Any pregrame traditions you swear by? If I play well in one hairstyle, I’ll stick with it until I feel like my game starts to slip. Volleyball | Freshman | Current Favorite Pump-Up Song: “Stereo Love” by Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina MADDIE SMOTHERMAN (GAMMA iota-texas tech)
In middle school, Maddie Smotherman (Gamma Iota-Texas Tech) wasn’t just completing a class assignment — she was studying her hero. The project focused on Mia Hamm, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion widely considered one of the greatest players in women’s soccer history. For Maddie, a lifelong athlete, Mia's relentless work ethic left a lasting impression. “She’s passionate about what she does, both on and off the field, and is such a hard-working athlete,” Maddie says. “I’ll never not be inspired by her.” Growing up in Dallas, Texas, Maddie, much like her idol Mia Hamm, worked relentlessly at her craft. She balanced both club soccer and club volleyball at the same time, pushing herself across multiple sports. Practices overlapped, weekends were filled with games and free time was hard to come by. By 11, she had already taken the next step, joining a travel volleyball team and committing more seriously to her athletic future. Travel volleyball gave Maddie more than she ever expected. “I made so many forever friends, like my future bridesmaids, in the volleyball world,” she says. Beyond the relationships, the sport also shaped her off the court. “Volleyball has helped me develop life skills like time and emotional management, teamwork and perseverance, to name a few.” Her years of hard work paid off. As a high school junior, Maddie was recruited by Texas Tech University, earning a spot on the women’s volleyball team, where she now plays. She serves as a libero, a specialized defensive player who typically stays in the back row and is responsible for passing, digging and serving. Liberos wear a different-colored jersey, making it easy for officials to track substitutions
during play. Without players like Maddie anchoring the defense, a team simply doesn’t function. Volleyball teams operate in constant sync, relying on communication and trust on every play. To keep that rhythm, Maddie and her teammates practice four times a week and compete in 20 to 30 matches throughout the academic year. That demanding schedule makes rest days all the more important — Maddie’s favorite part of the week. “I like to reset on those days and do something nice for myself,” Maddie says. “Even something simple like taking a long shower, eating dinner in bed and cuddling my dog while watching TV.” Like many student-athletes, Maddie has learned to make the most of every spare minute. She uses any free time to get ahead on assignments, staying one step ahead of the overwhelming feeling that can come with a packed schedule. “Getting things done early is a big one for me,” she says.
Majoring in counseling and addiction science, Maddie is considering a future in behavioral health, even though she is still early in her college
years. And even after she plays her last match at Texas Tech, she’s certain sports will remain a central part of her life. “I know I’ll stay active in sports in some capacity after I graduate,” she says. “It’s such a big part of who I am that I can’t imagine not doing it anymore.”
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