Know the Gophers: Skylar Gray

Skylar Gray is a junior libero/defensive specialist from Maple Grove, Minn. She's played in three matches in the last couple seasons and is looking to take the next step as a junior.

What were the first activities that you played growing up?
SG: I did a little bit of everything. Basketball, tee-ball, gymnastics, dance, soccer, kind of like the whole nine yards. Right across the building from where I was playing soccer, other girls were playing volleyball. So I told my dad I wanted to try it. My parents had me wait until I was eight, and when I tried it, it just clicked. I really enjoyed it and had a different feeling about the sport.

How soon did you go 'all in' on volleyball?
SG: I'd say I did a couple years of other activities before I committed to volleyball. I wasn't very good at first, but when I started improving I just didn't want to stop playing. I loved it. When I was 12 I started playing club and that's when I just said, 'this is going to be my sport.'

Off the court, did you have other hobbies you did when you were young?
SG: I was in the orchestra and I played the viola. I did that for 2-3 years and stopped in eighth grade. It got to be too demanding and I liked volleyball more.

Tell us about your family. You have a younger sister?
SG: Yes so I have a younger sister named Rylie. She is going to be a sophomore in high school. She's very much an artistic, musically inclined person. She loves to draw, paint, play music, including guitar and piano. She's insanely talented. Even though she's my younger sister, I really admire her and the way she puts herself into different activities. Everyone used to ask her if she wanted to play volleyball, but she was never into it. Rylie is very much her own person and I really respect that about her. We're very close and a big reason I stayed close to home for college is that I can be there for her and be close to family.

How about your parents?
SG: My dad (Jamison), mom (Stephanie) and my sister and I are all very close. My dad is the one that got me into sports - he did karate, soccer and baseball when he was younger. Now, he works at a company called Circana, where he provides insights to other companies with how to improve their products and sales. He's very smart and I learn a ton from him. He actually is the head coach at Maple Grove for the volleyball team. He had no volleyball experience in his life, but was around it when I was growing up and started learning the sport. My mom stayed at home to be there for me and Rylie growing up, which was super nice. She was always there to help us and support us in any way possible. She's not a huge sports person, but she came to every game, which made me really happy. If she ever misses a game now (which doesn't happen often), there is a really good reason.

Back to volleyball - when did you start to realize you could have a future in the sport?
SG: When I was 12. I played on 12's teams when I was 10 and I just kept getting better. I felt like I could be myself and it felt so natural. When I was 15, I realized its what I wanted to pursue in college.

When did you start to get recruited? How did your process with Minnesota go?
SG: I was going into my freshman year of high school. I did a lot of reaching out to schools around the Midwest. Minnesota wasn't initially in the mix because I wasn't sure if I was good enough yet. But they did eventually reach out first. I was sitting in one of my classes freshman year and my dad called me. I was like 'why is he calling me during school?' And I call him back and he told me that we were going on a visit to Minnesota that day. So at the end of the day they picked me up and we went right to the Pav. We saw campus and talked with the coaches, and they eventually decided they wanted to offer me a spot. I was an outside in high school, but they said they saw me as a DS/libero type of player in college. I was so excited and I was 'fan-girling' a little bit inside. I was so shocked because I really hadn't heard from them before that. I wanted to say 'yes' on the spot, but I went home that day and discussed it with my parents. They supported me 100% and wanted to make this work for me, so I committed within a couple weeks after. It felt so good to have the process done.

When you first got to college, what was the biggest adjustment for you?
SG: I'd say it was the lifting, which is very hard. In the summer we train super hard in the weight room, so getting used to lifting everyday was new. I hadn't lifted consistently before, so it was a lot of hard work. I felt like I was getting better in the weight room and I saw that translate to the court. I also took a summer class, so that was different having an academic commitment during that time of year. At the same time, it was a good early transition to college and it helped me meet other student-athletes from different sports.

Going in and playing your first college game against St. Thomas, how were you feeling heading in?
SG: I was so nervous and so excited at the same time. It was a moment of appreciation that I had. I worked so hard to be here, and now I am here and I'm a part of it with all of these wonderful people. The amazing crowd, the amazing staff, I remember being just so grateful for that moment. Actually getting in the game felt so much different than practice though. The first couple points, I was a little overstimulated. After that, I settled in and it just became super fun. It was nice being there and knowing everyone there believes in you. It boosted my confidence knowing I had put the work in and was ready to play.

For the first couple years of college, you were behind a two-time All-American in CC McGraw and another really good player in Rachel Kilkelly. What was your mindset during that time?
SG: Coming in, I knew both CC and Rachel were very good athletes that had obviously established their roles on the court.. I knew I probably wasn't going to have a lot of playing time at first. They had more time in practice and developing their skills at the college level. Plus I had to go from playing mostly outside to then going and focusing on my defense as a specialist. So it was a little tough. But what kind of helped me is just thinking about getting better everyday and knowing that you're helping prepare the team for battle in practice every single day. When you do get to play, you have to cherish the opportunity because you have to earn it. I'm also super appreciative because I got to learn from CC and Rachel and see how they did things. They'd always give me advice and help me out. Rachel was in a similar position as me early in her career, being behind CC at first. She just told me to keep working through it and that you're just as valuable as anyone else here.

Going into this spring, you were the only libero on the roster and you had a huge opportunity to play. How did embrace the spring season?
SG: I guess the first thing I have to say is it was really, really fun. Even when it was hard. When you're on the court, it's harder to see the things that aren't working well. When you're on the bench, you can kind of look at things from a different view. It had been a really long time since I had played in a full game, so playing libero I got to have a huge role and see a ton of action. I felt like my game elevated so much in the spring and I felt more confident in my abilities. It could have gone one of two ways. Either I could look at it like 'I'm the only libero here, so I can't mess it up, I have to be perfect,' or I could be like 'I can just go out here and do my best, what do I have to lose?' What really helped me is the coaching staff. They would all encourage me and give me feedback to make sure I was at my best. I don't know if I've ever had that much fun playing volleyball before.

You've practiced against some of the best outside hitters in the country the last couple years. How much better do you feel like that's made you in trying to play against them?
SG: It was such a huge adjustment, as the hitters I played against in high school couldn't hit the ball half as hard. So it was a lot of reading and scouting players to make sure we were seeing the game better and set us up for success. I have been hit in the face a couple times, so you learn really fast to get your hands up. Making sure I'm giving effort to every ball and anticipating where they're going to go is so important. You have to give effort 100% of the time, that's Minnesota volleyball.

What's it been like working with fellow libero Kylie Murr, who transferred in this summer from Ohio State?
SG: She is so so good. I've learned so much from her already. The way her attitude is, it's contagious. CC was great and now obviously we have another great player here. The way that she carries herself and her knowledge of the game is so vast. If she has something on her mind, she's going to say it. I think that's something our team really needed. She doesn't beat around the bush. It's really motivating to have her as a leader because the way she says things, you know it's because she wants to win and help our team succeed in any way possible. I'm super excited to have her here this season and working with her.

What are you most looking forward to this season?
SG: I'm really looking forward to seeing how all the work we've done comes to fruition. Our team values, our systems and our team camaraderie will all be put to the test. We've gotten a lot closer this summer as a team and I'm super excited to see how that translates to the court. Everyone is here to help one another get better. It seems like we have a really good group of girls.

Are there any games you're really looking forward to this season?
SG: I'm really looking forward to playing at Stanford because we've never been there before.

What are your goals this year, both team and individual?
SG: I want us to make it to the Final Four. It would just be an amazing experience on a huge stage. Individually, I would like to hopefully earn a spot on the court, potentially in a DS role, kind of like Rachel was last year. Either way, I'm super excited to be a part of this team and I can't wait for everything to begin.

Off the court, what do you like to do?
SG: I like to go home a lot and spend time with family. I like to paddle board with my sister, mini-golfing, going to movies. I've started crocheting recently, so I really enjoy that. I also like to do anything outside, like swimming and boating.

Favorite Food: Cashew Chicken
Favorite Sport to Watch: Gymnastics
Fun Facts: I have a pet albino corn snake named Sunburst
Hidden Talent: I'm really good at Pottery
Netflix Show: Resident Alien
Pro Sports Team: Athletes Unlimited
Vacation Spot: Hawai'i
Inspiration: My parents

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Players Mentioned

Skylar Gray

Rachel Kilkelly

CC McGraw

Kylie Murr