After a decision last year to cut the National American University volleyball program left players and the community shocked, 12 of the 14 players have returned this year to continue their education.

"This is an incredible testimony of NAU," campus director John Quinn said. "It's so unusual."

Nine of the players are from Brazil, and the other three are American. Three of the students started this year with Chadron State College, playing on its volleyball team for three weeks and then quitting.

"I called Ron (Shape, chief operating officer and chief financial officer)," said former player Thamy Viana, when she realized she wanted to return to NAU. "I didn't expect him to say I could come back, but he did, and I got all excited."

It was a snowball effect, with Viana sharing the news with close friends and teammates Daniela Oliveira and Thais Batistella, who also decided to return to NAU.

Scholarships for all of the players on the former NAU team were honored, said Quinn, who said the university had a moral and legal obligation to keep them.

The return of the players is one of many ups and downs the university has sustained in the last year. In back- to-back announcements last March, president Charles Buckles was removed from his position and the university announced it would discontinue its sports programs in rodeo and volleyball, as well as stop recruiting for its equine management program.

The university said the change of programs was a response to declining high school graduates numbers in the Midwest and an increase in the number of adults seeking higher education.

Batistella, Oliveira and Viana all said they wanted to return to NAU because of the small community and the small campus.

"It's easy to get help," Viana said.

Oliveira agreed. She said the pace at Chadron was difficult. The volleyball schedule was more intense than at NAU.

"I couldn't keep it up, with studies and practice and working," she said. "I'm not just here for volleyball.

She does miss it though. The girls said they cried when NAU made its announcement last year.

"Sure, if I could play for NAU again, I would," she said.

It wasn't easy to leave Chadron, Batistella said.

"It's a good decision, but I was upset after I told the coach," she said. "It's bad to leave. Everybody was sad there, but we have to think what's better for us."

University officials knew that about six of the 14 players were returning this year, Quinn said, but to have almost all of them come back is a testament to the university. He hopes the community and local teams will take advantage of having that kind of athletic talent in town.

"We've got some of the best volleyball players in the states, and that's exciting," he said.

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com