She?s no devil, but to see her intensity on the court, someone might say she brings with her the fire of Hades. Born in Ballrat, Australia and towering at six-feet tall, Tasman Dwyer was named after the island of Tasmania. Known to most as “Taz,” she has become a dominating and formidable force as a middle hitter for the Sac State women?s volleyball team.

“I think she?s very intense,” team captain Sarah Chlebana said. “She?s been a steady force for the past three years.”

Before making her way to Sac State, Dwyer started playing volleyball as a seventh grader at Markham Junior High in Placerville, Ca. She went on to play four years of varsity volleyball at Ponderosa High School in Shingle Springs. Dwyer also competed as a member of the varsity basketball team and made the honor roll four years running. She was the Ponderosa High School Athlete of the Year as a senior, team MVP her sophomore and junior seasons, as well as a three year all-league selection in basketball. Dwyer was selected as the Sierra Valley Conference MVP, chosen as the Nike Athlete of the Month in February of 1998, and the list goes on. She has competed in four national championships (cross country, basketball and two club volleyball), and all this before she even finished high school.

With a resume like that, one might think that scouts would be banging down her door, however, Dwyer was not very heavily recruited.

“Fresno State, Northern Arizona and Gonzaga were the recruiting trips I went on,” Dwyer said. “I didn?t know where I wanted to go, I just knew I wanted to go away from home.”

Though she hadn?t really considered Sac State, Coach Debby Colberg had considered her. “We knew about Tasman from the area because she played for a local club (High Voltage), but we never recruited her hard because we heard she wanted to go out of town,” Colberg said.

Maybe it wasn?t quite as far as she had imagined, but when Dwyer?s club volleyball coach, Candy Murphy, also the Sac State assistant coach at the time, discovered that she hadn?t signed with anyone, she encouraged Colberg to move in with an offer.

“I was the latest to commit ever,” Dwyer said. “It just fell into my lap and it ended up being the best move I ever made.”

It was the best move for Dwyer not just because she was given a full scholarship and a chance to play on a nationally competitive team. For her, it was much more family oriented.

“I love the hometown crowd. I have so much family support,” Dwyer said.” My family comes to all the home games. My grandparents are fanatics.”

It?s fortunate that her family can travel to see her games because it?s one of the only times they get to see her at all. With a major in Recreation and Leisure and a full volleyball schedule complete with weekends spent on the road, she rarely has time for a visit with her family.

“I?ve only been home twice since the season started and I only live about an hour away,” Dwyer said.

But don?t feel sorry for her because it?s the price she pays to command her position on the number one team in the conference. However, Dwyer has paid her dues. During her freshman year, Dwyer road the bench.

“I didn?t play at all as a freshman, maybe two or three games,” Dwyer said. “But in the spring between my freshman and sophomore year, I made a jump in my quickness and in my game. There was a window of opportunity when Rebecca (former middle hitter) graduated, so I took it.”

She seized the opportunity and has had control of it ever since. Her sophomore year she was named honorable mention all-Big Sky and also was awarded with all- Big Sky tournament honors. She has been a constant force for the Hornets, appearing in 120 of 124 total games, since cracking the starting lineup.

Dwyer set a Big Sky Conference and Sac State record with a single-match hitting percentage of .917 against Portland State.

Dwyer has become Sac State?s own version of a small town girl with a big time talent. A talent that she uses to inspire her teammates during competition.

“She?s very verbal and a good leader on the court,” Colberg said. “She wants to win.”

And winning is exactly what Sac State is doing, with a record of 18-10 overall and 11-3 in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets now sit in the driver?s seat of the Big Sky standings with just two matches left in the regular season. Though she is on top of her game and her team is on top of the conference, Dwyer remains humble and thankful for what she has.

“I didn?t think that from my little town in Placerville I could get a full scholarship. It?s a dream I never thought would come true,” she said. “I?m lucky and I?m truly blessed.”