In just her sophomore year, Lucy McCollum has managed to score more than 1,000 assists for the varsity volleyball team. 

“It feels good that I can accomplish so much in two years so far in high school,” she said.

McCollum credits Coach Alexis Blake for motivating her to continue improving her skills. “She pushes everyone and it helps me do my best and it also helps my teammates also do their best,” she said.

Her coaches and teammates also supported her in reaching this milestone. 

“They celebrated me and they also helped me get to where I am with the kills and the passes,” she said.

Coach Blake thinks that McCollum is an extraordinary athlete. 

“She is a young player that can understand the game which is not an easy thing to do,” she said. “There’s a difference between knowing the game and understanding the game. Her understanding of the game increases her volleyball IQ which makes her a successful player.”

As a setter, McCollum depends on her teammates. Without each player doing their part, she couldn’t have achieved her 1,000 assists.

“With no pass, she can’t set the ball and without the hitters getting kills, she can’t get the assist. Her teammates are the biggest fans and were ecstatic when I told them the news about Lucy reaching her career achievement as a sophomore,” Coach Blake said.

Playing varsity volleyball has helped McCollum develop as an athlete and a student. “It helped me mature at least knowing and being able to play with older girls,” she said.

Coach Blake has seen growth in all aspects of McCollum’s game: defense, setting and hitting. 

“Lucy started off with a basic offense, which can only go so far against the teams we play,” she said. “This will create more of  an opportunity for success. Along with her setting, she is becoming more of a threat on the net.

“As for her defense, it is not easy to find a setter who will play defense first before finding the ball to set. Her understanding of that has put her in the top 10 in the DAC for digs.”