Will you be invited to her wedding? Chelsea Wood (Senn) explains why she needed her teammates there on her big day

This post was written by Fredonia Volleyball alum, Chelsea Wood (Senn), 2012

Fredonia Volleyball alumni ranging from 2005 - 2014 gather at Chelsea Wood's (Senn) wedding in June, 2015

When one of the best Division III volleyball teams in the country, Calvin, made the Final Four again in 2014, I wrote the head coach, Amber Warners, a congratulatory e-mail. I also wanted to know what the secret to her success was. Her response is best summed up in an article published by the NCAA:

"The last wedding I was at there were 21 volleyball players there. You don't invite anybody to your wedding you're not really close to and aren't great friends with. To me, that's a short example of what our program is like."

It's a different definition of success, one that asks how many relationships you built during your college career rather than how many championships you won.

That's why, when I head about the number of former teammates invited to Chelsea's wedding, it was equivalent to winning a major championship. Below Chelsea describes what the experience was like, and the importance of having those teammates at her wedding:

My wedding day was absolutely perfect. Wonderful weather, handsome husband, no humidity and a flawless execution on the day. None of that would have mattered if I wasn’t surrounded by the love of my (volleyball) sisters. 

Sarah Zurek, left, and Chelsea Senn,
both 2012 graduates

These are the girls that I sweat with at every practice, cried with when we faced heartbreak,  and on that day, they stood by me as I married my best friend. The Fredonia women’s volleyball team has become an extension of my family. I believe we are all lucky to have found each other and I think that each girl completes us to make us one perfect family.

When I was a freshman walking into Dod’s Gym in 2008 I never would have imagined leaving with so many lifelong friends. Distance separates some of us but we all have that one special bond that glues us together. Volleyball was and is our passion but along the way we became much more than just teammates. We became a group of friends that I always wanted to be a part of. We became the women our parents wanted us to be. 

A lot of credit goes to Coach Braun, as he doesn’t select his recruits for just talent. He selects incoming players based on their character and their desire to succeed. All of us shared that same desire, that same tenacity to succeed. That is the reason why we all became such great friends and why we will continue to support each other throughout our lives, on and off the court.

As I look back at my wedding day and see pictures of all the girls, I know that no matter what, we will always be there for each other. Marriage, children, careers and distance will not keep us from each other. I hope that the legacy of greatness that Fredonia State Women’s Volleyball has will live on forever.

The New Mrs. Wood J 

2008-2012

SUNYAC Champions 2008

NCAA Sweet Sixteen