University Southern California Trojans
LA Story: Niki Withers
August 04, 2017 | Women's Volleyball, USC Ripsit Blog, Features
Heading into her senior year as an opposite hitter on the USC women's volleyball team, Niki Withers is ready to fly.
Withers, who was raised in Lakewood, Calif. and attended Long Beach Poly, came to USC after a year at Cal State Fullerton. Here and there, she's always relished the opportunity to play the sport she loves so close to home.
"Playing in, and representing, the city I grew up in is everything," Withers said. "This is a special place, and being a part of its fabric, contributing my talents to its story is a blessing."
Withers is the second sibling in her family to play collegiately in Los Angeles. Her older brother, Marcedes Lewis, played football and basketball at UCLA before being drafted by the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 6-foot baller has followed in her brother's footsteps by excelling in athletics. Last year, she ranked third on the team with 2.65 kills per set and fourth on the team with 0.62 blocks per set.
"I love volleyball because in so many ways, it's my escape from reality," Withers says. "When I get on the court, I step into a completely different place; a different mindset. It's where I can focus my energy and emotions on the rally, the point and accomplishing goals with my teammates."
Read Withers' full LA Story below:
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Withers, who was raised in Lakewood, Calif. and attended Long Beach Poly, came to USC after a year at Cal State Fullerton. Here and there, she's always relished the opportunity to play the sport she loves so close to home.
"Playing in, and representing, the city I grew up in is everything," Withers said. "This is a special place, and being a part of its fabric, contributing my talents to its story is a blessing."
Withers is the second sibling in her family to play collegiately in Los Angeles. Her older brother, Marcedes Lewis, played football and basketball at UCLA before being drafted by the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.
The 6-foot baller has followed in her brother's footsteps by excelling in athletics. Last year, she ranked third on the team with 2.65 kills per set and fourth on the team with 0.62 blocks per set.
"I love volleyball because in so many ways, it's my escape from reality," Withers says. "When I get on the court, I step into a completely different place; a different mindset. It's where I can focus my energy and emotions on the rally, the point and accomplishing goals with my teammates."
Read Withers' full LA Story below:
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