Ariana Mankus

Ariana Mankus and her Benet teammates will be aiming for the Class 4A title at the state finals starting today in Normal.
(Jon Cunningham/Naperville Sun)

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Benet outside hitter Ariana Mankus is the Sun-Times Spotlight Player of the Week. Mankus has a Q&A session with Taylor Bell.

Why volleyball? I watched my older sisters — Clarissa, Camille and Margarita — play when I was growing up. In fifth grade, when sports started at my grade school, I wasn’t going to go out. But I decided to at the last minute. I wasn’t bad. I had natural athleticism. I also competed in basketball, cross-country and track. But I felt I was best at volleyball. It was what I loved the most and what I could excel in.

Coach Brad Baker said not many 5-9 outside hitters are as dominant as you. What is your edge? Old-fashioned hard work, working on your vertical and your arm swing. The big thing is having teammates who support you, people cheering you and coaches pushing you.

How exciting was surviving the toughest sectional in the state? There was so much energy in the gym. It was one of the best experiences of my life, beating defending state champion Naperville Central in the final. There were so many people, so much noise, so much energy. Winning was a surreal experience.

How important is your Class 4A semifinal match with Mother McAuley? We must rise to the occasion. It is our first time Downstate. We can’t get sidetracked by their tradition and all the things they bring to the table. It doesn’t matter what they’ve done in the past. We can’t talk about what we have done, only what we’re doing right now.

Why West Point? I want to become an officer. I knew if volleyball didn’t work out, I’d join the military. I fell in love with the campus. I like all they stand for. It’s a great adventure to be part of the tradition there. I saw the oldest known signature of Robert E. Lee and a piece of the Berlin Wall.

Did president-elect Barack Obama nominate you? I sent applications to Obama and Sen. Dick Durbin and State Representative Judy Biggert. But the superintendent [of West Point] wrote a letter of nomination for me, and I got a letter of acceptance in early September. Obama still can recommend me. It would be a great honor if he sent a letter of recommendation. But I already have been accepted.

Would you rather win a state championship or be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? At this time, I’d rather win state because we haven’t won a state volleyball title before. Being part of that would be a great honor. Later, I would like to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs. I want to rise as high as I can. That would be something great to strive for.

Dream prom date? Ethan Hawke.

Web site? Uselessknowledge.com. It lists random facts, trivia, strange laws — it is unlawful to push a moose out of an airplane in Alaska.

Best book you’ve read? Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. It’s a story about a rough childhood. It’s depressing but an eye-opener about how hard life can be for people. I’m not a fan of sugar-coated endings.

How do you relax? I listen to music. I love the Beatles, Nirvana, Bob Dylan. I like older music.

If you could choose one event to attend, it would be ... The Beatles concert at Shea Stadium in New York in 1965, before I was born. My friend Meghan Bray and I go to Beatles tribute band concerts. We went to one last Friday at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, the night before our supersectional.