Brittany Lhota achieved her life-long dream when she was granted a full athletic scholarship to play volleyball at the University of Pittsburgh, but shortly after her arrival there, she felt disappointed, overwhelmed and owned by the team.Those demands – which essentially matched the rigors of a full-time job – proved to be too much, so Lhota decided to transfer, eventually landing at Point Park University with a chance at a new beginning, which has so far been positive.”I loved it ever since I visited Point Park in the spring,” Lhota said. “It turned out to be the right choice for me.”Born in Flemington, N.J., Lhota found herself moving around quite often growing up. She relocated to Buffalo, N.Y. and then Greensburg, Pa., where she remained for eight years. Following this, she lived in Chesapeake, Va. for 11 months before finally settling down in Latrobe, Pa., where she still lives today.While attending high school in Latrobe, Lhota became involved in sports. She played basketball until her sophomore year, at which time she took up volleyball.”My friends really pushed me to play volleyball because I was tall,” Lhota said.Standing at 6-foot-2-inches, there is little doubt that Lhota was meant for the volleyball court. She helped to lead her team, the Latrobe Wildcats, in an undefeated season and a AAA Title in 2009.Through her successes, Lhota decided she wanted to continue to play the sport while in college and began looking at various schools, including Western Michigan University and Youngstown State University. The University of Pittsburgh eventually caught her eye and her decision was made.She left on June 20, a day after her birthday, to begin training with the Pitt Panthers volleyball team. The training began at two days a week for six weeks, but eventually became overwhelming for Lhota, having to juggle her practices and games with her schoolwork. She was missing a connection with the team and the coach, and made the bold decision to leave her scholarship behind to transfer to another school.Again she set out visiting numerous schools, and decided to continue her education in Pittsburgh, but at Point Park instead. Her initial visit helped to influence this decision.”When I went to visit Point Park, I met with Coach Bruno, and he was an awesome coach,” Lhota said. “I actually got to practice with the team which I hadn’t done with any other school. The girls on the team are absolutely awesome and there was an instant connection.”Head women’s volleyball coach, Bruno, is equally as pleased with her decision to join the team and the university. He visited with Lhota and her parents to speak about the university before the decision to attend Point Park was made, and now he has the opportunity to work with her on the team.As of Monday, Oct. 10, the Point Park Pioneers had a 26-4 record, with Lhota as an important aspect of the team. Bruno has been helping her to continually improve her skills and has seen nothing but determination and improvement from the young player.”She’s a great kid,” Bruno said. “She works hard and is a tremendous team player. She fits in with our team philosophy: playing for each other.”Fellow volleyball player Lindsey Oberacker, a junior biological science major, has played on the team for three years. She currently trains and plays alongside Lhota, and has noticed her talent on the court.”She’s a tower,” Oberacker said. “That’s an advantage in itself. She’s really strong-willed and she has a confidence about her that is rare to find.”Lhota is working towards her Bachelor of Science degree in biology. The sophomore athlete has hopeful plans for the future. She hopes to continue her education, receiving a master’s degree in dental, physical therapy, or pharmacy. Until then, she will cherish her time at Point Park and finish her undergraduate degree.Since coming to the university in the fall, Lhota has been pleased with her experience and happy with her ultimate decision. She believes that she made the right choice and holds no regrets.”I am having a lot more fun here,” Lhota said. “That’s what it should be about. You work hard but you have fun at the same time.”