It’s 30 minutes before the start of another match for the Sacramento State volleyball team.

It’s the middle of warm-ups and the players are chatting amiably as they bump and spike ball after ball.

Sandra Bandimere is among them, but she’s not just chatting. She’s bobbing her head to the background music, smiling broadly, singing the lyrics and moving with the beat. She is, in so many words, being exactly who she says she is.

“I think I’m a fun person, outgoing,” Bandimere said. “I try to stay positive as much as possible.”

People who describe Bandimere are likely to use the same words.”She’s always fun to be around,” assistant coach Ruben Volta said.

“She’s just a very likeable person,” head coach Debby Colberg said. “She’s high energy, always upbeat. The rest of the girls feed off of that.”

It doesn’t hurt that she’s a pretty good volleyball player too.

Bandimere led the team in kills last season and ranks second after seven matches this season behind teammate Kazmiera Imrie. It’s not uncommon to hear “Oooh!” from the crowd after one of her devastating kills.

“She’s one of the most explosive players we’ve had in a long time,” Colberg said. “The things that stand out about her are her speed and her jumping ability. She’s very competitive.”

The competitiveness is a stark contrast to the happy-go-lucky personality she is so known for. But it is no less obvious. As soon as the first whistle of a match blows, the smiles and laughs and all the clowning around go by the wayside.

“She’s definitely got a game mode,” Volta said.

“Game mode” is firing up her teammates before every serve, high-fiving each of them as she reenters a game.

In a match against Georgetown University at last weekend’s Sacramento State Invitational Tournament, the Hornets were called for a net violation. Colberg sprang to her feet and demanded an explanation from officials. Bandimere quickly joined her coach in protest, pointing across the court at her opponents.”She ran into the net!” Bandimere implored.

The officials ignored the pleas and the ball was awarded to the Hoyas. Bandimere promptly killed the next point and got the ball back for her team.To her, the competitiveness is one of her biggest strengths. Combined with an intense work ethic, it’s no wonder that she was coveted by a number of high profile schools.

Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Fresno State and Northern Arizona all recruited the three-sport athlete who is Roseville High School’s all-time kills leader. Ultimately, she chose to stay home and attend Sac State.

“People don’t realize that the volleyball program here is very good. I have my family here, and I just felt Sac State wanted me more than the other schools.”Colberg realizes her good fortune.

“We kind of lucked into her,” Colberg said. “She came onto the club circuit a little late and a lot of people didn’t catch onto her right away.”

Those who wonder whether Bandimere, who at 5-foot-7, is undersized at her position and for her sport, would be as successful at a bigger school need only ask her opinion about it.

“Definitely,” she said. “I feel I could raise my level at any school. And Sac State isn’t that far below any of them.”

Raising her level is always in the front of Bandimere’s mind. During the Sac State Invitational, Bandimere was held to 17 kills on the first day of competition. The next day, she had 18 kills against Georgetown alone.

“I like volleyball because no matter how good you get, you can always keep getting better,” she said. “I’d like to be a better all-around player. I need to work on my defense and my passing. Hopefully I can do that by getting a chance to play in the back row more this year.”

Undoubtedly, she’ll have to improve, as opponents will certainly tailor their game plans around neutralizing her. It’s a lot of pressure, and how she performs will dictate how she is remembered at Sac State after her career is over. Her legacy though, is of little importance to her.

“If people want to put me in the spotlight, that’s great, but I don’t have that in my mind,” Bandimere said. “I just want people to know that I was competitive, fun to be around, and that I was a good volleyball player.”