By Dan Hardenbrook
Elisa Rizzoli, an international exchange student who was a volleyball powerhouse for the Newberry Lady Indians two seasons ago is back to play volleyball at Lake Superior State University.
The Italy native attended Newberry High School during the 2023-2024 school year and made a huge impact on the court. During her time with the Lady Indians, Rizzoli was a member of the very first UPSSA All UP Volleyball Dream Team and earned Upper Peninsula Division 4 Defensive Player of the Year honors, while helping spark the team’s incredible run to District and Regional Championships and a spot in the MHSAA Division 4 State Quarterfinals.
Rizzoli returned home to Italy and played volleyball with her sister on a club team before signing to return to the states at LSSU. The newest Lady Laker was on Mackinac Island last weekend, as LSSU played in the 2025 Matches on the Mack exhibition event. The series featured teams from Northern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, and the University of Michigan.
For Rizzoli, the return to the EUP was both exciting and nerve wracking. “I’m really excited to be here again and to be able to play volleyball in America,” she said. “I was really nervous at the start, especially about volleyball, because I knew it was going to be different than when I played in Newberry.”
She says that she wanted to make sure she didn’t let her Newberry supporters down after a year away.
“I kind of felt the pressure to have to be good for the people that believed in me, but when I got here everything was good,” she said.
How could it not be good for a player and person who left a lasting impression on everyone during her short stay? Rizzoli thrilled fans, had opponents in awe, and played with a powerful skill set and passion that made her one of the very best in recent history to suit up for the Lady Indians. Rizzoli became familiar with the LSSU program while she was here, and multiple colleges took notice. It was the Lakers, close to her home away from home in Newberry, that lured her back.
“The team has been great and the other girls are really, really nice,” Rizzoli said. “I really like the coach too. I can’t wait to see how the season goes!”
Newberry fans won’t have to wait long to a new dose of “Holy Moly Rizzoli!” LSSU is hosting its annual Blue and Gold Scrimmage tonight, and after a pair of tournaments followed by back-to-back weekends away to fill up their September schedule, the Lady Lakers will return home October 3 (vs Michigan Tech) and October 4 (vs NMU) in a pair of U.P. rivalry series.
The team plays all home games at the Bud Cooper Gymnasium inside the Norris Center. A full schedule is available on the LSSU athletics website, and games can be watched live on the FloSports app.
