Volleyball Newcomer Q&A: Malia Moore
8/20/2021 1:39:00 PM | Volleyball
Setter – Mills River, N.C.
On her start in volleyball
"I started playing around third grade. I had never played another sport before but my sister played volleyball so I got interested through her. I played as a 10-year-old on the 12s travel team and ever since then I've been playing volleyball. It's the first and only sport I ever played and I loved it right away. I never really wanted to try any other sports because I loved it so much. I started as an outside hitter on my first travel team but have been setting since I was 13."
On playing in college as a goal
"It was a goal early on. I started thinking in about seventh grade and started my recruiting process in eighth grade. I sent a bunch of emails out my eighth-grade year and went on some visits but realized maybe it was a little early for me to be doing that."
On the turning point in the goal becoming reality
"I never knew for sure whether or not I'd be able to play in college because of how short I am for my position. I was expecting colleges to just look at my size and pass on me. When I started the process, I was a little afraid of not getting any looks. I felt a lot more hope when I got my first offer at the end of my ninth-grade year and that's when I thought I could do this."
On what she was looking for in a college
"I wanted to stay in the south. I just knew it would fit me better. I wanted an experience like I have at Alabama where everyone is supportive and loves one another. The facilities are great and I wanted to have a great support system."
On Alabama coming into the picture
"We were at a tournament in Chicago and Coach Devine was there looking at [current Alabama sophomore] Vic Schmer. We were playing them and Lindsey went up to my coach and expressed interest and asked to set up a phone call. We kept in touch and I went to a spring camp here and then after the camp there was a tournament in Dallas and they offered me right after I got home from that camp. I automatically knew when I was at Alabama that this was where I was supposed to be. It just felt different from everywhere else."
On the adjustment from high school to college
"The team has made it really easy to adjust. They made me feel like I had already been here for years. It was like they were welcoming me home from a long trip. They welcomed us all in with open arms and it was never awkward, we all just clicked."
On her value as a teammate
"I bring positivity, encouragement and I can always bring energy. I can always uplift people and be there for someone if they need to talk or need advice. I always try to work my hardest on the court and in the weight room to make myself better for the team."
On her personal and team goals for 2021
"Our team goal is to make it to the NCAA Tournament. We've talked about it as our main goal because we all believe we can do it. If we keep working hard then we can achieve that goal."
