Mia Viola ’01 Perretta got used to proving herself long before arriving on the North Central College campus, but the opportunity to continue to so on the volleyball court resulted in a highly successful four-year run for player as well as program.
An undersized outside hitter at the high school level, Perretta ignored physical limitations and emerged as a starter at the position at nearby Naperville Central High School. Many recruiters urged Perretta to switch positions, but North Central coach Marcy Thurwachter saw no reason to mess with a good thing.
“I was recruited by bigger schools to play defense,” Perretta said. “Marcy recruited me pretty heavily and said that I would start as a freshman and play my position. She made my recruitment pretty easy.”
Perretta went on to become a four-year starter at outside hitter, earning Second Team All-College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) accolades in 1998 and 1999 before making the All-CCIW First Team as a senior in 2000. During that time, she also helped facilitate a coaching change which kept the team achieving at a high level after Thurwachter stepped down following the 1997 campaign.
“They let (the team) be part of the search process, which was nice,” Perretta said. “I saw it as another chance to prove myself, and it just made me want to work harder and harder, and my teammates were just amazing. It was a great four years because of how the team always came together.”
Perretta graduated as the Cardinals’ all-time leader in kills (1,358) and still ranks second all-time, and she continues to hold the program’s records for career digs (2,987) and service aces (168). Now a teacher and coach in her own right, she also has a host of strategies and lived experience that enrich the lives of students and athletes under her tutelage.
“Looking back as a teacher now, the education department at North Central is outstanding,” Perretta said. “It’s definitely helped me in my career. I fall back a lot on what I did as a player. I know how players are filling in a lot of situations because I’ve been there myself.
“I loved every part of North Central – the people, the teachers, the environment. The smaller atmosphere was the best fit for me.”
