Livingston, Mont. native Tory Njardvik left “The Treasure State” for “The Sunshine State” for an opportunity to be a college athlete. The history and international studies freshman plays middle blocker for NSU’s volleyball team.
Unlike most athletes, Njardvik did not begin to play her best sport at a very young age. It wasn’t until eighth grade that her mom forced her to try volleyball. It did not take long for Njardvik to realize that she was good at the sport, so she decided to quit the sports that she had previously played: basketball and track.
In high school, Njardvik played on the volleyball team for all four years, where she started all 75 games. Throughout her high school career, she racked up 257 kills, 37 service aces, 121 digs and 113 solo blocks.
Njardvik’s exceptional high school play led to her being a first-team all-conference selection and a Class A all-state selection. She also led her conference in blocks and finished second in kills.
Despite missing the first 10 weeks of the season, due to a back injury, Njardvik has had a successful freshman year. To date, she has played in 21 out of the team’s 89 sets. Within that time, she has posted 39 kills, averaging 1.86 kills per set.
During high school, Njardvik was recruited by several different schools, including NSU, New Mexico State University, Texas A&M University and a few universities in Montana.
NSU’s head volleyball coach Steve Wilcosky said, “She’s a very good competitor, very disciplined as far as executing the game plan, and I think she has extremely bought into the program to make the program better.”
I sat down with Njardvik and asked her a few questions.
What is your favorite memory from your volleyball career?
Getting a one-handed block in front of Coach Steve at a club tournament.
As a freshman, was it difficult to create a bond with the rest of the team, especially the returning players?
Everybody is great. We all get along. Even though I was injured, it did not affect any of our relationship bonding.
What made you choose NSU over other schools?
The team. When I came to visit, everyone was really nice and welcoming, unlike some other schools. And, I guess the sunshine helped a little bit.
Do you have any pregame superstitions?
I chew gum during warm-ups and spit it out right before the game. I also count the stars on the American flag when they are playing the national anthem.
Who is your favorite athlete?
Sinjin Smith. He was a beach volleyball player.
In a movie about your life, who would you want to play yourself?
I would want Angelina Jolie to play me because I like her movies.
