Matt Hellman | Lariat Multimedia Editor
Sports Writer
Senior outside hitter Zoe Adom was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team in early August.
Adom has been named team captain for two straight seasons and was a 2012 First-Team All-Big 12 selection.
“It’s an honor to be put up there with all the other girls in the Big 12,” Adom said. “I just love being a leader, a role model for my teammates.”
Adom was MVP of her Trinity High School team and named 5-5A First Team All District, but was not considered a highly touted prospect.
After redshirting the 2009 season, Adom increased her starts every season.
Last season she started 27 matches for the Lady Bears and is an integral member of the Baylor volleyball program.
During Big 12 play last season, Adom ranked fifth in the Big 12 with 3.37 kills per set. She also led her team with 199 kills in that stretch.
She was named one of a record three Baylor Lady Bears named All-Big 12.
Adom finished the Big 12 season strong last season against Texas Tech in Lubbock, she had 19 kills and only a single error while hitting .500 in a 3-1 Baylor victory.
What doesn’t show up on a box score is that Adom has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll five times, the Academic All-Big 12 First Team for two straight seasons and earned a spot on the Baylor Dean’s List.
Despite dedicating so much time to volleyball, she has carved out time in her schedule to major in health science studies while being classified as pre-physical therapy.
“You’ve got to make sure you’re doing the right things like taking care of your body and mind,” Adom said. “Playing volleyball, working out, going to class, that’s going to do that for me, so that’s what I do. I’ve been here for five years, so let’s hope I’ve got it right by now”
Baylor volleyball came out of the gates on fire in 2012, winning 13 of their first 14 matches.
Their early season hopes were dampened by their 7-9 record in the Big 12, and they narrowly missed out on a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
“It fuels the fire for this season,” Adom said. “But our motivation is within God right now, so we’re not really looking in the past, we’re looking to the future.”
Head volleyball coach Jim Barnes is optimistic about Adom’s performance this upcoming season.
“Zoe is twice, maybe three times the player she was last year, and she was All-Conference last year,” Barnes said. “She has not had one bad practice and is playing at an all-time high. We’re excited about what Zoe’s come to do in her senior year.“
Adom sets the bar just as high for herself and her teammates.
“I expect for this team to go all out. That’s our thing. We’ve got our eye on it this season; that’s our quote, our motto. We’re going to go beast mode this season.It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be exciting, and we’re just going to work until we reach that tournament.”
Fans can get an early look at Baylor volleyball during their annual intra-squad scrimmage at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Ferrell Center.
