By Megan Sprengeler
The Iowa volleyball team gained a new defensive weapon to add to its already impressive arsenal.
Originally from Iowa City, sophomore Ashley Smith has come back to her home town to further her education and volleyball career as a Hawkeye.
Smith transfered after playing her freshman season at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where she played libero. She finished the 2016 season seventh in the league in digs per set.
“Growing up, I was told ‘the grass isn’t always greener on the other side,’ but in this case, transferring to Iowa proved this quote wrong,” Smith said in an interview. “Although UNO taught me many skills and lessons; in the end there was still a change that needed to be made. I found that Iowa was the perfect match for what I was searching for.”
The 5-6 defensive specialist will study human physiology and exercise science with hopes of becoming a physician’s assistant.
The competitive Iowa native has traveled for the sport since she was young.
After being persuaded by her mother to give volleyball a try, the sport quickly became her greatest passion in life.
Through adversity, the sport ultimately has been her rock, teaching her to lean on teammates and work through challenges as a unit.
The Hawkeyes’ 2017 schedule includes 15 teams that reached the 2016 NCAA Tournament and a matchup with the reigning NCAA Champion Stanford.
The Hawkeyes will open their season on Aug. 25 against Wright State, Stanford, and Long Beach State in a tournament located in Long Beach, California.
Their first home appearance will take place Sept. 1. Smith will face her old squad, Nebraska-Omaha, in Carver-Hawkeye.
The volleyball team will begin Big Ten play on Sept. 22 against Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey.
“The Big Ten is a whole new beast that I look forward to tackling,” Smith said. “Being a transfer provides me with the opportunity to get to know my teammates and be part of such a great team. My first season will be challenging, but I can’t wait to establish my role as a Hawkeye.”
Although the season won’t open until August, the volleyball team has been hard at work this summer training as part of the Hawkeyes’ mission: True Mental Toughness, something Smith embodies and hopes to pass on to younger players.
She joins the Hawkeyes alongside teammate and incoming transfer senior Kelsey O’Neill, who has one year of eligibility left after playing for Pittsburgh.
“When I was 13, I came across a coach who didn’t believe that I had the capability of playing in college,” Smith said. “I was going to stop at nothing to play at the collegiate level. The bottom line is to never let anyone stand in the way of your goals.”
