Bozeman Magazine

Former University of Southern California volleyball player and mental health advocate, Victoria Garrick, will lecture about body image in the age of social media at Montana State University at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the Procrastinator Theatre of the MSU Strand Union Building.

Victoria Garrick walked-on to the #1 ranked USC volleyball team in 2015 then became a four-year starter. She’s won a PAC-12 championship, made two NCAA Elite Eight appearances, finished first in the PAC-12 conference with the most total digs in 2018, and ended her career with the top five most digs in USC program history.

Despite a successful athletic career, the high-pressure environment and intense demands of the student-athlete schedule took a toll on her mental health. Garrick shared her story of battling and overcoming depression and anxiety as a student-athlete in her 2017 TED Talk, "The Hidden Opponent,” which has been viewed more than 200,000 times. She connects with young adults and collegiate athletes alike through her social media campaign, inspiring 50,000 Instagram followers to share their authentic selves. The Players’ Tribune, USA Today College, and Popsugar magazine have featured Garrick’s story of mental health and the path she walked to find healing and strength. She has lectured about wellness and self-care to college campuses throughout the country.