July 6, 2010

The Marist Athletics Department continues with its summer series "Ten Question Timeout." The next student-athlete to be interviewed is Allie Burke of the women's volleyball team. A middle blocker, Burke was a member of the MAAC All-Academic Team and was selected First Team All-District by ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA during each of the last two seasons.

• My favorite athletic memory at Marist as a player is from my freshman volleyball season. Before conference play began, we hosted Rutgers University for the Volley in the Valley tournament in the McCann Center. This match was of particular interest to me because I had taken an official visit to Rutgers during my college search, so I knew the coach and girls across the net fairly well. We were playing well and the crowd was very engaged in the match. At one point I had ran a slide behind our setter. After jumping off of one leg, it felt like slow motion when the ball and I were hanging high in the air. The ball was at the pin and ready to be killed. I saw the line in between my blocker and the antenna. Then, I smashed the ball down to what felt like in front of the 10-foot line! I even surprised myself. My adrenaline was pumping so high that the moment felt so bliss. We went on to win the match, upsetting the Scarlet Knights in a three-game sweep.
• My favorite athletic memory at Marist as a spectator/worker is also from the 2008-09 men's basketball season during my sophomore year. On December 5, I was sideline reporting for my first broadcast with Time Warner Cable 6. Besides starting my future career dream, the Red Foxes defeated Iona 51-50 on Dejaun Goodwin's last-second shot. The McCann Center erupted, and all I could hear was our director in the truck, speaking through my earpiece, telling me to get Goodwin for a post-game interview. In my heels, I rushed across center court to meet this moment's star athlete. I fired some questions off of the top of my head. The brief interview turned out to be the perfect ending to an incredible night.

2. The most interesting thing I have done this summer is...

• Living in New York City. I am working for two media planning and buying agencies, one large corporation, and one small boutique shop. Besides meeting Stuart Scott (iconic ESPN anchor) at a rooftop garden party for New York Magazine, it has been very interesting to compare agency practices working on clients such as Six Flags, and Madison Square Garden/New York Knicks.
• Vacationing in Las Vegas. My family and I met at Caesar's Palace for a long weekend. We saw Cher (one of my all-time favorite artists) at The Coliseum and "Love" The Beatles Cirque du Soleil show at The Mirage.

3. I chose Marist because...

• I wanted the opportunity to double major in Business Marketing and Sports Communication, with close proximity to New York City, and study abroad as a student-athlete.

4. The song I am most embarrassed to admit I have on my iPod is...

• Most people would say that they are all embarrassing.