Off the court with Abby Fay

Sophomore defensive specialist Abby Fay ended her season as a strong back-row presence. The Collegian sat down with Fay to talk about her thoughts, dreams and aspirations.


Q: How was it having your mom coach you in high school?

A: It was good and bad. I loved it. She's a really good coach, so I liked playing for her for that part of it. She was a lot harder on me because I was her kid, and so there would be a couple of times when I would be kicked out of practice because it's really hard not to backtalk a parent. I would never, ever backtalk a coach, but sometimes, it's a lot harder with your parent, so it was tough.

Q: Did you like that she coached Lauren Mathewson, too?

A: I think it's pretty cool that we both played for her. Lauren and I have been playing together since we were 12 and it's been really great. I think my mom was probably a little bit harder on Lauren, as well, because she's coached her forever, too. We were both the leaders on the team, so she was harder on us, too, in that way. But it was fun playing with both of them. Getting to play with one of your best friends is always really fun.


Q: Do you still have plans to play professional beach
volleyball?

A: That'd be great, but I don't see how likely that is to happen. When I was younger and I wrote that I had this dream that I wanted the California lifestyle and to live on the beach and be a beach bum and play beach volleyball. I don't know if that's necessarily my dream anymore, but do I think it would be fun.


Q: If the beach bum gig falls through, what would you like to do?

A: I kind of have different dreams every week, but my current dream is that I really want to open a boutique and run that. Or I really think I like event planning, so maybe something along there.

Q: What are you studying at K-State?

A: I'm in marketing. I think I may dual in apparel marketing. We don't actually have sports marketing. We just have marketing and there are some sports classes that you can take. Since I redshirted, I have a lot of time to take more classes.


Q: Why did you redshirt your first year?

A: When I came in, Stacey Spiegelberg was a senior setter that year, and she had set the team for four years, and she was a really great setter. So I just came in and got to have a year to learn under her. Being redshirted was not all that bad. You never had any pressure on you. You could go on your trips, and you'd go out to pre-game meal and eat whatever you wanted, because you knew you weren't going to play. No, it was great to play behind Stacey and learn from her and take a whole year to just get better and know that you're not going to waste a year of eligibility just playing minimal amounts.


Q: Was it hard not landing the setter position?

A: It was always frustrating, because I'm really, really competitive, so it would have been nice to have. But also, before I committed to a college, I was trying to decide whether I wanted to go and set or go and be a DS/Libero, so it wasn't too horrible making the switch, because it was also something I was maybe going to do anyway. I do like the back row. In high school, I hit some too, but that's not going to happen here.


–Compiled by Sam Nearhood