“Sam has always stepped up and been very comfortable late in the season and in some very big moments. She just really shows up — whether that’s the conference tournament or NCAA tournament,” he said.
“Sometimes, for players in those moments, it’s kind of the opposite. But she has really shined.”
That clutch gene of Ott’s, though, isn’t just confined to the volleyball court.
She may have set an unofficial record for the shortest track career for an athlete placing at the Horizon League meet.
With no previous experience, she was convinced to try the high jump last spring by roommate and heptathlon standout Melissa Siler. Ott had zero expectations, but was all in.
“Honestly, I needed something new. The coaches loved having me, which was amazing. And they were all so helpful,” Ott said.
“Even the players were helping me fix the things I was doing wrong.”
She showed steady improvement in the early meets — not enough to threaten teammate and eventual league high-jump champ Cierra Lively, but stringing together respectable results.
“At first, getting on the podium (at the league meet) wasn’t even a thought. But as the season progressed, I was up there in those rankings,” she said, meaning the compilation of best results of all HL high-jumpers.
“I was like, OK, that’s going to be my goal. I want to ‘podium’ at conference. And it ended up happening.”
She finished tied for seventh at 1.57 meters (5.15 feet) at the championships at Oakland in May.
And as she put it, “I had a short-lived career, but it was a good one.”
Although the high jump is a backward leap, she says it helped when she returned this fall to her first love.
Going into the Horizon League tourney at McLin Gym this week, she’s fifth in the conference in kills at 3.37 per set, up from 2.54 last season.
She’s fourth in the league in points at 3.89 per set, a jump from her 2.99 average in 2023.
And she’s third on the team in hitting percentage at .243, a big leap from her .185 mark last year.
“We have a drive this season to be better than we’ve been in the past and just to prove we can do pretty much what we put our mind to,” she said.
“We lost some players that had pretty big roles last year. And our team has stepped up and filled the shoes of those players. We’ve really jelled and risen to the occasion.”
The Raiders host the league tourney and play at 3 p.m. Saturday against an opponent to be determined. And if they get in a tight spot where they need a big point, they know they can’t go wrong by passing the ball in Ott’s direction.
“Ever since I was younger, I’ve always wanted to help my team in those big moments and be the person they can rely on,” she said.
About the Author