1/15/2009
Volleyball Players of the Year
Ashley Edmond, Marquette
Reprinted with permission from The News Dispatch

Adam Parkhouse
The News-Dispatch

It hasn't been all that long since Ashley Edmond was "bad" at volleyball.

In fact, according to Marquette's superstar outside hitter, when she was in sixth grade she could barely get the ball over the net.

A lot's changed in five years.

Edmond led the Blazers to a fifth consecutive Class A state championship this season, including three in a row for her 2010 graduating class, and has become recognized as one of the best players in the state regardless of class.

Edmond's remarkable achievements and team leadership abilities make her the easy choice for The News-Dispatch 2008 Volleyball Player of the Year.

"We're really proud of her at Marquette," coach Troy Campbell said. "She really showed a complete game at state."

Edmond piled up 542 kills with only 86 hitting errors to go with 97 aces, 417 digs and 80 blocks (26 solo).

It wasn't necessarily easy for Edmond to pile up those kind of hitting numbers this season. She, along with Marquette's other hitters, had to adjust to Amber Cerrillos, who replaced the graduated Ashley Pinkney at setter.

What could have been a rough transition went incredibly smooth, according to Edmond.

"Amber stepped up. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to do half the things I did," Edmond said. "She took on a huge role and her stepping up helped me step up."

Stepping up her game is something Edmond's done plenty of over the past five years or so. As a sixth-grader, Edmond could never have imagined she'd be playing at the level she is now, where college scouts are regularly in attendance at most of her matches.

Much of that credit goes to her father, Jim, who was a top-level basketball player in Michigan City during his high school days.

"He helped me with the all-around game of volleyball," said Edmond, adding that her dad played plenty of coed volleyball. In fact, Campbell said he used to play against Edmond's father during his playing days.

"He really pushed me," she added. "When I wanted to give up, he wouldn't let me."

Campbell said Edmond's story and rise to this level is typical when that kind of home involvement is present.

"It's been a lot about her family and the support that she gets from them," Campbell said. "Her dad has done a lot of great work with her. Not only did she listen in practice to what she was supposed to be doing, but she also took that home and was working in her garage on her jump training.

"They'd spend hours and hours in the backyard just playing the ball over the net. Having that good family connection seems to be the difference in every big-time player I've been around."

Over the course of the past year or so, college recruiters have started to take plenty of notice of Edmond's game. She hasn't made any decisions yet, but has expressed an interest in remaining close to home.

"I'm just excited to look into it," Edmond said. "It's just the next greatest step. It's a pretty exciting feeling to know someone wants to come watch you. You try to play your best game you possibly can."

While some can be negatively affected by attention from recruiters, Campbell said Edmond seems to be handling it fine.

"She handles it extremely well," Campbell said. "She uses it as motivation. She doesn't get timid and raises the level of her game, and that's good to see.

"She's never let that kind of thing bother her at all. She's never let the big stage bother her at all either, and that started from her freshman year."

Edmond hopes to continue to improve on all of her skills incrementally, sharpening everything she does on the court.

"I'm still working on the cut shots, they're not perfected yet," Edmond said. "I'm just trying to get stronger at it. Hopefully I'll come back and be better next year."

Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.