Former Collegiate Volleyball Player Competes at CrossFit Games
Former Collegiate Volleyball Player Competes at CrossFit Games
Former University of Illinois volleyball player Merrill Mullis just completed her fifth CrossFit Games competition.
By Priscilla Tallman
Former University of Illinois volleyball player Merrill Mullis just completed her fifth CrossFit Games competition. At the age of 44, Merrill competed against 19 other women in her division (40-44) and placed ninth overall.
A setter for the Fighting Illini in the early ‘90s, Mullis first discovered CrossFit in 2010 when she Googled the nearest fitness club and Hyperfit USA (former home to Games athlete Julie Foucher) popped up.
While it’s quite a feat to qualify for the Crossfit Games once (there are two rounds of qualification before the games, Open and Regionals), qualifying and competing for several years is a testament to the training, level of fitness and mental fortitude of an athlete. Mullis is one of those athletes, as this year’s Games marked five consecutive appearances: 2011, competing with a team, and 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 as a Masters Athlete in the 40-44 Women’s Division.
Although she is no stranger to CrossFit competitions these days, this level of competitiveness wasn’t always Mullis’ goal. She started the sport in 2010 on the recommendation of a couple of friends as a way to stay fit after having children (she has two boys, 12 and 9). The quick, pre-programmed workouts suited her busy lifestyle and were effective not only to accomplish her fitness goals, but to keep her mind stimulated as well.
“I just got hooked. There’s a reason I’ve always done sports,” Mullis said. “To have those goals and be training makes me a better person in general.”
Mullis’ coach at Hyperfit took note of her quick progress and suggested she take her training to the next level. In January 2011, at the age of 38, she qualified for the Central East Regional as an individual.
“I’ve been extremely lucky getting in early and with having good programming and coaching,” Mullis said.
While there may be some luck involved in Merrill’s CrossFit success, her longtime participation in youth sports and experience as a collegiate volleyball player factors greatly into the equation. But in case you’re wondering how well collegiate volleyball and CrossFit go together, you need only look at a sampling of the general population of the most successful CrossFitters in recent years. The average height of a competitive CrossFit athlete (in most divisions) is roughly 5-foot-6 and although their athletic backgrounds vary widely, former collegiate volleyball players are pretty uncommon.
It’s much more difficult for a 5-11 athlete to perform exercises like bar muscle-ups, heavy thrusters, deadlifts or handstand walks for distance, than it is for a shorter person.
“I hate to complain, but it’s tough to be tall,” said Mullis. “I love box jumps, rowing and rope climbs.”
Although this year’s CrossFit Games competition has come to an end, chances are we’ll see Mullis again next year. She has four top-10 finishes in her division (third in 2013, fourth in 2014, eighth in 2015 and ninth in 2016) and no plans to stop anytime soon. The former collegiate athlete credits her years of playing and training to helping her stay mentally focused.
“I know how to compete and I’m comfortable competing,” she said. “I still get nervous, but I feel like [as college athletes] we had a lot of practice doing it and I’m stronger now at 44 than I was in college.”
Former University of Illinois volleyball player Merrill Mullis just completed her fifth CrossFit Games competition. At the age of 44, Merrill competed against 19 other women in her division (40-44) and placed ninth overall.
A setter for the Fighting Illini in the early ‘90s, Mullis first discovered CrossFit in 2010 when she Googled the nearest fitness club and Hyperfit USA (former home to Games athlete Julie Foucher) popped up.
While it’s quite a feat to qualify for the Crossfit Games once (there are two rounds of qualification before the games, Open and Regionals), qualifying and competing for several years is a testament to the training, level of fitness and mental fortitude of an athlete. Mullis is one of those athletes, as this year’s Games marked five consecutive appearances: 2011, competing with a team, and 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 as a Masters Athlete in the 40-44 Women’s Division.
Although she is no stranger to CrossFit competitions these days, this level of competitiveness wasn’t always Mullis’ goal. She started the sport in 2010 on the recommendation of a couple of friends as a way to stay fit after having children (she has two boys, 12 and 9). The quick, pre-programmed workouts suited her busy lifestyle and were effective not only to accomplish her fitness goals, but to keep her mind stimulated as well.
“I just got hooked. There’s a reason I’ve always done sports,” Mullis said. “To have those goals and be training makes me a better person in general.”
Mullis’ coach at Hyperfit took note of her quick progress and suggested she take her training to the next level. In January 2011, at the age of 38, she qualified for the Central East Regional as an individual.
“I’ve been extremely lucky getting in early and with having good programming and coaching,” Mullis said.
While there may be some luck involved in Merrill’s CrossFit success, her longtime participation in youth sports and experience as a collegiate volleyball player factors greatly into the equation. But in case you’re wondering how well collegiate volleyball and CrossFit go together, you need only look at a sampling of the general population of the most successful CrossFitters in recent years. The average height of a competitive CrossFit athlete (in most divisions) is roughly 5-foot-6 and although their athletic backgrounds vary widely, former collegiate volleyball players are pretty uncommon.
It’s much more difficult for a 5-11 athlete to perform exercises like bar muscle-ups, heavy thrusters, deadlifts or handstand walks for distance, than it is for a shorter person.
“I hate to complain, but it’s tough to be tall,” said Mullis. “I love box jumps, rowing and rope climbs.”
Although this year’s CrossFit Games competition has come to an end, chances are we’ll see Mullis again next year. She has four top-10 finishes in her division (third in 2013, fourth in 2014, eighth in 2015 and ninth in 2016) and no plans to stop anytime soon. The former collegiate athlete credits her years of playing and training to helping her stay mentally focused.
“I know how to compete and I’m comfortable competing,” she said. “I still get nervous, but I feel like [as college athletes] we had a lot of practice doing it and I’m stronger now at 44 than I was in college.”