Utah Valley Volleyball is on the back end of an up-and-down year, but thanks to their senior setter, it has made the team perform much better.
Abbie Medeiros’ path to collegiate volleyball was far from a straightforward one.
Originally a dancer, things changed in fifth grade when Medeiros received a flyer on her door, inviting her to the Pleasant Grove High School volleyball camp.
But success did not come immediately. “I was a late bloomer,” Medeiros said. “I was always on the B Team, but when I was 16, I felt my game start to improve. Feeling more confident in my abilities, then when I was a sophomore, I finally started varsity.” The rest, as they say, is history.
After becoming a volleyball legend at Pleasant Grove High School, Medeiros was awarded Gatorade Player of the Year in Utah after being named 6A MVP, Region 4 MVP, Setter of the Year. Medeiros was named an All-American as a high school senior in 2019 and led her team to a championship in the Utah 6A state tournament in 2019.
Medeiros has been the most consistent part of UVU volleyball for four years.
The stalwart senior has recently reached top five in all-time assists, over 100 career aces and remains a consistent rock for the UVU Volleyball team on the court.
But — as her collegiate career reaches its final moments — the most pressing matters on her mind are reflection on her time at UVU, her teammates, old and new, and the things she will miss when she leaves.
Years ago, a video went viral of a Boston College basketball player being asked, “What’s the thing you will miss most about playing for Boston College?” The emotional student athlete started crying, put their head down, eventually raising it back up after a long pause and saying, “Going out to eat.”
Although the video seems humorous to some, Medeiros referenced the video, saying she has never related more. “Those are the best moments, going out to eat,” Medeiros said, laughing. “Last year, we went to Boston, and being in a hotel, making TikTok’s, exploring the city, I have so many good memories with all those girls.”
The best part for her about being a UVU Volleyball player is not the games, not the tournaments, but the little moments: the bus rides, team dinners, hotel rooms and shared bonds she has made with people she loves.
That is what makes her a great volleyball player, and a beloved teammate.
“I will miss who she is, her personality, her love for me as a coach, and the way she treats others,” head coach Sam Atoa stated. “You need that. She has been on our leadership council, and she holds her teammates accountable. She is always willing to put her arm around somebody.
Her demeanor, her personality, those intangibles, they are hard to teach. It is just who she is.”
“A lot of my leadership is just the energy that I bring on the court, I can be a fireball,” Medeiros said. “I have just learned a lot from the girls in the past, so I am trying to be a good example for the new players, the freshman. So, I can leave something for them to learn.”
Fortunately, Medeiros has left more than just something to learn: She has left a legacy.
“I love UVU Volleyball. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done, but the best thing I have ever done too. I have learned so much from being here, and I will always be so grateful for everything.”
Medeiros will be sorely missed when she leaves after this season — by her teammates, coach, and the UVU faithful. But for now, you can find this fireball in the Lockhart Arena, making perfect passes, dancing on the sidelines, and enjoying every moment with her teammates that she has left.
Medeiros and UVU are halfway through the conference season and you can watch most of their games on ESPN+.
