Amalia Martin stood outside a chemistry classroom and watched flaming napkins extinguish themselves when they dropped and chemicals change states and colors from a hallway.

Her classes took place online during her sophomore at Ridge View High School in South Carolina, but she went to the building for orchestra practice (playing viola). The chemistry teacher opened her door to show the students experiments that wouldn’t translate well over the internet. Martin, who attended Amherst Regional last season as a senior, became enamored with chemistry and consulted the teacher how to make it a career.

They landed on pharmacy school, which eventually pointed her to Duquesne. Martin committed to play Division 1 volleyball for the Dukes last week, finding a perfect fit after a year of upheaval.

“Duquesne has a wonderful pharmacy school and on top of that it’s a catholic university. I’ve always tried to get closer and closer with God and keep a good relationship with Him and grow stronger in my faith,” Martin said. “Everything fell into place the way it needed to.”

Martin didn’t begin communicating with Duquesne as a volleyball option until her family moved to Amherst after her father Frank Martin became the UMass men’s basketball coach. She considered attending a school without athletics or moving back south with the people she’d built relationships with over a decade.

“I didn’t have the same connection with those schools as I did Duquesne,” Martin said. “I didn’t start talking to Duquesne until I was already [in Amherst]. Once I did it, felt right.”

Martin was recruited as a setter. She’ll join a young team that went just 8-22 last season and finished eighth in the 10-team Atlantic 10.

“I just want to get on the floor. As a freshman that’s not always possible, but I’m always going to work as hard as I can,” Martin said. “If the coach says ‘I need you here instead,’ that’s where I am.”

Her parents offered whatever help they could from multiple perspectives. Her mother Anya Martin ran track and field at UMass and explained that the Minutewomen were one of the last programs to reach out to her but ended up being the right fit.

“I was starting to get a little bit discouraged like, ‘am I going to get to play in college? Where am I going to be next year? Am I going to be able to show what I can do?’” Amalia Martin said. “You have to wait for that perfect fit.”

Frank Martin provided a college coach’s perspective and what he looks for in recruits. Though volleyball and basketball recruiting differs, he helped her navigate different university requirements and the best ways to keep in contact with coaches.

Amalia and Anya purchased Frank a small plaque, no bigger than a cell phone, emblazoned with the school’s logo and “Duquesne Dad.” They’ll leave him a hat once she leaves for Pittsburgh next fall. It might clash with his wardrobe of UMass gear, though.

“Me and my mom are trying so hard. I think he has (the plaque) in his room now,” Amalia Martin said. “We’re trying to ease him into the full sweat suit that me and my mom have been dreaming of.”

She’ll play in the same conference as her father but will never have to face his employer, as UMass lacks a varsity women’s volleyball team. Staying in the Atlantic 10 allows Amalia Martin to stay connected with close family friends throughout the conference in both basketball and other sports.

“It just added to the perfect scenario,” Amalia Martin said.

Though Anya Martin would likely have preferred her daughter stay closer to home, Amalia is looking forward to more space and autonomy.

“I think of myself as a pretty independent person. I have great parents, they’ve done everything they can to prepare me for the outside world,” Amalia Martin said. “This is my chance to show them that they’ve taught me well and they can have confidence that I make the right choices. I like to think that I will.”

Kyle Grabowski can be reached at kgrabowski@gazettenet.com. Follow him on Twitter @kylegrbwsk.]]>