In 2012, a car accident ended Lana Dukule’s playing career.

She had aspirations of pursuing a career in professional volleyball. She had starred for four years at Louisville before heading to Europe to play professionally.

She ended up needing surgery on her ankle and was designated as a non-playing member of the Latvian national team.

Instead, she visited the United States and stayed at the home of her former coach at Louisville, Leonid Yelin, now coach at Syracuse. In her free time, Dukule joined Yelin as a guest at Syracuse’s practices, watching and interacting with the team.

But this time, Yelin noticed something different about Dukule. She had matured.

“That’s when she really amazed me,” Yelin said. “I knew her as just a player and student. I saw a side of her I never even saw. She has been helping the international players how to study and how to prepare.”

Syracuse hired Dukule as an assistant coach this past offseason. Her first season has been a rollercoaster, but she’s immediately had an effect on the team. Outside hitter Nicolette Serratore said Dukule’s calm presence balances out Yelin’s intensity at times, while her youth gives the players someone to which they can relate.

“She plays with us on the court (in practice) so we get to see how she plays,” Serratore said. “She is a great leader out there, so it’s really awesome to have that kind of player out there with us.”

Dukule didn’t pick up a volleyball until she was 14 years old, but the sport came naturally to her. She soon realized that volleyball was her calling.

Her talents took her to Louisville. The 6-foot-4 Dukule was a four-year letter winner, leading her team to the NCAA tournament for three straight years from 2004-2006. During her senior year, she took All-Big East First-Team honors as well as All-Big East Tournament honors.

She also excelled defensively — leading the Cardinals with 36 solo blocks and finishing third on the team with 102 total blocks as a senior — before taking her talents back overseas. Dukule spent her first year in Italy playing for the Volta Mantovana Volleyball Club, then in France for the EVB Volleyball Club and IOPV Volleyball Club.

She represented the Latvian national team at the Latvian Olympics, but when the accident occurred, she was forced to retire, according to SU Athletics.

The injuries didn’t stop her from moving to the sidelines, though.

“I wanted to stay in volleyball,” Dukule said. “I never thought I would coach this soon. I never understood, though, how a coach can repeat the same thing a thousand times. But now I do.”

She’s learned that the hard way. The Orange has stumbled to a 5-7 record to start the season.

Dukule insists it isn’t a lack of talent that’s holding SU back. It’s struggling to find a consistent stride. Its mindset is also in question, which is half of the game, Yelin said.

Now he and Dukule are trying to solve it.

“We have everything,” Dukule said. “We just need to build confidence.”

Published on September 24, 2013 at 10:42 pm

Contact Eric: esriter@syr.edu