Michelle Krenowicz, music senior, didn’t have to choose between sports and music. Krenowicz plays harp at OCU and acts as setter on the volleyball team.
Krenowicz said she found OCU through volleyball.
“When I was a senior in high school, it was time to start looking at colleges. I knew I wanted to play college volleyball,” she said. “I went to a tournament in Oklahoma City, and that’s where my very first coach saw me, and he called me a few months later for a visit.”
Krenowicz said after accepting a spot on the volleyball team, she auditioned for the Wanda L. Bass School of Music.
“I didn’t really fully understand what being a music student meant, but they gave me a scholarship, so I continued to do both these past four years,” she said.
Krenowicz first started playing harp in the sixth grade.
“It was kind of random. In the fifth grade you try out all of the instruments, and I knew I wanted to be in orchestra,” she said. “I originally wanted to play the violin, and then I tried the viola, and then the bass, and then my mom told me I should try the harp.”
Krenowicz said she enjoys the opportunities that OCU has given her, both in athletics and in music.
“I think being able to travel with the volleyball team has been a great experience,” she said. “I liked going to nationals three out of four times I’ve been here, making friends in the music school and playing in orchestra.”
During her OCU volleyball career, Krenowicz has been named an NAIA scholar-athlete, conference scholar-athlete and a two-time academic all-conference athlete. In 2017 and 2018, she won the academic all-SAC award.
Her statistics include 213 sets played, 39 assists and 35 service aces.
Krenowicz said the coaches have made an impact on her volleyball playing.
“I’ve had four of them, which is kind of crazy. I think I’ve learned something from every one of them,” she said.
Krenowicz said Marijana Bjelobrk, senior right-side hitter, has been inspiring to her.
“She’s been with me the past four years, and she’s just been a really solid player and a good friend,” Krenowicz said.
Bjelobrk said Krenowicz is very talented.
“It is fascinating to me how Michelle is such a competitive and hard-working athlete, but at the same time an extremely sophisticated and gentle musician,” Bjelobrk said. “She has been my best teammate for all four years, and I appreciate her so much.”
Krenowicz said she also would like to thank Jeffrey Grogan, professor of music, for inspiring her to find her passion for music.
Krenowicz currently plays in the OCU Symphony Orchestra, as well as a chamber class. She also won OCU’s annual concerto competition in spring 2019.
Krenowicz said her next step is attending graduate school for music performance. She has applied to University of Oklahoma, Southern Methodist University and University of Colorado Boulder.
“My goal is to be a professional harpist,” she said. “I just finished all of my grad school applications, so I’m waiting to hear back, and then I’ll decide at the end of this month. Then I’ll go to grad school for two years and figure it out from there.”
Krenowicz said fellow student athletes/musicians should know that it is possible to do both athletics and sports.
“It definitely is doable. Time management is a big key. Take care of yourself, don’t forget to have fun, practice as much as you can, and show up to rehearsal prepared,” she said.
Leave a Reply