Volleyball | 10/6/2015 1:55:00 PM

Redshirt junior Crysten Curry had a childhood unlike many others, having Michael Curry, a 12-year NBA player and coach, as a father. However, she said it didn't faze her as a kid. Now that she's a collegiate athlete at her dad's alma mater, where he was inducted into the Eagles' Hall of Fame, Crysten began to realize all that he accomplished.
 
"I think as I grow older and realize what all he's accomplished, I'm starting to really realize 'wow, he did a lot of amazing things' so I'm really proud of him," Crysten said.
 
In fact, Michael Curry is the only player in school history to score over 1,000 points and rank in the top-10 in rebounds, steals and field-goal percentage. After graduating from Georgia Southern, Michael went on to play in the NBA for 11 years, playing for many different teams including the Philadelphia 76ers, the Washington Bullets, the Detroit Pistons, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers. He went on to serve as the president of the NBA Players Association, vice president of player development and coached the Detroit Pistons.
 
Now, Michael often comes back to Georgia Southern to watch his daughter play volleyball.
 
"It's always good to get back to the 'Boro. We had a lot of good memories in this gym," Michael said. "This has been a great opportunity for Crysten, and it's been a lot of fun to watch her play and see some of the old faces that were here when I was in school."
 
Although both parents—Michael and Katrina Curry—played basketball in college, only one of their kids played at the collegiate level at Morehouse College. Crysten's brother, Deon Curry, played football at Michigan State, and Crysten followed in her mom's footsteps by picking up volleyball, where Katrina played at Paine College. 
 
Crysten didn't pick up volleyball until the eighth grade, but after that, she never turned back.
 
"I think because I picked it up late, I'm not burned out like some other players my age," Crysten said. "I saw a future with volleyball so that's why I picked it versus the other sports I was playing."
 
With one more year of eligibility, Crysten wants to make this year and next year count.
 
"There's always room to grow, always room for improvement," Curry said. "We definitely want to win a championship. That's the end goal."
 
This week, the Eagles play in-state rival Georgia State at Hanner Fieldhouse, and the Sun Belt match will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Georgia Southern takes on the Panthers Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., and the winner gets a half point in the recently-announced Georgia Southern vs. Georgia State Rivalry Series.