Ashley Winter, a senior setter for the Chisholm Lady Longhorns volleyball team, said her senior season is passing faster than she can keep up. “We only have two more games until senior night,” Winter said. “We are still learning a lot about each other and ourselves. Our record has definitely started rocky, but that does not show what we are capable of. We have played in four tournaments in Tulsa against much bigger and more experienced teams. We may not have won all those games, but we managed to play against tough competition and it allowed us to learn a lot.”

“This year our team consists of a lot of new players that have not seen varsity games before,” she continued. “It has been a learning process for all of us and we have grown a lot together. The way we play now compared to the beginning of summer is completely different. We are a whole new team. We have great chemistry together, and I have been friends with all of the players since middle school. We all know each other well and can be friends on and off the court.”

Many seniors are forced into leadership roles on teams whether they want to be there or not. Winter said for her, it’s a role she’s embraced. “I enjoy being a senior leader on the team,” she said. “I am also the captain, so there is a lot I need to help with and communicate to the entire team. We all try to help the underclassmen out as much as we can. Whether that’s giving rides to and from practice, taking them out to eat, giving tips during practice, or helping with school, these are all things I’m doing with the rest of the team to introduce the younger players not just to the team, but to high school.” 

In her free time, Winter said she enjoys baking chocolate chip cookies for her family. She also has a bulldog named Jesse, and said she likes to hang out with her friends and family. She plans to attend OSU in the fall.