Julia Beckmann likes the challenge facing Garden City girls volleyball

Julia Beckmann doesn’t shy away from a challenge.

The senior outside hitter on the Garden City girls volleyball team has the Trojans making some noise in Nassau A-I, a conference they’re new to after winning Nassau A-II last year.

Little was expected of Garden City in A-I, one of Long Island’s most competitive conferences. What the Trojans have done so far has been one of the early season’s biggest surprises.

The Trojans are 2-2 with a win over defending county champion Floral Park. They lost to South Side, a semifinalist last year, in five sets, but Beckmann said that match was probably their most exciting this year.

“The first game we played was against South Side, and we weren’t really expecting anything out of it, but we ended up going to five,” she said. “Even though we didn’t win, we’re looking forward to playing them again.”

In a conference with Floral Park, South Side, Wantagh, Mineola and Manhasset, Beckmann and the Trojans are getting better each day.

“It’s really challenging, and it’s a great opportunity to improve ourselves,” she said.

Beckmann, who has 113 kills, is gearing up for another challenge. This one will be in the classroom, though.

Beckmann said she has verbally committed to Harvard and plans to sign her letter of intent when she’s able.

Speaking on the phone from an official visit at Harvard, Beckmann said she’s most looking forward to the academic opportunities afforded to students of the university. Of course, she’s looking forward to volleyball, too.

“Harvard really stood out to me,” she said. “It was my No. 1 from the beginning. There’s just a good balance between academics and sports.”