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Veronica Sierzant wanted to win the Hollis Stacy Award. She wanted to win it three times. And, by the end of her high school career, she succeeded. Nobody had ever accomplished the feat.

Sierzant’s brother, Howard, is her inspiration. When Howard was 3-months-old, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a motor disability restricting a person’s ability to control their muscles. The disability didn’t stop Howard from serving as Islands High School’s (Georgia) manager for three varsity sports.

“My brother was a good example for doing the impossible.” Sierzant said.

Howard helped Sierzant set goals for herself as she dominated on both the volleyball and basketball court. She was the first to record 1,000 kills in volleyball as well as 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in basketball in the Savannah region of Georgia. Now an outside hitter at Syracuse, Sierzant has shown promise on offense early in her career.

The Sierzant family didn’t know if Howard would ever be able to walk without a walker. But, when he was 9-years-old, he walked out of a physical therapy session without one. Sierzant said Howard was always independent. She remembered when people tried to help Howard open a door or pull out a chair, he insisted on doing it on his own.

“He gets mad when someone tries to help him,” Sierzant said. “He’s like, ‘no, I can do this myself.’”

In high school, Howard’s day consisted of attending practices where he helped do everything from filling water bottles to setting up video feeds. His rigid routine pushed Sierzant to develop a strict workout regimen.

She started practicing before school. Her father, David, said Sierzant underwent skill training before going to the YMCA to run on the treadmill after practice. Howard told her to stay disciplined and stick to a routine everyday.

“He’s had a hard life, but he’s had a normal life,” Sierzant said about her brother, “He’s taught me that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.”

Though Sierzant won the Hollis Stacy Award in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Howard has earned silverware as well. In 2022, Howard won the Coastal Empire Sports Courage Award, which is given to a person in the Savannah region who has overcome great adversity to become an inspiration. Howard’s accomplishment made the front page of the Savannah Morning News the day after, something that neither Sierzant, nor her sister, a standout basketball player, were able to do. It gave him bragging rights at the dinner table.

“Talking about Veronica without talking about Howard would be a mistake,” Savannah Morning News writer Dennis Knight said.

Sierra Zaccagnino | Design Editor

Now at Syracuse, Sierzant is off to a strong start. The freshman has been a key player for the Orange, recording 31 kills, 56 assists, 49 digs, and seven aces in 10 games.

Sierzant always wanted to play at Syracuse. David grew up in Binghamton and Sierzant’s grandfather was a huge Syracuse fan. When the Syracuse head coaching job opened up in 2022, Sierzant closely monitored the vacancy. As soon as Bakeer Ganesharatnam won the job, Sierzant sent him an email with her film.

Just days after Ganesharatnam’s appointment, he traveled to Indianapolis to watch Sierzant play. The two scheduled an official visit in the fall. Sierzant didn’t even leave Syracuse’s campus before committing to the Orange.

“She’s a true six-foot-three setter, that’s very rare to find,” Ganesharatnam said. “Her feet are very good, her hands are very good, and I see a lot of potential in her.”

Published on September 20, 2023 at 10:54 pm

Contact Sam: sefederm@syr.edu