NMMI Sports Press
Three Bronco Volleyball players signed their National Letters of Intent to attend four-year colleges and play for their squads last Wednesday at Cahoon Armory, where they played their hearts out for the Institute over the past two years.
Outside hitter and opposite Allyah Tokelau will be headed to Great Falls, Montana to play for the University of Providence Argonauts.
Setter Marysa Ocampo and outside hitter Laila Bernardino will continue their volleyball journeys together at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia.
True to their season hashtag, #BetterTogether, the three sophomores and close friends chose to sign their letters in unison.
Tokelau was an offensive leader for this past fall's squad that made it to the National Championship tournament in West Plains, Missouri. She finished the season with 358 kills and was named to Region V West All-Conference team after the Broncos hosted and won the post-season tourney in November to punch their ticket to Nationals. After a ninth-place run in Missouri, Tokelau was named to the NJCAA All-Tournament team.
Tokelau came to NMMI from Vineyard, Utah and contributed to the 2021 national runner-up squad as a freshman, playing in 20 matches and scoring 106 kills.
Tokelau said she's excited about the opportunity and knows she will enjoy the natural beauty of the area from a past trip to Montana to visit another school. Great Falls is surrounded by national parks and the Missouri Rivers runs through the town of about 60,000.
"I wanted to go somewhere warm, but Montana is beautiful and I can't wait for all the new experiences and people I'm going to meet there," Tokelau said.
Tokelau said she was recruited by the assistant coach at Providence and after a few video calls and learning about the tight-knit, family atmosphere around the team, she was in.
"Their team chemistry, their culture is very strong," she said. "They're really focused on that and that's definitely something I wanted to find in another team, because we have that here at NMMI. They also train somewhat similarly, and I like that because I know my body likes consistency. And they are really competitive. They go to nationals every year and I want to be a part of that."
Tokelau knew about NMMI long before head coach Shelby Forchtner contacted her. A family friend attended the Institute and constantly talked it up, but Tokelau wasn't keen on the military aspect.
"After Coach Forchtner contacted me, I came out for a visit and that's when I met Marysa," she said. "We really clicked and we're roommates now. I loved how Shelby and (assistant coach) Mila (Araujo) connected with us. The atmosphere around the team was great. I just knew God wanted me here."
Once she knew she was going to attend NMMI, she didn't really think about the military side of the equation, but once she arrived, it hit her, as it does many new cadets, like a ton of bricks. But now, she considers choosing a military school one of her best decisions.
"It changed me completely," she said. "I'm super disciplined, I'm better physically, mentally and emotionally. I know that everything I've learned here will help me at my next school and the rest of my life."
Tokelau, "a beast on the court and a beautiful soul" as Coach Araujo describes her, teared up when talking about her favorite memories during her two years at NMMI.
"My favorite memories are always in the weight room," she said. "That's where you really see who people are and that's where I was pushed the most. On testing days, especially squat days, when I have all my teammates around me, supporting me, cheering me on. That's one of those moments where I knew without a doubt that I was in the right place."
Tokelau had a big list of people to thank:
"First and foremost, I want to thank my heavenly Father. He is the one who deserves all the glory and love. He is the one who guided me through my time here at NMMI and throughout my life thus far. Next, I want to thank my family, especially my parents and my siblings. My parents have sacrificed so much for me, and they continue to do so for my siblings and me. I want to thank my siblings for their continuous love and support, they are my motivations. I also want to thank all of my family back home who continue to love me unconditionally and who have always been by my side. I want to thank Shelby Forchtner and Mila Araujo for investing in me, and for pushing me beyond what I know. These two are everything and I am so grateful to have been coached by them. I want to thank Danny Ford and the strength staff for changing my mindset and pushing me outside my comfort zone. Danny Ford gave me my confidence and I am so happy to have had him these past two years. I also want to thank Coach Bell who also has pushed me even further! He's the true JA RULEEE! I want to thank NMMI and for everything it stands for. This place is not for the weak, and I am grateful for the challenges that have strengthened me. I want to thank all of my professors and my advisor for helping me throughout school, especially with traveling. They were all very flexible and I know they all wanted me to succeed. I want to thank my teammates. I love each and every one of them with everything in me. They all have so much faith in me and I could not have done any of this without them. I want to thank the gang for everything they have done for me too! NMMI really gives you lifelong friendships and I know that no matter where we go, I will always have these girls by my side… it's a brotherhood. I want to give a special shout out to my roommate Marysa Ocampo and her family. Marysa deserves everything good in this world! She is the reason I want to do better every day, the reason I want to push myself every day, and the reason I want to laugh and smile every day. I just know that God put her in my life for a reason and I could not be more grateful to cross paths with her. I am full of love and gratitude and can't wait to see what the future holds! Forever a bronco!"
Forchtner said Tokelau has been a fierce player as well as a great leader and friend.
"Allyah is just a boss. She's the mother hen of the group," said Forchtner. "She is just simply one of the best humans I've ever been around. She genuinely cares about the people around her and sometimes so much that she doesn't focus enough on herself. And this year you really saw that killer instinct. We knew what a great person she was, and then to see the great player emerge was amazing to watch."
Ocampo came to NMMI from Socorro, N.M., a small town south of Albuquerque, and was immediately challenged by teammates with more size and strength that played in more competitive high school leagues.
As a freshman, Ocampo played sparingly, but came into her own as a sophomore, by necessity after another experienced setter left the team early in the 2022 season. She finished the schedule with 384 assists and 120 digs.
"She came from a very small school and she struggled as a freshman, and was still struggling mentally as a sophomore," Forchtner said. "We put a lot of pressure on her because we knew she could be good, and when she flipped that switch, we got a drastically different version of Marysa."
Ocampo said she had no illusions about the added pressure of adhering to a military lifestyle, but was pleasantly surprised by how she was able to fit in.
"I didn't think I'd like it, but I've really been pushed to my limits and I'm more comfortable with being uncomfortable, which I think is super important for growth and moving on to the next level," Ocampo said. "I really don't think I'm going to find what I've had here anywhere else."
Ocampo said she enjoyed every moment with her teammates, but will especially hold dear their time together at the National Tournament.
"We didn't finish the way we wanted to, but just being with my teammates at nationals was amazing," she said. "It's hard to describe some of the intangible qualities of this team. We overcame a lot on and off the court and we did it together."
Ocampo thanked everyone that has helped her along the way.
"Firstly, I want to thank God for all the opportunities and the talents that He's blessed me with, and of course all the people He's placed in my life. I want to thank my parents and family for always supporting me and truly having my best interests at heart and in mind. I want to thank all my coaches; Shelby Forchtner, Camila Araujo, Coach (Cory) Bell, Nick Walsh, Danny Ford and everyone that has helped me to become a better athlete and volleyball player. I want to thank all of my teammates for really make this the best time of my life. They are some of my best friends. And I want to thank my roommate, Allyah, for being my best friend in the whole world."
Bernardino, another New Mexico player from Santa Fe, provided valuable relief off the bench during her first season in 2021, racking up 116 kills and 100 digs, making her the only freshman on the squad with 100 or more in each category.
As a sophomore, Bernardino played in all but two matches, finishing fifth on the team in kills with 183 and third in digs with 292. She played her best on the biggest stage, amassing double-digit kills in the Broncos' final two matches in West Plains.
"The way Laila played at nationals was some of the best volleyball that she's played in the six years I've known her," Forchtner said. "Being from New Mexico, we watched her a lot, and then to see her growth these past two years, it's satisfying to see it all happen. Now that she's seen the best version of herself, I know she'll continue to thrive."
Bernardino said it took a few tries by Araujo before she agreed to visit NMMI.
"Mila had reached out and I ignored her the first two times, but three time's a charm because the third time I decided to go on a visit," she said. "I saw how competitive and extreme it was and I knew NMMI would challenge me, not just physically, but mentally. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything."
Bernardino said she's always wanted to play volleyball out of state and when she found Shorter in Georgia, she remembered what her father said about Atlanta.
"My dad had visited Atlanta and he said he loved the state," she said. "The trees were super big and everything is green. It's very different from New Mexico and I want to experience that."
As it turns out, Shorter was graduating quite a few seniors and needed experienced players to replace them, so Bernardino thought about her friends and passed the info along to her teammates, including Ocampo.
Bernardino said she liked the way Shorter focuses on team bonding.
"I've learned that being one with the team, regardless of who it is or whether or not you get along with them, it's ultimately about being a family," she said. "So it's exciting to be going with Marysa. I'm going into a new school and a new situation with someone I know will work as hard as me."
Bernardino's first memory of the Institute was similar to most, but she said her time as a RAT (recruit at training) was easier and more fun with her teammates by her side.
"Doing pushups every single day, people yelling in your face, girls telling me my hair's too crazy, I need to redo it," she said. "You have so many obstacles and challenges here and going through the tough days with my teammates, laughing with them, it's all worth it."
Bernardino thanked her family for their support and her coaches for being tough.
"I would like to thank my dad and mom. They are always there though all my decisions and always want what's best for me. I'd like to shout out Coach Shelby for being super hard and always holding me accountable. Shout out to Mila for reaching out three times and being persistent. I'd like to thank Coach Danny, he's a tough one but I love him to death. And, of course, my teammates, for everything."
While Forchtner is always proud of every player she and her staff send off to the next level, she acknowledged that it's especially satisfying to develop New Mexico kids into scholarship athletes at larger schools.
Life at a military school comes with plenty of unique challenges and opportunities, which Forchtner said aids the coaching staff when it comes to developing good habits and strong mental fortitude.
"That's the beauty of this place: our athletes are pushed, not just in their sport, but in all aspects of the school, every day," she said. "The academic standard is higher than most junior colleges, and the way they live and interact with each other is drastically different. They have to be the best version of themselves day in and day out."
Forchtner said every class is different, but this particular group of sophomores was very close and it is their family-like bond that will be difficult to replace.
"We're losing really good pieces to our equation on the court, so replacing the volleyball piece is definitely going to be hard," she said. "But all those intangibles are what makes this group special. They are fun, energetic, lovable, kind, selfless. We've seen so much growth with this group and we'll miss their leadership and maturity."