From Bulgaria to Boise
Craig Lawson
Anabel Kotzakov is a two-year starter on the Boise State volleyball team. One of her hobbies is reading.
“I could do it for hours,” she said. “I love fiction. If I am reading, I want to go into another universe. Maybe a fantasy with a dragon saving the world.”
The sophomore may love fairy tales, but her own story is anything but fiction.
The roots of her journey began in Razlog, a small-town ski resort in southwestern Bulgaria.
Her parents George and Lidiya met in Bulgaria and had a long courtship. Her dad came to the United States on a green card he received from a lottery Anabel’s grandmother had entered him into.
George knew someone in Southern California and saw an opportunity for his future children during his first visit to the United States.
Anabel and her sister Vladimira, were both born in California and grew up in Orange County. Anabel’s participation in sports began at an early age, but she did not play volleyball until middle school.
“I used to do gymnastics because I thought it was cool to do flips and I also did some karate and martial arts (she is a brown belt),” Anabel said. “I started getting too tall for gymnastics and my mom signed me up for a volleyball clinic. I didn’t want to do it and cried in the car on the way. But, once I tried it, I loved it. I had so much fun and just kept playing.”
Despite the late introduction to the sport, the 6-foot-2 former gymnast blossomed into a star on the volleyball court. She started for three years on the varsity team at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California.
As a senior, she was named Orange County Player of the Year by the Orange County Register, All-CIF Section Division 1 and the Surf League’s MVP.
BACK TO HER ROOTS
Anabel and her family take an annual trip to Bulgaria, sometimes spending an entire summer there.
“We (my parents and sister) are the only people in my family in the U.S.” Anabel said. “All of my relatives and many of our friends are in Bulgaria.”
Fluent in Bulgarian and English, Anabel described the first week of those summers like a family reunion at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
“Razlog is a small town where everyone knows each other,” she said. “My dad is an electrical engineer, so people are always asking him to fix stuff. The town is in the mountains and we like to go hiking. Greece is about a two-hour drive, so my first cousin, who I am really close to and only see once a year, and I might spend a week there.”
Despite being a small town, Razlog has produced multiple professional male volleyball players, including Georgi Seganov, a setter on the Bulgarian National Team.
COMING TO BOISE
“I was recruiting in Kansas City watching another player when I first noticed Anabel,” Boise State Associate Head Coach Candy Murphy said. “After speaking with the recruiting coordinator for her club I saw another one of her matches. I texted Anabel from the airport and made an initial connection.”
Anabel played for Balboa Bay Volleyball Club, a program started by Charlie Brande.
“Charlie was coaching at UC Irvine when Boise State was in the Big West (with UCI),” Bronco Head Coach Shawn Garus said. “He knew how great a city Boise is and I think he became a big advocate for us during the recruiting process.”
While she had spoken with Garus on the phone, Anabel did not meet him in person until her official visit.
“I really loved the community here,” Anabel said. “I feel like there is so much support for student-athletes. There is literally a person for everything.”
ADJUSTING TO COLLEGE
As a freshman in 2023, Anabel was an outside hitter who found herself down the depth chart going into the season.
“We had a couple injuries early that gave her a straight path to the court,”: Garus said. “She took advantage of that opportunity. She didn’t look like a freshman who was out over her skis. She played hard and with confidence, but it is a big role.”
By season’s end, Anabel had started 26 matches and finished with 199 kills. In the final regular season match, she notched season highs with four service ages and 16 digs and added eight kills and three blocks as Boise State defeated Fresno State to qualify for the Mountain West Championship.
“I gained a lot of experience,” Anabel said. “I was not prepared for the level of play to jump so much from club to college. It was scary to go up against bigger, faster opponents with a higher volleyball IQ. Having the experience in an environment where everyone is good helped me get mentally tougher.”
Anabel added, “Now I know what to do, how to stay calm during matches when things are not going well. If a part of my game is not going well, I can contribute in another way. Yes, I got stronger going into the weight room and I’m better physically, but the mental aspect is where I think I made the most improvement.”
BLUE COLLAR BRONCO
“Anabel comes from humble beginnings,” Garus said. “She works for everything. Her family rarely eats out. She is so blue collar. You just know she is always present and focused on what we’re asking her to do as a student-athlete. I don’t worry about distractions with her. She’s dialed in.”
When 2023 Co-Mountain West Player of the Year Paige Bartsch was not playing last spring, Anabel took advantage of another opportunity.
“I thought her spring was awesome!” Garus said. “She got heathier, fitter, stronger. With Paige out, Anabel had a lot of No. 1 reps at outsider hitter.”
This season, Anabel is second on the team behind Bartsch with 131 kills and 2.73 kills per set.
FAMILY AND THE FUTURE
As a freshman, George and Lidiya traveled to see their eldest daughter play in California and Las Vegas, but they did not make a trip to Boise for a match.
“The home opener this year was the first time my parents saw me play in Boise,” Anabel said. “They loved the atmosphere. They got so into it. My dad could not stop talking about the band. He thought it was so cool how loud it was in the gym and how the band members were dancing while they were playing.”
An Academic All-Mountain West selection last season, Anabel is a biology major.
“I knew I wanted to do something in STEM,” Anabel said. “I started researching forensics. A lot of people who go into that field study biology or chemistry and bio is a lot more interesting to me.”
Vladimira is also a volleyball player and is currently a sophomore in high school. Anabel believes their parents will want to return to Bulgaria once both sisters are done with school. With two years left after this season, her personal journey is not mapped out yet.
“Honestly, I am taking it one semester at a time,” Anabel said. “Obviously, volleyball is a big chunk of my life right now. I could see myself living in Europe or the U.S. I could possibly try to play professionally in Europe. Volleyball is such a team sport and I like being part of a community. I feel like I need to get closer to that point in my life before I decide.”
Anabel’s hobbies also include drawing and doing jigsaw puzzles.
“I can’t come up with something in my head and draw it because I am not that creative,” she said. “But sometimes I’ll look at something and want to draw it. I also love doing jigsaw puzzles. It is so relaxing to put music on and put a puzzle together.”
From her Bulgarian roots to becoming a Division I student-athlete, Anabel’s story is certainly one where all the pieces fit.
I really loved the community here. I feel like there is so much support for student-athletes. There is literally a person for everything.Anabel Kotzakov