IBSports Volleyball Magazine August 2025

If you ever find yourself in a volleyball gym with Penny Lucas-White, don’t let the calm confidence fool you. Behind that poised presence is a woman who has faced down life, lions, and libero drills with the same unshakable intensity. She was raised with five brothers and still managed to be the only athlete in the bunch — which is like being the only one doing laps while everyone else is playing video games. “I was a late bloomer in volleyball,” she says with a knowing smile. “Basketball was everywhere — courts outside, gyms around the corner. But volleyball found me when I least expected it.” It found her in high school — a school that ironically didn’t have a basketball team. The volleyball coach took her under their wing,…

Social media bombs us with all sorts of stuff that looks like it MAY be relevant or important, but rarely is. That feeds our biases–so that it has become rare for individuals to read articles that don’t already fit their pre-disposed beliefs or interests. When writing about volleyball, I’ve found if I call “Great Drills for Winning” or maybe something risqué such as “Here’s how to keep parents in line,” I get more readers than a title that actually tells what I’m writing about. Since you read this magazine monthly, I’m hoping that means you’ll read this all the way through—but it’s a “boring” one, I’m afraid. It’s about a non-coach and his life choice—a guy named John Boyd. As a military man, Boyd was brilliant enough that he could’ve…

The AVCA has revealed the 30 players who are part of the 2025 Division I Watch List for its Player of the Year Award, presented by Nike Volleyball. AVCA Player of the Year Award Watch List logo The Preseason Watch List was compiled by the AVCA Division I Women’s Volleyball Awards Committee. They will also be the group working on the additional phases of the Player of the Year process, which include: Midseason additions to the list [October] Naming the semifinalists [November] Revealing the finalists [likely Dec. 15] The announcement of the Player of the Year in Kansas City at the AVCA Awards Banquet on Friday Dec. 19.…

Shawnee Harle - Winning Matters 0.12 seconds. That was the difference between 1st and 8th place at the Olympic Mens 100M Final. An eyelash was all that stood between a gold medal or no medal at all. In those defining moments, physical talent isn’t enough. Mental Toughness allows you to perform at your peak when hundredths of a second are on the line. But here’s the thing; most athletes don’t train their mind the way they train their body. They don’t realize the mind is a muscle too, and it needs just as much attention. Imagine standing at the starting line, knowing you’re prepared physically, but also knowing you have a secret weapon - a mind as tough as your body. That’s the athlete who wins, who crosses the finish…

In today’s world of social media, it can be easy to get lost in a false reality. But as this new article from Coached by Christ explains, ‘Faith It’ Until You Make It can help combat the distortion created by what we see on our phones and computers. Find out how faith-based college athletes and coaches are using their beliefs to focus on their purpose, stay grounded, and thrive despite the pressures of virtual society. Social media has seen a massive surge in popularity over the last decade as more and more people turn to these platforms for communication and entertainment. This growth can be attributed to several factors, including convenience, accessibility, increased connectivity with others worldwide, and better-targeted marketing features that appeal directly to users’ interests. Furthermore, recent technological…