VIERA, Fla. — This year’s Viera girls’ volleyball is optimistic about winning a state championship. Last year they lost in the state finals, but the 2023 team features one of the best players in the country.

Izzy Starck moved to Brevard County over the summer from Colorado, and is hoping she is the missing piece to a state championship.

“This team is just so competitive and so driven,” said Starck. “So being able to come into this program, being welcomed and just having this great chemistry is just really exciting for me.”

Volleyball has set up Starck for opportunities that most people don’t get.

“It’s my whole life — I wouldn’t want it any other way,” she said. “It gave me a chance to go to college and get to play at the highest level I can go.”

That level is playing in the Big 10. She will be playing at Penn State with a familiar face.

“My sister plays there so she will be a senior when I am a freshman,” said Starck. “So that will be super fun. I will get one season with her.”

Volleyball is a family affair. Both of her parents also played in college. Their love for the game helped Izzy got into the sport.

“My mom played at Texas, my dad played at Ball State and they created club when we lived out in (Las) Vegas,” she said. “My sister played in the club. Just really kind of saw her playing volleyball and wanted to get into the sport.”

During the high school offseason, she represented the USA in a tournament in Puerto Rico.

“In May I got a chance to go with the USA team to the PAN American games and we were able to place gold there” said Starck. “Also in August, I went to Mexico for U-21 World Championships which is truly an incredible experience with all the top players in the world and really being challenged as a player.”

The Viera senior is looking forward to what volleyball could bring her in the future. She has a lot of goals in the sport, including playing professionally and continues to play for USA.

“I think I want to grow it because it is now a really strong sport, a lot of people are getting into it,” she said. “All these arenas in the Big 10 are selling out right now. So just building it, showing what the sport is and showing how much fun to watch.”

Izzy plans on graduating early from Viera and enrolling at Penn State in the January.