FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Sacred Heart University men's volleyball player Aleksa Mandic has been selected by the Serbian National Team and could play for his country in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League (VNL) June 10-16 in Xi'an, China.

Mandic, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter, was selected by the Serbian coaching staff after they evaluated his sophomore collegiate season with the Pioneers this winter. They also received a recommendation from SHU Head Coach Adam Niemczynowicz.

"Aleksa is a very experienced and skilled player who knows and understands the game very well," said Niemczynowicz, who has been recruiting European players since he arrived at SHU three years ago. "He has been playing up and on the highest levels since he was very young."

Mandic is from the Serb Republic. The national team coaches certainly didn't have to learn much about Mandic, who had served as captain of their youth national team.

"I hope to gain volleyball knowledge and improve as a player," said Mandic of his expectations for the national team experience, which sends the top players to compete in the VNL. "It feels really good to be recognized."

Mandic, who had 20 kills against Farleigh Dickinson on Jan. 17 and seven aces with nine digs vs. St. Thomas Aquinas on March 22, is expected to return to Sacred Heart this fall.

His path to the Pios and Division I is an interesting one. Mandic went from secondary school to the Belgrade Medical School in Serbia before spanning three college semesters between University of Hawaii at Manoa and Missouri Baptist University.

"Growing up in Serbia was nice, a lot of practice," said Mandic, who is back home preparing for the VNL. "My family is poor, and they work a lot. So I needed to work as well from a young age while going to school and to practice." 

His dream was always to become a doctor, and going to the highly regarded Belgrade Medical School as an undergraduate kept him on that path. However, medical school in his home country is a far cry from the post-grad experience in the U.S. 

"I finished medical school in Belgrade. It is a really good school. I know anatomy and physiology really well, but when I arrived in the U.S., they told me that I can't finish anything in medical field because I have just four years of eligibility. For any medical field, I need at least five. That's why I changed to business."

Mandic's life has been about adapting, and leaving SHU to compete for his country is just one more adaptation to master.

Niemczynowicz believes having Pio players compete for national teams aids in the awareness for his program. "I'm recruiting European players, so it helps us find better players, which enables us to be more competitive, show growth and enhance the experience of each student-athlete."

Recruiting internationally also offers SHU prospects a chance to experience a different culture. Student-athletes like Mandic might relish the opportunity to get away from challenging environments.

"The differences between the U.S. and Serbia are unmeasurable," said Mandic. "The U.S. system is better, and there is no wars every 20 to 30 years. People live with better standards, especially this area…. which is rich." 

Niemczynowicz and Sacred Heart hope Mandic continues to enrich the volleyball program, a true win-win situation.