Lady Wildcat volleyball has two sign college scholarships

January 25, 2023 by Ken Leinart

Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats volleyball saw two of its players ink scholarships Monday afternoon.

Lily Yassu and Haley Gray signed scholarships in a ceremony at the school’s amphitheater.

ORHS Athletic Director Joe Gaddis said having the opportunity to play after high school is a rare treat.

“There are thousands and thousands of athletes across the country … that play high school sports and 5-percent, or less, get the opportunity to go on beyond high school and participate,” he said. “This is a huge honor … Congratulations to these girls, to the team. It does set a standard for the future.

“This great to have two in the same day, same sport. Two great girls and really good players.”

Yassu is headed to Lebanon to play for the Cumberland University Phoenix.

Lady Wildcat Head Coach Audrey Sherles called both girls leaders for the Lady Wildcats, but noted they lead in different ways.

Sherles said Yassu was her “fire and ice.

“That’s a good thing, to have that kind of leadership,” she said. “The competitiveness, the desire to win … and in the next breath to be able to lead, to compose herself, to take on that roll and compose herself … That’s hard to do.

“You see really, really passionate players who can’t lead, or see really, really good leaders who aren’t passionate about the game. To have both …”

Yassu said she was torn between two schools before choosing Cumberland University.

“It’s not too far from home,” Yassu said. “It’s about two hours away.”

Yassu was also recruited by Emory and Henry.

“It was kinda tough choosing between Emory and Henry,” she said. “They have a really good school. But I really like the Cumberland campus.”

Being close to home wasn’t the only deciding factor for Yassu. “They not only have a varsity team, they have a JV team,” she said.

Yassu won’t be sitting on the bench in her freshman year.

“I’ll be playing (JV) and work my way up to varsity and earn my spot on the court,” she said.

Yassu will major in early childhood education. She said she wants to be a kindergarten teacher.

“Cumberland University is lucky to get Lily, and Roane State is going to be very lucky to get Haley,” Gaddis said.

The AD noted Gray is “devoted” to her sport.

“I know in classes where I had Haley she always wanted to play volleyball — during class. She is pretty devoted. And many times I said, ‘Yes, go ahead.’”

Sherles said Gray’s role as a leader “was overlooked sometimes.”

“Leading in the background is hard,” she said. “Being able to have the respect from your teammates on and off the court and to have someone who leads with personality, with morale, and not just in competitiveness …

“Watching Haley grow as a player and leader has been a joy for me,” she said.

Gray said she knew going to Roane State was a good idea — it was what suited her. The school offered her a scholarship and that solidified her choice.

“I knew it was a great opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” she said.

Gray has worked hard for the opportunity to play at the next level.

“I wasn’t the best and I knew if I wanted to play college I’d have to work a lot more,” she said.

In her sophomore year she joined K2 Volleyball.

“They helped me get a lot better,” she said. “I went from not playing a lot to getting some playing time to being captain on JV and then playing all the way around on varsity.”

She said she will major in sports and recreation management.