Ella Connor, Maui volleyball star, was in a mental health crisis. Herc the service dog came to her rescue : Maui Now

To the skin world, 6-foot-1 Ella Connor was on an awesome path to a shiny future.

After graduating from Seabury Corridor in 2021, she left Maui to attend California Polytechnic State College in San Luis Obispo and play NCAA seashore volleyball. She tailored rapidly to the faculty recreation, turning into the primary Mustang to win Large West Convention Freshman of the 12 months, going 27-12 with accomplice Tia Miric on the No. 1 spot — the second most wins in a single season by a Mustang pair.

However within the midst of all of it, Connor suffered from extreme panic assaults and different psychological well being points.

Her struggles grew to become so extreme throughout her sophomore yr that she ended up within the hospital twice — every time after a suicide try.

“A few of it was volleyball associated,” stated Connor, now 22. “A few of it was individuals associated. A few of it was simply common psychological well being struggles of being in school and being an athlete on the identical time. But it surely was simply loads of the whole lot.”

She and her household knew one thing wanted to vary, and quick. Enter Herc, a 4 1/2-year-old golden retriever and Irish setter combine.

The service canine’s fixed love and companionship turned out to be the perfect prescription for her.

“I’m doing completely wonderful now,” she stated. “I’m off all of my medicines for all my psychological well being stuff.”

Connor stated she has 40% fewer panic assaults due to Herc, brief for Hercules, who underwent a six-month coaching routine at Doggie Do Good in Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Herc senses when a panic assault is approaching. The canine judges by scent and her respiratory patterns, forcing her to put down and gradual her respiratory to beat the assaults, she stated. He additionally lays on her as a relaxing have an effect on.

With Herc by her facet, Connor made a rapid comeback after the psychological well being points compelled her to redshirt as a sophomore to take care of a yr of eligibility. She performed so nicely the subsequent season that she was named an American Volleyball Coaches Affiliation First Workforce All-American. She additionally was half of the Large West Convention Pair of the 12 months with accomplice Izzy Martinez, who additionally was named First Workforce All-Large West Convention. 

The lovable, furry canine, identified at Cal Poly as “Mr. Herc,” additionally has turn into a rock-star on the planet of faculty seashore volleyball.

“Individuals will acknowledge Herc, however they don’t at all times acknowledge me,” Connor stated. “Most of them can be like, ‘Oh, that’s the volleyball canine, proper?’ “

Herc has his own biography on the Cal Poly beach volleyball team page which says: “He enjoys watching seashore volleyball, supporting the Mustangs, enjoying within the sand, making pals and consuming peanut butter.”

Herc additionally has greater than 300 followers on his Instagram account @Mr_Herc.

The NCAA seashore volleyball format is group vs. group in 5 matches of pairs from every faculty. Coaches make out their lineups by sending out pairs ranked 1 by means of 5 and the group that wins at the least three of the 5 matches is the general winner.

Throughout Connor’s comeback 2024 season, she and Martinez rang up a 26-10 document for Cal Poly, which superior to the NCAA Closing 4. The duo have been 24-10 enjoying on the No. 1 spot and 2-0 at No. 2.

Martinez, who’s from Winnetka, Calif., met Connor for the primary time when each have been enjoying in a youth event in Hermosa Seaside, Calif., when each have been in highschool. Rain was pouring down and Martinez invited Connor beneath their cover tent.

Martinez’s father instructed his daughter “Oh my God, that was Ella Connor and he or she’s dedicated to Cal Poly the place you wish to go,” Martinez stated. “After which as soon as we got here to Cal Poly, we’ve been actually shut.”

So it got here as a shock to Martinez when she obtained a team-wide textual content in January 2023.

“I simply bear in mind the evening that our group captains texted the entire group and stated, ‘Hey, we have to speak as a group,’ ” Martinez stated. “All of us have been, ‘Oh, this by no means occurs, what’s occurring?’ After which one among our teammates observed that Ella wasn’t on the textual content thread.”

“Ella’s on maintain proper now in a medical facility to verify she doesn’t harm herself,” a teammate instructed them.

The following time Martinez noticed Connor, Herc had come into her life.

“The distinction was evening and day with Ella and the way a lot happier she is with Herc round,” Martinez stated. “I can’t describe it except you see it. She’s simply standing extra glad, extra lively. She simply appears herself once more.”

In 2025, Connor was 22-8 enjoying within the No. 4 spot, primarily with senior Madison Nichols, and once more Connor gained all-conference honors whereas the Mustangs made one other run to the NCAA Closing 4.

“It’s outstanding,” Cal Poly Coach Todd Rogers stated of Connor’s restoration. “It was troublesome when she was going by means of it. I’ve inspired her … perhaps even pushed her to be open about it.”

Rogers, who received an Olympic gold medal in seashore volleyball in 2008 and has been the Mustangs’ coach since 2016, stated: “I used to be fairly open about it when individuals requested me, and mainly instructed Ella, ‘Look, you’re a platform.’ ”

But it surely took an eye-opening expertise for Connor to turn into extra comfy speaking about her psychological well being challenges. She and Herc have been at dinner with the Cal Poly group through the 2024 NCAA Event in Gulf Shores, Ala., when a mom got here as much as speak to Connor.

Herc is listed on the Cal Poly seashore volleyball web site because the “Director of Participant Morale” and he was featured by ESPN through the 2024 NCAA Seaside Volleyball Championship broadcast and on the NCAA Volleyball social media.

“The mother got here as much as me and stated, ‘Hey, are you Ella? Are you the one with the canine?’ ” Connor stated. “She stated, ‘I simply needed to say your story was so inspirational. My daughter has actually unhealthy panic assaults and he or she struggles to go away the home and your story gave her the braveness to rise up and go away the home.’ So it was simply one thing that was tremendous cool.”

Connor stated after that interplay, she determined to achieve out to the NCAA and do an interview with the group that runs school athletics. 

“I used to be like, ‘Properly, I suppose I’ve obtained to share all about it now,’ ” Connor stated.

Connor instructed Susanna Weir for the NCAA story that was revealed in Could 2024: “There have been loads of instances the place I felt like I used to be alone, and I used to be coping with it alone. I hope that (my story) conjures up others to achieve out for assist.”

A yr later, Connor says she doesn’t really feel alone with Herc within the image “as a result of he’s at all times with me.”

Rogers pointed to the interplay Connor had with the mom who approached her on the group dinner in 2024 because the turning level for Connor to turn into extra open about her psychological well being struggles.

“So it’s been enjoyable to observe Ella simply embrace, ‘ what? This occurred to me,’ ” Rogers stated. “It’s actual. ‘I can both shun it and conceal from it or I can share my experiences.’ And if it helps one particular person, nice. So she’s embraced that.”

Connor stated her openness about her psychological well being and different challenges attain the adolescent ladies she coaches for each indoor and sand play.

“I like the women,” Connor stated. “The relationships that you would be able to make with ladies at this age is so impactful to them. … It’s simply really inspirational what you are able to do off the court docket. On the court docket, volleyball, no matter, however being a job mannequin for them is so vital.”

When she tells individuals she is from Maui, they assume it’s “an excellent cool factor. … I like representing.”

Whereas she hopes to proceed to encourage individuals, she doesn’t delve too far into the private specifics of her psychological well being challenges as a result of she is able to transfer on and reside her life. And she or he has.

Connor has been in a position to adapt to virtually any accomplice — she is a stalwart on the summer season circuit, teaming with companions from a number of completely different faculties — however final weekend she was again with Martinez as they completed second in the Association of Volleyball Professionals Waupaca Open in Wisconsin.

“That is completely the perfect outcome for any Maui feminine volleyball participant ever,” stated Scott Zucco, Connor’s seashore volleyball youth coach. Zucco has coached quite a few different Maui volleyball standouts who’ve gone on to varsity {and professional} careers each indoor and on the seashore, together with Amy Ozee, Shayla Hoeft and Colton Cowell.

The outcome certified the acquainted pair for the principle draw of the Manhattan Seaside Open, which takes place Aug. 15-17 in California and is taken into account essentially the most prestigious event on the AVP Tour.

As at all times, Herc can be at Connor’s facet in Manhattan Seaside. He rides beneath her seat on airplanes.

When Rogers noticed Connor and Martinez qualify for the Manhattan Seaside Open, he smiled to himself.

“It’s type of a ‘reunited and it feels so good’ second. A bit of Peaches and Herb,” Rogers stated. ”I really despatched them a bit present.”

As Herc helps Connor overcome her nervousness that also can turn into excessive, she is ready to do extra issues, together with teaching a highschool group at Mission Faculty Preparatory Catholic Excessive Faculty in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Zucco isn’t shocked that Connor has tailored nicely after Herc got here to assist her. He usually factors to Connor for instance of what’s doable to perform for his younger gamers arising now, however it’s her character that involves his thoughts first.

“Ella, wherever she went, she made pals with ladies, guys, younger, previous, volleyball gamers, non-volleyball gamers,” Zucco stated. “Individuals energize her.”

One story that Zucco shares along with his kids now’s how Connor would bump the ball over the online as an alternative of rise to spike it down when she was in eighth grade, out of respect for her opponents.

Connor, now a senior at Cal Poly, is majoring in expertise business administration with a focus in sport administration. She needs to work within the Nationwide Soccer League doing scheduling.

First, Connor will get pleasure from her ultimate season as a Mustang after which probably give the AVP Tour a shot, fairly possible with Martinez as her accomplice. It isn’t a straightforward highway — the pair made simply $2,400 apiece for his or her second-place end in Wisconsin.

Connor is on a full scholarship, however doesn’t obtain any Name, Image and Likeness cash that’s now allowed to NCAA student-athletes.

”I’ll give it a shot, however I must see as a result of seashore volleyball is a poor sport,” Connor stated. “So it’s exhausting to wish to hold coaching and enjoying. You’re simply dropping cash always. If it really works out, I’m completely right down to strive it.”

However for now, Ella and Herc are gearing up for yet one more season at Cal Poly. Martinez stated they each are so vital to the group.

“I can’t let you know how many individuals simply get to observe early and sit with Herc on the bottom, within the sand with him earlier than observe,” Martinez stated. “I do it on a regular basis. All of my teammates would agree. He’s wonderful.”