Jennifer and Amanda Ngo ended up being volleyball teammates for two years at Case Western Reserve, a school they chose for similar academic and athletic reasons.
“I wanted to go to a school that would put me in a position to do well enough to go to graduate school. Our dad went to Case for grad school and I did want to stay within four hours of home in Toledo. Since I knew I wanted to play volleyball in college, that narrowed down my options,” Jennifer explained. “When I visited, I got a good impression of the the school and the team. I didn’t know what I wanted to major in but I was glad to go to a school that was good at volleyball and academically.”
Although Amanda saw Jennifer being at Case as a positive, she didn’t base her decision on that. “I wanted to further my interest in pre-health and pre-dental. I look at schools that would provide those opportunities and that were the best to line me up to attend a good grad school. I was determined to go to a small school. I saw some of my friends who went to larger schools and knew I didn’t want that experience. I like the true friendships I have built at Case and the ability to get to know the people around me,” Amanda described.
Growing up, they often found themselves in the same gym and at the same tournaments, but playing together in college was something they both enjoyed. “We played at the same club so we went to a lot of the same cities for tournaments, but playing together at college was really fun, especially when we were on the court together. We were the starting middles on the team in my senior year. There was never a competition between us,” Jennifer noted. “My favorite part was when we got to block together when she was on the right side.”
“I am not a competitive person in terms of trying to be better than someone because I want them to be worse. Of course it was easy to cheer for my own sister. I always wanted her to do well and that made me think that I needed to keep the family name up,” Amanda remarked. “The only time we were competitive with each other was when we were on different sides of the net in practice. My favorite was also when we were ‘twin towers’ blocking together.”
As she planned by attending Case as an undergrad, Jennifer did get into a strong graduate institution and is currently in law school at Vanderbilt University. This summer she will be interning at the Department of Justice in D.C. “My ultimate goal is to intermix economics and public policy for the betterment of marginalized people,” she expressed. “I know that is a long pathway so in the intermission, I plan to expand on my economics degree in finance or law in New York City.”
Amanda will be entering her senior season in the fall. She is currently sending out applications for dental school and then studying abroad in Copenhagen (Denmark). “I am hoping to get into a dental school on the East coast. I like that area and could see a future in dentistry there,” she stated.
While Amanda is looking forward to having a full four years on the volleyball court, Jennifer is content with her three years after losing her first year to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I considered playing another year and looked into Case and other UAA schools but not playing opened up my academic opportunities. Ironically, I ended up at a school that doesn’t even have volleyball, though they are restarting it next year,” Jennifer commented.