 points per each set, making him the highest-scoring freshman in the nation and an 美国排球教练协会（AVCA）全美二队 selection.

科尔·哈特克庆祝

与此同时，工商管理专业的学生也在课堂上茁壮成长。 He held a 4.0 grade point average throughout his initial year at 西维尔大学—an arduous task for any student given Pepperdine’s rigorous and nationally competitive academic curriculum.

“Not often do you have an athlete who is a great teammate, has a great head on their shoulders, and is incredibly talented,” says 乔纳森络筒机 (’08), head coach of the Pepperdine men’s volleyball team. “We're really excited to continue to work with Cole. A big part of the journey for us was identifying him as a talented player with a great mindset and a strong desire to learn, improve, and constantly get better.”

This commitment to steady improvement earned Hartke a spot in Pepperdine’s starting lineup, where he serves as a consistent contributor. He earned double figure kills in all but five of the matches he competed in while maintaining a .298攻击率。 On Thursday, during his first NCAA tournament appearance, the first-year scored a total of 11 kills and 14 points en route to Pepperdine’s quarterfinal win over Loyola Chicago. While these are significant individual accomplishments, Hartke credits his teammates rather than himself.

他解释说：“他们在训练中真的逼着我，我们经常互相攻击。” “We don't like to lose. The first four months of training really showed [me] what it’s like at this level.”

成长的地方

“On my visit to Pepperdine, I witnessed what the coaches are trying to instill in the team, and that’s a big reason why I committed to play here,” says Hartke. “Our coaches teach us that there’s more to life than just volleyball. There are things beyond the game.”

A person of faith, Hartke was also drawn to playing in Malibu because of the school’s focus on personal and spiritual development. He emphasized that the initial lesson the coaching staff and veteran players imparted on him as a first-year student was centered around respect—not just for the team or the game, but for everyone he met.

Hartke服务

Hartke knew that eye contact, intentionality, and gratitude were all crucial elements in how he should treat others, but he and his teammates were encouraged to actively practice living out these behaviors. The coaching staff regularly urged athletes to walk around the athletic facilities and thank support staff. Pepperdine volleyball players like Hartke approached custodians, landscapers, and athletics staff members, introduced themselves, expressed their appreciation for their work, and shook their hands.

This unique facet of the team culture is emphasized by Winder, who attempts to instill four key values in each of his athletes—respect, competition, learning, and resilience. The program-wide concentration on living a life of character outside of volleyball has proven successful at recruiting top talent and developing current players. With the Waves volleyball program, excellence is demanded on and off the court—a strict standard propelling student-athletes toward their dreams.

Noticing this exceptional culture as a recruit, Hartke chose to chase the new learning opportunity straight across the country. In the process, he discovered a second family and a chance to achieve some of his loftiest goals. Indeed, as a result of his excellent play throughout the season, Hartke has been invited to serve as a practice player for USA Volleyball and compete on the USA’s U21 team this summer.

“我的最终目标是参加奥运会，”哈特克说。 “In the last couple of years, I began to understand that this dream was a possibility . . . I didn’t expect the opportunity to play for USA Volleyball or see it coming, but I’m super excited for the chance to learn from the best.”

Hartke and the Waves take on California State University, Long Beach, in the NCAA semifinals on Saturday, 2025年5月10日, at 2 PM PDT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN +.