The following is a spotlight profile on Morgan Williams, Fordham University's nominee for the prestigous NCAA Woman of the Year award. The Atlantic 10 had 15 institutional nominees for the award (READ MORE). Each weekday until July 22, the Atlantic 10 will profile one of the institutional nominees.
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SNAPSHOT
Sport: Volleyball
Position: Libero
Major: TV/Film
Minor: Marketing
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
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Morgan Williams
PROFILE
Morgan Williams began her collegiate volleyball career as a walk-on student-athlete and graduated this spring as one of the most decorated volleyball players in Fordham history. Her leadership role as the team’s libero led to a scholarship award for her final two years of eligibility. Williams was voted the 2019 Atlantic 10 Libero of the Year and Fordham MVP after breaking program records for career digs, career digs per set, single season digs, single season digs per set, most digs in a four-set match, and most digs in a five-set match. She served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for three years, where she put together the campus It’s On Us campaign, and represented Fordham on the A-10 SAAC as well. Additionally, while still playing volleyball and completing her degree, Williams also had the opportunity to work as an intern for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. She was a member of ASILI, Fordham’s black student union, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and earned a place on the academic honor roll in 2017, 2019 and 2019, finishing her career as a TV/Film Major.
FORDHAM.EDU FEATURE ON MORGAN: Volleyball Record Setter Morgan Williams: Earning Her Spot and Then Some
Q&A WITH MORGAN
The hardest obstacle I faced as a student-athlete was conquering my own personal doubts about myself. Coming into Fordham, I had very little experience as a libero. For my entire career coming into college, I was an outside hitter and while my senior year of high school was supposed to be the year I finally got to focus on being a libero, and learn about what that entailed, our outside hitter got injured early on in the season forcing me to fill her role. Fortunately, I played all around and that is how I managed to get offered a walk-on spot. That being said, knowing how to dig/pass and
being a libero are two very different things. Being a libero is a leadership role, there are numerous responsibilities that go further than just passing and digging well, and all eyes are on you. Liberos control the defense, they are supposed to be extra eyes for the hitters, they’re supposed to be aware of the issues with the blockers, and they’re supposed to keep the morale high in addition to the physical responsibilities of being a strong passer and defensive player. When I walked on the team I didn’t expect to start, I knew I was walking onto the team with two upperclassmen who I referred to as true liberos. I felt like a major imposter. Nevertheless, my competitive nature and work ethic kicked in and that’s how I earned the starting spot. Hard work, dedication, a positive attitude/demeanor, and a strong desire to win and help my team. I made my presence on the court known. When I earned the starting spot, I was overjoyed at first, and then immediately uneasy. I didn’t feel like I was worthy of the position considering my lack of experience. But this feeling, while I was tempted to give it the power to debilitate me, actually made me work that much harder. I worked so hard because I needed to convince myself that I deserved this position. I worked so hard because I needed to make sure that my teammates and coaching staff were convinced too. It was a really tough time emotionally, especially with being a freshman and being away from home. Nevertheless, it’s an experience I’m so grateful for because I’m sure that will not be the last time I earn an opportunity that I feel I don’t deserve.
Who or What has been your biggest inspiration or motivation?
My biggest motivation for the first two years of my career was earning my scholarship. I have a younger brother who is two years below me, and knowing he was going to college and that my parents would be paying two full college tuitions at the same time was something that was not lost on me. I figured that I should try and put my talents to good use. Fortunately, with being a crucial member of the team and a strong student in the classroom I got offered a scholarship. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted and it happened just in time for my brother to enroll in a university. After that, my biggest motivator continued to be making my parents proud. Neither of my parents went to college. They built themselves and our life from the ground up. Volleyball is a very expensive sport and yet I attended the best high school with a strong volleyball program and played for the best SoCal volleyball clubs. My parents saw me as an investment and once I got to college, I wanted them to be proud of the time, money, and energy they put into me playing this sport. So, I played for them and to make them proud. They are what kept me going.
If someone wrote a biography about you, what would the title be?
Don’t Let the Smile Fool You
What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I got is not exactly positive, but it’s something that has stuck with me. My high school coach used to tell us, “If you think you played well, but your team lost, then you didn’t.” The quote itself is harsh and can definitely be interpreted as discouraging. However, I hear it a different way. Volleyball is one of the best examples of a true team sport, you need everyone on the court to be doing their job. It’s very rare that a successful volleyball team only has one good player. The hitters need the setters, the setters need the passers, and the passers need the blockers. All our jobs on the court are connected. So, when she said, “If you think you played well, but your team lost, then you didn’t.” I heard, “You win together and you lose together.” I think that’s one of the reasons I so strongly value teamwork and team cohesion. I want every person on the team to know they are important because at the end of the day we all are. We lose together, and we win together. It’s also why I only felt comfortable celebrating my personal accolades if my team had won the match that night.
What is something you wish more people knew about you?
I wish more people knew that I love writing and poetry. It’s something I think everyone should take a crack at because I genuinely believe it’s what got me through my toughest times. Once volleyball became more of a source of anxiety and pressure than an outlet, writing took its place and gave me a different outlet. It’s something I always encourage people to try.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
My proudest accomplishment was when I managed to work as an intern at the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, be a full-time volleyball player, and a full-time student all at the same time. It was an incredibly stressful semester and affected me a lot physically, emotionally, and mentally. But, I did it and at the end of the semester at my exit meeting my bosses at the internship told me they were extremely impressed with my ability to juggle so much and still do a great job in the office. I came very close to breaking down into tears because I didn’t realize people noticed how hard I was working. It was the greatest compliment anyone has ever given me.
What are three words your teammates would use to describe you, and why?
So, I had to ask my teammates for help with this because I didn’t know what they’d say. They described me as smiley, dedicated, and inclusive. They described me as smiley because for the most part, I’m always smiling. Whether we’re up by 10 or down by 20 you can look to me and I will try to exert some positive energy with my body language and my smile. They described me as dedicated because for the past four years I’ve worked incredibly hard for this team and this program. I also made time to be a part of team videos, tours, recruiting Q&As, camps, phone calls, or whatever the team/program needed. I was dedicated to Fordham athletics and I showed that by being a consistent shoulder to lean on and voice to rely on. They described me as inclusive because I pride myself on being a good teammate and part of being a good teammate and a good team leader is being inclusive. Not allowing cliques to take over the team or allow teammates to feel left out. I always go out of my way to make sure everyone feels welcome, included, and heard. It’s something that I really value in other people and something I work hard to lead by example about.