Sophomore pin hitter Alexa Markley wrapped up this week’s media availability for Penn State women’s volleyball, answering questions Wednesday before practice at Rec Hall.
Markley, a Peachtree City, Georgia, native, is coming off two of her better matches of the season last weekend, as she recorded double-digit kills in wins over Illinois and Minnesota. Markley had 11 kills and hit .375 last Friday in Champaign and was interviewed on Big Ten Network after the match.
Markley earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last fall after tallying 161 kills, 36 total blocks, and 22 digs. She was twice named Big Ten Freshman of the Week, doing so in consecutive weeks last November. Markley has 67 kills, 12 total blocks, and 11 digs so far in 2023 and has established herself as one of Penn State’s few substitutes in recent weeks.
Katie Schumacher-Cawley discussed Markley’s improvement during her Tuesday press conference this week and has praised Markley for becoming more aggressive as a player this season. Markley’s blocking is quite impressive, as the 6-foot-2 standout routinely gets the Rec Hall crowd on its feet with her emphatic denials.
“Alexa is a high-flier who can score,” Schumacher-Cawley said. “I think blocking is one of her best skills. She needs to continue to work on being able to score as an attacker and to keep getting better defensively.”
The Nittany Lions (10-3, 4-0 Big Ten) return to Rec Hall Friday at 7 p.m. when they host Indiana. No. 14 Penn State has won 10 of its last 11 matches heading into alumni weekend. The transcript of questions and answers from Markley’s Wednesday interview can be found below.
Alexa Markley
How important is Jess [Mruzik] to the team? What have you learned from her?
“Jess is somebody I definitely look up to. Her volleyball IQ is super high, so it’s cool to look and see what shots she’s [hitting], and I try to mimic that. I think she’s someone to learn from.”
How have you seen Gill [Grimes] improve her game? What’s your relationship like with her?
“Gilly’s my girl. She’s my roommate. Gill’s always in the gym getting extra reps. She’s super vocal. I think she’s a great player.”
What are some things you’ve learned from Megan [Hodge Easy] this year?
“Megan has helped us a lot with blocking. She’ll always say, ‘Press low seam.’ She also has helped a lot with shots and being more intentional with swings.”
What are you looking forward to about getting back in Rec Hall this weekend?
“Playing at home. We love being at home with the atmosphere and fans. I’m excited. We have two great matchups coming up. Obviously, Mac [Podraza] came from OSU, so that will be a fun one. Indiana’s a great team. I’m looking forward to it.”
What are some things you’ve learned from the older players your first two years on campus?
“I think what’s super great about here is the older girls are always here to help. They take us under their wing and mentor us. It’s cool that we get to do that for the freshmen, now. I think what I’ve learned is how to talk more, be more of a leader, look at the older girls and see how they lead, and then you try to do it. Just skills, learning. Everyone’s a great volleyball player.”
What do you think it will be like getting a chance to meet with the 2008 and 2013 championship teams?
“Yeah, it’s cool. It’s somebody you look up to. They’re teams that we’ve watched since we were kids, so it’s cool to be able to speak with them and take what they’re saying and try to apply it to our game.”
What’s your first memory of watching Penn State volleyball on TV or in person?
“I think something that really sticks out to me is I came and I watched the Stanford-Penn State match when they were at home [in 2019]. It was a White Out and also on a football weekend. I feel like that’s my main core memory is all of Rec being filled with people, and the atmosphere was so sick. That was my first time seeing them in person.”
What are some things you enjoy most about Penn State’s campus and walking around in between classes?
“The campus is beautiful. I love how all my classes are super close to one another. Also, the people. All the athletes are pretty close. You’ll walk by somebody and they’ll tell you, ‘Great game.’ I think the people and just the scenery.”
Is there a story behind you picking No. 19?
“I’ve had a couple different numbers in the past. I remember I started out with 55, a random number. I was 23, 11 in high school, but in club, I was 19 for five years, so it just stuck. That was my number, my go-to.”
How has Cam Hannah helped you improve? What stands out about her?
“Cam’s an awesome person. I love her. We actually just got breakfast together this morning. She jumps so high. She’s always hitting the ball at the top of her swing, and that’s something that I try to mimic and do, hitting it high instead of bringing the ball down low into the block. I look up to her as a player. She’s also super aggressive, always positive. I love Cam.”