A member of Georgia State's inaugural beach volleyball team, Milani Pickering played at GSU for four seasons (2013-2016). This week we caught up with the Arizona native, who played an integral role in taking the Sandy Panthers to two consecutive national tournament appearances.
When Pickering first visited Georgia State the current beach volleyball complex did not exist. Even without having courts, she still decided to make the cross country move because of her connections with the staff and coaches. Before arriving to downtown she already felt like a member of the Panther Family.
Pickering and the Panthers earned the program's first bid to a national tournament in 2015. In the same year Pickering compiled 21 wins while splitting time in the top three flights. The following year the senior would help guide the Panthers to a second consecutive national tournament appearance and the first ever NCAA tournament behind a 29 win season. Her .829 winning percentage in 2016 with partner Delaney Rohan is the best winning percentage by a pair in a single season in program history. Despite her success during competition, when asked about her favorite memories they include playing scrimmages with her teammates during Tuesday Night Lights. She especially loved each Halloween rendition where the team would wear costumes to practice.
Upon graduating with a degree in exercise and sport science, she started a job at a fitness start up as a performance coach. Currently, she is also helping the start up design their new products. Pickering has also added two members to her family, her beloved dogs Wilson and Smokey. Pickering continues to stay connected with the Panther Family through volunteer coaching whenever she has the chance.
"I learned a lot from being a student-athlete at Georgia State," said Pickering. "The biggest thing is to work hard and be resilient. This mindset has continued to help especially in the workplace."
