Morgan sophomore outside hitter Gabriela Hiciano, a Puerto Rico native, carries a quiet confidence with her that allows her to remain optimistic regardless of her team’s losing record.

Morgan’s volleyball team has only won four out of 24 overall matches this season and two out of 10 conference matches.

Their two Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) wins have come against the winless South Carolina State Lady Bulldogs (0-19).

“I feel pretty much confident right now because I feel like the team has improved on a lot of things,” Hiciano said.

Hiciano began playing volleyball six years ago at age 12.

She attended the Saint Francis School in Carolina, P.R. where she accumulated a 3.77 GPA before being recruited by Morgan’s head volleyball coach Ramona-Riley Bozier.

Freshman outside hitter Madison Grace described Hiciano as a great teammate.

“Gabby is a quiet person, but she is really kindhearted.” Grace said, “She is a great teammate and for the most part just does her own thing.”

According to Riley-Bozier, one of Hiciano’s best skills on the volleyball court is her passing.

“She is definitely one of our best passers on the team,” Riley-Bozier said. “She is also a very good attacker.”

Hiciano played her first season with the Lady Bears in the spring of 2021 and was a two-time MEAC Rookie of the Week. She finished the season third on the team in kills per set with 2.40.

The highlight of her sophomore season so far was her selection on the George Mason All-Tournament Team on Sept. 12. At the tournament, she recorded 12 kills, six digs and three assisted blocks to help her team earn their first win, a 3-2 comeback victory over George Mason.

Her favorite match of the season was against Delaware State because she has friends from high school that play for the team.

She also enjoyed the challenge of playing against a team of Delaware State’s caliber.

Hiciano and the rest of the Lady Bears will play against the Norfolk State Lady Spartans for the second time this season on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. in Hill Field House. The team lost their first match against the Lady Spartans 3-1 on Oct. 10.

Hiciano had seven kills on 37 attacks with five errors in the loss.