In junior high school, Meredith Coba picked up a volleyball and started hitting it against her garage door.
Nathan Romans | Argonaut
Junior setter Meredith Coba sets for sophomore outside hitter Ali Forde during practice Tuesday in Memorial Gym.
Few thought it would be the start of a successful volleyball career and a lifelong passion.
“My neighbor was like ‘oh, she should play volleyball,'” Coba said.
The Salem, Oregon, native was raised to be a basketball player. Her dad coached her throughout her early years, which left Coba with a big decision as a freshman in high school.
“Basketball was kind of my main sport,” Coba said. “I stopped playing basketball after my freshman year of high school so I could focus on volleyball.”
The turning point in Coba’s volleyball career was switching to a Portland club team.
“That was the best decision of my life,” Coba said. “That kind of led me to go here because the recruiting process out of my club team was awesome and the exposure to colleges.”
While on the Northwest Juniors 18 Air Elite team, Coba helped her squad win two regional championships and earn an impressive fifth-place finish at the AAU Nationals.
The 5-foot-10 junior setter redshirted her first year, and played her first full season at Idaho in 2013.
Coba, who is majoring in public relations, started all 30 matches for the Vandals last season and notched 1,178 assists.
Whether blocking, setting, or playing defense, Coba bears the responsibility of touching the ball practically every time it goes over the net.
To her, that’s the best part.
“I love it,” Coba said. “I know I’ll touch the ball and I know I’ll be able to make that play for my hitters and for my entire team. I think of myself as really relaxed on the court. I love to be that role, be that leader, be that kind of consistent person on the court.”
After college, Coba said she would like to continue a career in volleyball if possible.
“Something that my dad told me growing up was ‘think of the things where volleyball can take you,'” Coba said.
She said she’s considered playing volleyball oversees or trying sand volleyball in California after her collegiate career is complete.
Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan said Coba can still grow as a player and has a bright future in volleyball.
“I think she still hasn’t even tapped her full potential,” Buchanan said. “She’s releasing a great ball, she’s understanding offensively what we’re trying to do. She’s done a nice job this season as far as playing defense, running balls down, and being able to be a blocker in there. It’s a big role to fill.”
Playing volleyball has taught Coba much more than simply being a good teammate on the court for the Vandals.
“It’s taught me so many things about myself, about teams, about environments,” Coba said. “It’s about the community, the university and it’s a cool thing to be apart of.”
Conor Gleason can be reached at [email protected]
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