Cal State Dominguez Hills volleyball junior Renee Wheeler has shown how actively involved she has been since arriving on campus. In addition to have played 115 sets in the span of 41 matches, Wheeler is as co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) with friend and teammate senior Kenadi Mitchell, a role that serves as the voice of Toro student-athletes to the campus community and expands as far as the California Collegiate Athletic Association and the NCAA.
 
"Renee has shown a ton of growth on and off the court. Her leadership in SAAC has been an asset to our volleyball program regarding NCAA initiatives, community outreach and compus involvement," head volleyball coach Jennifer Adeva commented on the junior.
 
Toros Athletics caught up with the Porter Ranch native to see how she is adapting to the new normal.
 
How have you adapted to this new learning culture?
 
RW: I still am adjusting to this new online learning, but I think what worked the best for me was to write down all my due dates in a planner and really schedule a period of time during the day to fully commit to doing my schoolwork.
 
What are some of the things you like to do when in the South Bay?
 
RW: I think Kenadi and I like to shop together a lot. All the time we make quick pit stops to different stores and just browse. I think we both just really enjoy retail therapy and we always need to shop after a long day.
 
Do you have a routine before you go to the Torodome for a match?
 
RW: We do meet as a team pretty early before a match to watch film and eat together but, I do have a routine to do before all that. I like to wake up, drink a lot of water throughout the day, get a green smoothie, and do my hair before everything else.
 
What are some of the things you like to do when you are back home?
 
RW: When I'm back in my hometown there's this one cafe I always love to go but for the most part I'm just home spending time with my family.
 
Is there a favorite city you liked visiting during your time at CSUDH and why?
 
RW: I always loved whenever we went anywhere up north. NorCal has just such a cool energy and aesthetic to it I just always love being there.
 
Both you and Kenadi are co-presidents of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. How has things been going with SAAC during the pandemic?
 
RW: Things are going well with SAAC during the pandemic! Obviously, all of our meetings and stuff have been over Zoom but we're adjusting to this new normal as much as we can. We're really just trying to stay involved with the students especially freshman.
 
What are the challenges both of you are encountering with SAAC during this difficult time?
 
RW: I think our biggest challenge is that we really wanted to change a lot of things with SAAC now that {Student Academic Success Coordinator and SAAC Advisor} Kisha {Calbert) is here but all of it has been put on pause at the moment.
 
What are your plans after graduating?
 
RW: I'm going through the decision process right now of if I want to go to grad school and if so, where?
 
What has college taught you so far?
 
RW: College has taught me that sometimes life isn't as serious as you think it is. Honestly Kenadi has made me laugh during some of the toughest moments of my life. Her and I have gone through a lot together like it doesn't even feel real, but we always know how to cheer each other up and it's so important to me that we never go long without making each other laugh.
 
Volleyball is a sport that can be played in both on hardwood and sand. Which do you prefer and why?
 
RW: I think playing on sand or even grass is fun for like the occasional game. For long-term, I definitely prefer hardwood. It's just better, you don't have to deal with like the wind or rain and stuff like that.
 
In your opinion, which part of the game of volleyball is considered the hardest to do?
 
RW: I personally think service reception is the hardest part. My position doesn't require a lot of passing but it definitely a hard part of the game.