This is part three in a series highlighting the academic accomplishments of Barry University student-athletes.

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – Laine Cielena will never take a flyer on her native Latvia. In the same way, she'd never take a free pass on her studies.

Unless her computer breaks down or something.

You see, Cielena, Barry University volleyball's senior middle blocker from Krimuldas Novads, Latvia, is about as sharp as they come in the classroom. She carries a 3.98 grade point average in finance, and will graduate in May. Last year she was chosen as Barry's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She's received only one blemish in her previous six semesters as a Buccaneer.

An A-.

"It's not easy for sure," said Cielena, who has been named to the President's List for perfect marks in the classroom five times in six semesters as a student-athlete. "If you want to be successful, you have to put in the work."

Putting in the work is what makes a Latvian like Cielena – pronounced TSEE-ah-lon-ah – tick. It is symbolic of her upbringing and past. Latvia has been through tough times with wars, yet it continues to exemplify itself as a country that seeks to prosper through its blue collar, grind-it-out work ethic.

"As a nation, we're really hard working," Cielena said. "We want to do everything we can to the best of our abilities, pretty much. We've always had to fight for our existence and stuff."

There are parallels to how she goes about her own life, work on the court and in the classroom. Cielena is one who has to work hard to achieve. But by no means is she an underachiever. Her grades speak for themselves. Last year she was selected to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District Team. As a freshman she was chosen for the Sunshine State Conference All-Newcomer Team. She was named the American Volleyball Scouting Report National Player of the Week that same year. She's also been selected to three all-tournament teams in her career.

All of her accomplishments, you might conclude, are a result of her hard work.

At Barry she has never been given a free pass. She contends the instructors make no exceptions for student-athletes. School work is school work, regardless if you're on the road with a team or in the classroom.

"The professors don't give you any discounts," Cielena said. "Even being an athlete, it's not like, 'You can bring it to me later.' It's like a job. The workload is like a normal student."

But that's just it, Cielena is not normal. She rarely fails in the classroom, although she will tell you about the time in her theater class last year when she was required to do a monologue – she chose Rocky – and then record an everyday person and try to mimic their language, mannerisms and behavior – she chose teammate Jenny Trinidad.

"That was not a good choice," Cielena laughed. "I'm kind of an introvert. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I picked someone completely different. Jenny's energetic. That did not go over as well as planned."

Still, she got an A. So much for failing an elective course, let alone an uncomfortable assignment.

But it doesn't take much to see Cielena is not one to wither away into a corner, even though she might not be the most outspoken Latvian. In fact, last weekend, she was one of the best on the court, banging down eight, seven and eight kills in the three matches the Bucs played in Georgia. She hit .333 or better in all three, and has recorded a .300 or better hitting percentage in each of her last four matches. For those not familiar with volleyball attack percentages, .280 is a good match.

Cielena attended boarding school in Latvia before coming to the United States to study in college. To her, going from class to practice to studying to travelling to performing to turning in papers or taking tests is not a hard adjustment. She's already lived that lifestyle. She's already been a laborious individual who believes in what her country stands for. So it makes sense someone like herself was chosen for the university's prestigious Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Well, it makes sense to people other than her, that is.

"I wasn't expecting it at all," Cielena said. "I was looking at the candidates. I didn't even think of it, really. I had no clue. Then they called my name, and it was the best feeling ever. It's just awesome to be recognized for your work."

There she goes again – that hard work talk. So much the Latvian, you might say. When she arrived in Miami Shores, Cielena was the unassuming type, not one to voice up as much. Today, as a confident senior she has become a little more vocal. And she admits she came to Barry because of the volleyball and its international influence. She has an international roommate and teammate. You'll find her connecting with Americans and others, including Puerto Ricans like Trinidad, from time to time. But when she needs to feel at home, she turns to the internationals.

"I feel like I was kind of a different person when I came here," she said. "Volleyball wise, I've gained so much more experience. We've played against the National Champions. We have nothing to lose (in those matches). It makes me want to beat them even more."

It's starting to sink in. Her time as a Buccaneer is dwindling. Four years is all an athlete gets in college. Cielena is realizing her time clock is running out.

"Yesterday, I realized it," she said after a match in West Palm Beach, Florida. "Yesterday was the day that opened my eyes. Going into the second half (of the season), I'm just trying to make the best of it. We have never made regionals. I would really, really love to do it. It would be an experience, a good way to leave."

Cielena has made her mark at Barry. She has accolades and memories to take with her. When she leaves, she'll head back to Latvia, which in 2014 was chronicled as Europe's best kept secret.

"I love my country so much," Cielena said. "That's my home. I never want to call any other place home."

For the past four years, she's made a comfortable home for herself in Miami Shores without too much to complain about.

That is, unless you count the one A-.