Ashy, a three-time 2015 MAC East Defensive Player of the Week winner, recorded dig number 2,092 against Kent State this past weekend.
So many times before, Meredith Ashy has squatted into position, anticipated the direction and force of the attack and corralled the ball, saving it from a rattling blow to the floor.
But one dig against Kent State this past weekend was different.
It etched her name permanently into Ohio University’s record book.
Ashy, a senior libero from Louisville, Kentucky, recorded dig number 2,092 of her career and was crowned the new Bobcat leader in all-time digs, surpassing Michaele Blackburn (2003-06).
“Meredith has just had a great career,” coach Deane Webb said. “We are proud of her, not just for being great this year, but for being great over a prolonged period of time. To earn that recognition, to set a record in a program with the history of success we’ve had, it just speaks very highly of her.”
Ashy, the defensive rock for the Bobcats, has dominated her ”zone 5,” diving and sliding around the court with reckless abandon. Multiple opponents have even designed game plans to hit away from her.
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The 2014 Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of The Year, Ashy has won MAC East Defensive Player of the Week three times this season.
“(Ashy) is an incredibly hard worker,” assistant coach Maggie Couture said. “Mer reads very well. She can tell what the hitter is doing before they even do it. That’s a great asset to her.”
Ashy attributes much of her progress and learning to Couture, along with her freshman and sophomore year defensive coach Ryan Walthall.
Couture said Ashy’s willingness to soak in volleyball knowledge is "special," especially with the difficulty of a major coaching staff change in the middle of her collegiate career. After the 2013 season, Ashy's second with the Bobcats, Webb took over for former coach Ryan Theis.
Someone who has watched Ashy’s development from the beginning of her collegiate career is fellow senior, Abby Gilleland.
“This (record) had been on her radar for a little while,” Gilleland said. “It’s something that motivated her very much, and I think it is reflected on how hard she works on and off the court.”
A big hug from Webb after the record-breaking dig, along with celebratory texts from her relatives and close friends, left Ashy with a surreal feeling.
“I just told her how much it means to be her teammate and her friend,” Gilleland said. “Hopefully she holds on to this spot for a while because she has worked hard to get there."
@NKairys
nk596613@ohio.edu
