Rayya Smyth '21 Recruiting Profile

I would love to attend a college where I can play volleyball and get a great education. I am an undeclared major right now, but I have an interest in Business or Math-related fields.

I’m self-motivated when it comes to school work. During my Junior year, I took several virtual classes and had to develop a routine and schedule to keep myself on track (and, most times, ahead) with deadlines. This year, as a Senior, I’m taking all virtual classes and have kept up with all assignments and tests. I am currently ranked 1st in my class and plan to graduate with honors in May 2021.

I consider myself a leader on my school’s volleyball team. I am the only Senior and the Team Captain, but I’ve also put in work with the junior high team over the past few years. Our former coach asked me to help the junior high team on their skills, so I was able to work one-on-one with many of them throughout the seasons.

I feel like I am easily adaptable, always ready to practice and improve, willing to listen and learn, gracious, patient, and encouraging. Many of these traits have been tested this year. With COVID restrictions on practicing, having only 6 returning players on the senior high team, recruiting new players to have enough subs, getting a new coach, and dealing with quarantine situations; I’ve had the opportunity to strengthen many of these traits. We played a different rotation about every game due to players being quarantined at various times. I helped guide the new players when they didn’t know what to do and praised and encouraged them when they played their best. I was just happy to get to play this season, my Senior Year, and made sure to enjoy each game as if it were my last.