Whitney Ashcraft, the Cavaliers' 5-foot-9, senior libero from tiny Yorktown, Ind. is the heart of Virginia's volleyball team. To put it in terms average Cavalier fans can understand, she is the Matt Schaub of the team, though a much healthier version who has led her team to a school-record amount of early season success.The Cavaliers are now 16-0, as they are continually fired on by Ashcraft's motivation.
"Personally I hope to go out and be at the top of my game every time I step on the court," Ashcraft said.
Experience is another crucial aspect that has led to Virginia's spotless record, and Ashcraft brings a wealth of it to the court, as she has been clocking playing time since grade school.
"I have had of lot of experience," she said. "I've been playing since I was in the third grade, so I have a lot of court experience, which allows me to stay comfortable in pressure situations."
Her poise in the face of difficult situations on the court is undeniable. While her teammates have tension-filled grimaces painted on their faces, Ashcraft looks totally relaxed, as though she's playing a simple pickup game for nothing but pride. But behind that confident cool is an undying drive to succeed.
"Her determination and will to win puts her in an elite crowd," Virginia coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton said. "She's definitely one of the top five or six players that have come through this program."
Not only does the entire team benefit from Ashcraft's intensity and the high standards she expects of everyone, her talent plays an immensely important role.She is one of the top liberos -- defensive specialists -- in the country, averaging 5.39 digs per game going into last weekend's Davidson Tournament. The Cavaliers won that tournament with the help of Ashcraft's match-high 22 digs.
"Her ball-handling is fantastic," Shelton said. "She gets to balls she used not to be able to get to. She has definitely improved since last fall."
Also, Ashcraft has received two tournament MVPs -- one from Virginia's own Jefferson Cup Tournament and the other from the Kentucky Conference Challenge. Her play at libero has been crucial to Virginia's success.
"The libero position is very vital to the team," Shelton said. "When she takes a ball to the target we can really run our offense like we want to, and that's extremely important."
But all this talk about being the glue that holds the Cavalier squad together or being the heart of the team has not affected Ashcraft's mindset. With calm confidence, she downplays her leadership role as if it were as simple an effort as tying her shoe.
Leadership "comes natural to me," she said. "I don't focus on being a leader -- it's just a natural part of my personality."
Leadership, strong will, heart -- you name it -- are all engrained in the personality of a strong competitor like Ashcraft. Take for instance the trials she faced in high school, where her true mettle was tested.
"In high school, I tore my ACL twice, which was a big setback for me," Ashcraft said. "But, I always had a goal to be a college athlete, and I think things happen for a reason and it made me stronger as a person and a player."
Her incredible will on and off the court is inspiring. It has led Shelton to give Ashcraft probably the ultimate compliment a coach can give to a player.
"If I had the chance to select from all the players I've coached, she would be on my dream team," Shelton said.
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