FIU Athletics

Junior (2013 – Sand): Played alongside Maryna Samoday as FIU’s No. 2 tandem during the Panthers’ inaugural sand volleyball season … The duo compiled an overall record of 22-5 and a pairs mark of 14-4 … Selected to the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championship ‘Best of the Rest’ field, along with Samoday, where the tandem went 4-0 in pool play before falling in the semifinals of the championship bracket … Combined with Samoday for a dual match record of 8-1, as the duo went 2-0 at the No. 1 position and 6-1 at the No. 2 spot … The twosome won the Doctors Hospital FIU Surf & Turf Tournament pairs competition, defeating teammates Kate Stepanova and Ksenia Sukhareva in straight sets in the finals.

Prior to FIU: A four-year letterwinner in volleyball at Winter Park High School in Winter Park, Fla. … Contributed to a state championship as a sophomore with the Wildcats … Comes to FIU from Valencia College, as she previously played one season of indoor competition at Saint Leo University in 2010-11, and spent the previous year at Broward College … Garnered first team all-state and all-conference honors while at Broward …  Played for the Orlando Volleyball Academy club team … Earned the First Honors Award for outstanding academic achievement in high school … Was involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes from 2006-09.

Personal: Born October 16, 1990 … Daughter of Barbara Ptaszynski, the late David Mendoza and stepfather Dean Ptaszynski  … Has three brothers: Joseph, Michael and John, and one sister, Sarah … Her sister, Sarah, played volleyball at Kentucky and Rollins, while her brother, John, was a member of the wrestling team at McKendry … Enjoys swimming, painting, wakeboarding, and longboarding … Plans to major in sports education with aspirations of becoming a professional personal trainer, yoga instructor and massage therapist.