Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
All-Access: Avila Shines as Freshman Libero
November 21, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
Avila took defensive specialist role and ran this fall
If for no other reason than the jersey it wears, the libero is a special position in volleyball. Infused into the women's collegiate game in 2002, the libero is a team's best defensive player. She's allowed to check in and out of games without counting toward a team's substitutions and, thusly, is almost always on the court.
Oh, and libero's always stick out. They're the ones that always have fans asking, "who's the one wearing the wrong colored jersey." Liberos wear a different color to make them stand out, to make it more noticeable when they're checking in and out. It also makes them identifiable as somebody different, somebody that's earned a title.
In the 15 years Ball State's had a libero, only two that regularly played have been freshman: Alyssa Rio in 2007 and Kate Avila in 2016. Avila shined this fall, ranking fourth in the MAC in reception percentage and sixth in digs per set. But her story is a little more special not just because of how she played, but who she is. The rookie's father, Ramon, is a former Volleycard himself and now serves as the George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Marketing at his alma mater.
Ball State All-Access took a deeper look at the Avila's during Kate's freshman season, which wrapped up in the Mid-American Conference Tournament last weekend.
For more information on the Cards, follow the team on social media @BallStateWVB.
Oh, and libero's always stick out. They're the ones that always have fans asking, "who's the one wearing the wrong colored jersey." Liberos wear a different color to make them stand out, to make it more noticeable when they're checking in and out. It also makes them identifiable as somebody different, somebody that's earned a title.
In the 15 years Ball State's had a libero, only two that regularly played have been freshman: Alyssa Rio in 2007 and Kate Avila in 2016. Avila shined this fall, ranking fourth in the MAC in reception percentage and sixth in digs per set. But her story is a little more special not just because of how she played, but who she is. The rookie's father, Ramon, is a former Volleycard himself and now serves as the George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor of Marketing at his alma mater.
Ball State All-Access took a deeper look at the Avila's during Kate's freshman season, which wrapped up in the Mid-American Conference Tournament last weekend.
For more information on the Cards, follow the team on social media @BallStateWVB.
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