No. 11 Minja Rankov, 
Nova Sad, Serbia
Major: Economics

A transfer student from a year ago as a sophomore, Minja Rankov is in her second season on the Lady Bears' volleyball team. This season the 5-foot-7 junior took over the duties as the starting libero five matches ago during the Delaware Invitational and has reached double digits in digs in four of those five matches. Rankov was named to the Delaware Invitational All-Tournament team after totaling 38 digs, including a then season-best 14 digs against Sacred Heart and added a combined 11 assists and three service aces for the weekend. She later set a career-high 19 assists, while adding two service aces and an assists in a win last Sunday at Norfolk State, giving the Lady Bears their first 2-0 MEAC start since 2006. The Lady Bears return to action this Friday, Oct. 2 for its MEAC home opener against rival Howard. First serve is at 7 p.m. at Hill Field House.

Student Life
What is the best time of year on campus? "The best time of the year on campus are fall and spring because the weather is nice and there is a lot of people outside. Winter is kind of boring because everyone is in the rush to get to class."
Why did you choose your major? "I chose Economics because I always liked numbers, but I didn't want to only do Math so I decided that Economics was a better field for me."
Have you switched your major? "Yes, my previous major was Finance, and that is what I actually want to do, but I decided to get a bachelor's degree in Economics and then focus on Finance afterwards."
What has been your favorite or most interesting class at MSU? "I liked Microeconomics with Dr. Reed the most because it was interesting to learn how the whole economy depends on the actions of consumers."
Favorite professor and why? "My favorite professor is Dr. Randal Reed because I can learn a lot in his classes. I like the way he teaches and also because he is always ready to help and answer questions if I have any. This is the third semester I am taking a class with him, and I am always eager to learn the material from my major classes that he teaches."
If you had to give an incoming student advice, what would it be? "I would tell them to start working hard from the beginning. Being in college should be fun, but it should also be challenging. This is the time we should use to learn and prepare ourselves for our future jobs."
Describe your first day as a student at Morgan State. "My first day at Morgan State was last fall. I remember that I had printed out a map before going to classes, because I didn't take my time to walk around the campus and find the buildings I needed before my classes started. I think I looked confused and a little lost, but in a couple days everything fell into place."
What do you like most about Morgan State? "I like that it has its own vibe, that makes it different than other colleges."
What would you like to change at Morgan State? "I would like the administrative things to be a little faster and more efficient."
 
Pop Culture                     
What social media do you prefer the most? "I like Instagram the most. I like Facebook as well, but I don't use it as much as I used to because my peers seem to use other types of social media more than Facebook."
Would you rather read the book or watch the movie? "I would prefer to read the book, because when I do I have a whole story play out in my head the way I imagine it. I enjoy watching movies as well, but I usually get disappointed if I watch movies based on the books I had previously read."
Favorite TV Show: "Bones" and "Grey's Anatomy"
Favorite Movie: "Just Wright"
Favorite book and/or magazine: "The Hunger Games Trilogy"
Favorite Celebrity: Novak Djokovic
Favorite musician/musical group: Zeljko Joksimovic (Serbian pop singer)
My favorite cartoon or children's show as a child was? "Tom & Jerry" and "Ninja Turtles"
Favorite social media source?  "My favorite ones are Instagram and Facebook, I don't really use any other ones."
 
Travel
Most interesting place you visited? "The most interesting place I visited was Egypt. I really enjoyed sightseeing in Cairo and Giza. There is so many interesting things to see there. I enjoyed discovering a completely different culture, and learning about its history."
Place you would like to visit? "I would like to visit Hawaii and enjoy the sun and the ocean."
 
Food
Favorite home cooked meal? "Gibanica. That is a Serbian dish and it's a type of a cheese pie, but it's not sweet."
Favorite snack? "Dark chocolate"
Most underrated food that you like? "I would say sour cream because I eat a lot of it."
I hated it when my mom made me eat? "I don't remember my mom making me eat anything I didn't want to. I was a very picky eater as a kid, but later on I learned to like different types of foods."
Favorite breakfast cereal as a kid? Definitely Chocapic.
 
Sports
When is your favorite time of your sport's season? "I like the conference play because that is the time to play the best that you can, and to fight for the title."
Which team do you most look forward to competing against? "I look forward to playing UMES because my friend plays for their team. We used to play together in Serbia, and to me it's always fun to play against the people I know."
Do you have any pre-game/match superstitions or rituals? "I used to have them when I was younger, but now I don't really have any."
What is your favorite part about your sport? "There is so many things about volleyball that I really like. I like that it's an inside sport, so we don't have to worry about the weather conditions. I like that there is no contact with the opponent. But what I like the most and what made me choose volleyball is that it's a team sport. Through volleyball I met so many different people, and have had so many great experiences in my life."
What is your favorite athletic memory? "I have many, but I think that my favorite one was when I played club volleyball in Serbia and we qualified to play in the National Junior Championship."
Favorite pro sports team? "I don't have one. Nowadays I rarely find time to watch club sports, and even when I do I just pick a team I want to cheer for."
Favorite athlete? "Ivan Miljkovic (a volleyball player)"
What is your top skill on the volleyball court? "I think serving."
When did you start playing volleyball? "I started when I was in my fifth grade because I wanted to try a team sport. Until then I played tennis, but I wanted to see how it is to be a part of a team. I liked it and decided to stay with volleyball."
Any pro sports athletes you know personally? "Yes, some of my previous teammates and friends are playing professionally."
 
Miscellaneous
When you are not at practice, what could someone find you doing? "I'm always doing something. So when I am not in practice, I am either talking to my friends, studying or working. I don't have a lot of free time when I am in season, so I am usually pretty busy."
Do you have a hidden talent? "I am good at playing ping pong."
If you could play another sport other than yours, what would it be? "I would try to play basketball because it's interesting and I would like to know if I would be any good at it."
What do you most look forward to doing during the summer? "I always look forward to going home and spending time with my friends and family because I don't get to see them during the year. I also look forward to travelling and going to the beach."
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be? "I would be able to teleport myself and go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted."
Do you have an interesting nickname? "My nickname is Min, but I don't have an interesting one."
If you could switch places with anyone on your team for a day, who would you choose? "I would switch with Evely [Macedo] and speak in Portuguese to the Brazilians the whole day."
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? "Be the change you want to see in the world."
If you could witness any event of the past, present, or future, what would it be? "I would like to witness the first landing on the moon."
If I could change one thing about myself it would be? "I would see perfectly fine without contacts or glasses, because I would really want to know how it is to wake up and see everything nice and clear."
Person you admire most? "My mom."
Coolest thing you did this summer? "I saw the leaning tower in Pisa."
Most prized possession? "My watches, I just love them."
Dream event? "Going to the Olympic Games."
Your hometown is known for? "It's known for the big fortress."           
Pop or soda? "Soda"
Cats or dogs? "Hmm…dogs, but I have a cat."
Early bird or night owl? "Early bird during the semester, and a night owl during breaks."
Funniest person on the team? "Milan Amos"
After meeting coach Bozier I thought? "I first met her on Skype when she was recruiting me and I thought she was very nice, but also serious about what she does."