North Columbus News

Sarah Morbitzer’s volleyball career has been marked by the support of numerous individuals, from her mother who coached a local team to her coach and teammates at The Ohio State University. As she graduates this summer, Morbitzer reflects on her journey and looks ahead to medical school.

Starting as a walk-on player in 2020, Morbitzer earned a scholarship by her junior season, an uncommon achievement in her sport. "Not everyone is getting money to play volleyball," she said. "That didn’t go into my decision of being a Buckeye because this is my dream. I wasn’t expecting any money. To be a walk-on and to end up getting a scholarship is huge."

Morbitzer's accomplishment is even more notable given that she received her scholarship after undergoing heart surgery. Diagnosed with a chronic heart condition two days after birth, she had her first surgery at four months old and was told another procedure would be necessary in the future.

"My doctor told me, ‘You’re going to know [when it’s time for the surgery],’" she recalled. She recognized the need for surgery during practice in fall 2020 and opted for a clinical trial involving a minimally invasive heart catheter instead of open-heart surgery.

The night before her procedure, Morbitzer received unexpected video messages of support from her teammates. "I was a freshman, so I hadn’t built many relationships yet. I wasn’t expecting that," she said. "That video was special. It made me feel so connected to the team; it made me feel so valued."

Her procedure was successful, allowing her to start for the Buckeyes just one month later—a feat she attributes to her coach's encouragement.

Jen Flynn Oldenburg became the team's coach during Morbitzer’s freshman year. Despite not being the coach initially met as a potential walk-on, Morbitzer quickly bonded with Oldenburg.

"Being a walk-on, that was scary for me," she said about the leadership change. "Jen is amazing and so understanding of everything I’ve gone through."

As Morbitzer concludes her undergraduate studies as an exercise science major, she plans to apply to medical school after taking a gap year working in research at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

"My full-time job for the last four years was volleyball," she stated. "I need more experiences."

Morbitzer remains optimistic about medical school despite its challenges: "My whole life, I’ve had to be resilient and learn as I go," she said.

Her physician Curt Daniels practices at both Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital where Morbitzer had her 2020 procedure—an experience that highlighted seamless medical care for Morbitzer.

"I saw him at Ohio State first," she noted. "He knew Dr. [Aimee] Armstrong at Children’s who ended up doing my procedure."

Daniels also pointed out that volleyball suited Morbitzer well due to its short bursts of activity allowing recovery time between plays.

With strong support throughout her journey, Morbitzer looks forward to serving others similarly post-medical school: “Although I haven’t been to medical school and become a cardiologist yet,” she said, “it’s going to be huge for me to show kids and parents that although surgery is very scary, it’s doable.”

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