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Turkey’s Topcicek stepping up

Fans of all NCAA sports know how crucial it is to have a senior-laden roster. Close games can often be determined by the squad that has the most experience and who can stand undeterred in the face of pressure. On paper, the Bradley Braves volleyball team in 2021 is barren of seniors, which means likely not much experience, right? 

Not quite.

Enter Doga Topcicek. 

Topcicek, a freshman outside hitter from Istanbul, Turkey, has proven herself as a weapon for the Braves just four matches into her collegiate career. Bradley fell in four sets to Drake on back-to-back occasions most recently, but Topcicek stormed onto the scene, collecting 17 kills and 40 digs over the weekend series. 

With underclassmen comprising almost two-thirds of the volleyball roster, Bradley head coach Carol Price-Torok has had to count on her young talent. Thankfully for Price-Torok, Topcicek’s professional experience in Turkey has been a blessing for the Braves this year. 

Before coming to Bradley, Topcicek played professionally in Turkey for Besiktas, a club playing in the Turkish Women’s Volleyball League (TWVL). The league is widely regarded as the most competitive of its kind in the world. In fact, it’s Topcicek’s experience in the TWVL that helped her gain Price-Torok’s attention in the first place. 

Price-Torok embarked on an overseas venture to recruit potential international players to build the roster. According to Topcicek, her now-current coach came to one of her matches and expressed immediate interest. The feeling was mutual. 

 “It’s hard to continue education and play volleyball in Turkey, and [Coach Torok] felt like family because she was always supportive and wanted me to come here,” Topcicek said. “The first night after we met is when I made my decision.” 

The freshman expressed how special it was to have an American college coach travel and visit with her face-to-face. Price-Torok wasn’t her only influence to play collegiately in America, though. 

“On my old club, there were some American players like Jordan Larson, and I talked with her, and she is one of the reasons I wanted to come to the United States,” Topcicek said. 

Larson is a two-time Olympic medalist and currently plays for the U.S. national volleyball team. Players of her caliber from around the world are common at the professional level in Turkey, where volleyball is arguably the most popular sport. 

The competition level has readied Topcicek more than anyone on the Braves roster and helped lower her stress level. 

“The first time I came here, I wasn’t too anxious because I had already played in the professional leagues,” Topcicek said.

Price-Torok feels her experience allows her to fit right in on the team.

 “She’s played a lot of volleyball at the high level. With the absence of [junior outside hitter] Rachel Pranger this year, she’s been able to step in,” added Price-Torok.

While Topcicek is acclimated to the rigors of Division I volleyball, it took her some time to get used to a few things in America. 

The freshman noted that a larger fast-food influence makes it tempting for her to eat unhealthily. However, Topcicek keeps busy by often cooking her own food, which resembles home-cooked meals that are more prevalent in Turkey. 

While transitioning from Turkey to the United States, Topcicek also noted a difference in the volleyballs used, as she said they were harder to control. 

 “It was hard for me during the first month to get used to it. When we would receive the balls, the passing was hard for me,” Topcicek said. 

Since then, Topcicek has had no trouble contributing to the Braves. The freshman is tied for first in aces, second in digs and third in kills on the team. Those sort of numbers may propel Topcicek to achieve her goal of winning MVC Freshman of the Year.

In a season where the Braves may find themselves in many close games with a young roster, a young but experienced player like Topcicek is exactly what Price-Torok wanted. 

“She’s been up against a lot of big-time athletes and she knows what it takes to be in big-time games,” Price-Torok said.  “That’s what sets her apart from other freshmen.” 

File photo courtesy Bradley Athletics.
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