FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (November 22, 2019) – With his team coming off the greatest season in program history in 2015, head coach
Ken Murphy knew the following years, and corresponding recruiting classes, would be the key to sustainable success. Enter the Northern Arizona volleyball team's 2019 senior class, whose imprint on the program will reach far beyond the all-time marks they have all achieved.
"This class signified stability in our program," Murphy said. "We had some success early on and this class was recruited upon that success. This class has given us the foundation to keep moving forward to compete year in and year out in our conference and to do great things nationally. All three of these players have contributed so much in their four years that you can't measure it in the stats honestly."
NAU's senior class of
Abby Akin,
Sydney Lema and
Abby Stomp will suit up in front of the home crowd for the final time on Saturday versus Idaho at 11 a.m. in the Rolle Activity Center. It is in the Rolle Activity Center where the three seniors have led the Lumberjacks to memorable victories over Florida and LSU. It is also where Sacramento State and Northern Colorado suffered their only conference losses during their Big Sky regular season championship years in 2017 and 2019.
But their impact goes beyond the 82 wins the program has posted over the last four years, or the Big Sky Championship trophy hoisted last season. Akin, Lema and Stomp have provided the blueprint for what the Lumberjack volleyball program aspires to be on a yearly basis.
"I thought (four years ago), if we did things right, they would be this impactful," Murphy said. "Obviously they're talented and skilled athletes who bring a lot to the court, but they're really good people. They're good teammates. We knew early on we wanted to identify that combination between competitiveness and skill with character."
"All three of them embody that and they represent everything we hope we can be at NAU which is a good program in terms of our results, but a culture where student-athletes learn how to be their best," Murphy added.
Four years after entering the program, Akin, Lema and Stomp – part of NAU's recruiting class of 2016 which was named to PrepVolleyball.com's High Honorable Mention list – will leave having made an impact greater than they ever thought. But first, Senior Day and then a run towards a second consecutive Big Sky Championship and ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Akin was overshadowed as a prep product, but she instantly made a name for herself once she arrived at NAU. In just her fourth match as a Lumberjack, she totaled 11 blocks – one of four career double-digit block matches – versus UCF.
At the end of her debut season, Akin was named Big Sky Outstanding Freshman and earned a spot on the All-Big Sky Second Team. She broke the program record for hitting percentage and was in the top 100 in blocks nationally. But that was just the beginning of one of the most decorated careers assembled by a Lumberjack.
Over the last three seasons, Akin has etched her name throughout the NAU record book. She will have compiled four of NAU's top five single season hitting percentages on her way to most likely graduating as the Big Sky's all-time leading hitter. Should she earn a spot on the All-Big Sky First Team next week, Akin would become only the third Lumberjack to earn four all-conference honors and just the second to be a three-time First Team honoree joining Janae Vander Ploeg.
"You look at Abby's career and she's gotten better every year," Murphy said. "She's added more to her offensive arsenal and the last couple of years, she's become a great blocker. She competes every day and fights for every point. She produces big points throughout a match and consistently night in and night out hits a high number and kills a lot of balls."
Akin could become the 14th player in program history to reach 1,000 career kills on Saturday, needing 11 to join the exclusive club. Already though, Akin is first all-time in hitting percentage and sets played and is one of two players to total 500 career blocks. Akin also is currently tied for seventh all-time in career aces with 111 – all of which have come in the last three seasons.
"In high school, I honestly didn't think I'd do this well and coming here as a freshman, I just loved to play volleyball and I was going to do what I loved," Akin said. "I've just had that mindset for four years where if I do what I love, then I'm going to be good at it. If I'm not good, it bugs me."
Her drive has suited her well and led to hundreds of thunderous kills or stifling blocks in Rolle, where the second-generation Lumberjack has brought the home crowd to their feet. Akin's father was on the NAU men's basketball team from 1989-90 and her mother was a Lumberjack volleyball player from 1990-91.
"Saturday is going to be hard because I have memories of Rolle before I even played in Rolle," Akin said. "It's going to be a while before another Akin plays in this gym and it's bittersweet; more sweet than bitter."
PLAYING THROUGH PAIN
Even with a long list of ailments over the last four years, Lema has still found ways to thrive. She has battled injuries to her knee, groin and shoulder, suffered a concussion and pushed through shin splints, yet Saturday's home finale will be her 115th career match and she will move into seventh all-time in sets played.
"The team thinks I'm super weird because sometimes I enjoy pain," Lema said. "It makes me feel like I'm doing something right. I love to make crazy ups defensively, and if I'm hurt, I'm going for it anyway because that's what I love. An injury is not going to stop me and if I need to change the way I play, that's what I'm going to do."
Lema has built a reputation for doing whatever it takes to get, and stay, on the court. While her impact on a match does not always show in a box score, there's no denying that NAU has missed her presence when injuries have kept her off the court. NAU has a winning percentage of .675 with Lema on the court, while the 'Jacks are 5-5 in the 10 matches Lema been sidelined in her career.
But Lema's commitment extends beyond playing through pain. As a freshman, Lema was moved out of her spot at the left pin and into the back row for the latter half of her first season. This season, Lema shifted to libero for three matches. Through it all, the Lumberjacks' leader has adapted into whatever role is asked of her.
"Sydney is the heart and soul of our team and she has been for a few years," Murphy said. "She is so excited to be in the gym every day and that makes our entire team better because her positive energy is infectious. We've always felt that she's going to give everything she's got every single day and that's defined our team over the last few years."
As she aims to play every set for the first year, Lema learned from playing alongside Lauren Jacobsen and
Kaylie Jorgenson, both former all-conference outsides, to use her skill set to her advantage and enjoy the best season of her career in final season.
"I would watch Lauren and Kaylie and they were fearless, especially when they're swinging in the front row," Lema said. "That's not always been my strong suit. Playing with them and seeing how they reacted to situations has helped me be confident in the things that I do because they trusted their processes."
This season, Lema has already notched a career-high 195 kills and is hitting a career-best .200. However, although she has 730 kills and 102 service aces to her name, Lema's ability to stabilize NAU's defense with her passing and her hustle to keep every ball alive remains her hallmark. Lema ranks third in program history with 1,483 career digs – the most by a Lumberjack outside hitter – and counting.
SETTING THE STANDARD
Unlike Akin and Lema, Stomp move into a starting role until her sophomore season. After backing up former all-conference setter Jensen Barton as a freshman, Stomp took over setting duties in 2017 and has been as reliable as it comes since.
Stomp has appeared in all 92 matches and 349 sets since the start of her sophomore season and made 89 starts in that span. All told, Stomp has risen to seventh all-time in program history with a career total of 2,462 assists going into her final career home match.
"Obviously coming in I wanted to play, but (my freshman year) made me stronger," Stomp said. "I became stronger mentally and physical. Even the last two years, I've had to learn how to contribute faster because I'm in for three rotations. I've always set a 5-1 (system) but I've learned to adapt and I'm really grateful that I've been able to contribute the last three years."
In her first season as a starter, Stomp ranked seventh in the Big Sky in assists and set two hitters – Akin and
Heaven Harris – to two of the top four single season hitting percentages in school history at the time. However, the Lumberjacks switched from a 5-1 to a 6-2 system last season meaning that Stomp would split time with
Aubrea Bandfield in the two-setter offense.
The change paid dividends with NAU sweeping the conference championships in 2018 and the Lumberjacks are in prime position to defend their tournament title next week. Despite the system change, Stomp has led the 'Jacks in assists in each of the last three seasons.
"Abby is ready to play every day and you never worry about her because you know she's going to give you her best effort," Murphy said. "She's been challenged in her career with different systems and playing next to different players, but every time we've challenged her she's responded to help us be better. It speaks to who she is as a player and a person and she gives us confidence that we can do anything."
Stomp has not only set the standard on the court, but her perfection in the classroom has been at the forefront of NAU's overall academic improvement which has led to two straight AVCA Team Academic Awards.
Stomp holds a 4.0 cumulative grade point average in biology. Her combined athletic and academic success has earned her three consecutive Academic All-District 8 First Team honors and she is vying to become just the second Lumberjack in program to receive Academic All-American honors. She also was a recipient of the Gold Axe Award bestowed to a select group of graduating seniors this semester.
"School has always been important to me and I wanted to walk away from college knowing that I balanced it all really well," Stomp said. "I take a lot of pride in it. I've had a lot of support and I've been able to do the entire student-athlete experience."
