Photos by Samantha Davis. Sophomore Leah Jones runs in practice warmups in the PE Gym at SMSU on Aug. 30. Jones was last year’s NSIC Freshman of the Year. Below: Jones saves the ball during practice at SMSU Friday afternoon. She led the team last year with 327 kills.

MARSHALL — After earning plenty of individual and team accolades in her freshman season with the Southwest Minnesota State volleyball team last year, Leah Jones returns for the Mustangs with an eagerness and willpower to elevate the team to even bigger heights.

Jones, a native of Marshall, collected several awards last season to help the Mustangs to a 23-7 record and a ticket to the NCAA postseason tournament for the first time since 2018. Her play earned her the distinction of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Freshman of the Year. She made the All-NSIC First Team and was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Central Region Freshman of the Year.

The honors received all played in part to the team’s overall work ethic for Jones.

“It was pretty special,” Jones said. “But, obviously a lot of that has to do with our team. If our team wasn’t very successful, then I wouldn’t have gotten any of those awards. All credit to my team.”

Jones, an outside hitter, comes from Dan Westby’s Marshall high school volleyball team, another club accustomed to success. The Tigers won Class AAA state championships in each of Jones’ final two seasons with the team and she was named one of five finalists for the Ms. Baden Volleyball award in 2022, which recognizes Minnesota’s best senior volleyball player.

“Leah obviously comes from a very good program in high school, and she contributed right away for us last year obviously a lot on the court. But, I feel like this spring, she has been able to do more for us off the court in just trying to be a leader,” SMSU head coach Tyler Boddy said. “She’s a great kid for us because she’s a good player, she’s a really good student, super responsible. She just takes care of her business, and she plays really hard.”

When Boddy was first scouting out Jones before offering her a recruitment, it was her flexibility in different roles on the court that stood out to the coaching staff. She recorded 402 kills and 218 digs in her senior season of high school.

“She’s grown a lot as a player, as a junior and senior [in high school] … She really had transformed, or had really done a nice job of truly being a six-rotation player,” Boddy said. “She’s 6-foot-2, so everybody likes to watch how she can swing and be a threat at the net. But, her back row game has really come a long way her last two years of high school, and that was really fun for us to watch.”

Boddy also knows the Jones’ family personally, and could attest to her character off of the court before growing into the player she is now.

“Truthfully, first thing, we know her family very well, and just know what kind of people the Jones’ are,” Boddy said. “She fits right in with that, she’s brought up the right way, and she’s a quality person number one.”

Jones tallied a team-best 327 kills last season with SMSU and also totaled 253 digs, and 32 service aces. She appeared in 104 sets in 30 matches with 30 starts.

“I learned a lot,” Jones said in regard to the transition into college play. “The speed of the game was a lot faster last year, so adjusting to that, and then being able to take that now with knowing all that knowledge, and putting it into this year.”

Jones is days away from debuting her sophomore season, when SMSU travels to the West Florida Invitational on Sept. 6.

“I am super excited. Just ready to start playing again,” Jones said. “Last year was super fun, so just getting to play with a lot of the same girls again is going to be amazing.”

The Mustangs, who are ranked No. 11 in the AVCA preseason poll, are looking to start their season on a high note. They dropped their second game last year 3-1 to Spring Hill, Ala.

“Obviously we lost a little bit earlier than we wanted to last year. So just being motivated every day, coming into the gym ready to get better,” Jones said. “My teammates push me to get better. I try to push them to get better, and just doing it together as a team.”

Jones again will be expected to excel in any position this season, which Boddy knows she can accomplish.

“I think that’s [competition] just instilled in her,” Boddy said. “She has the ability to do pretty much every skill on the floor, which is important for us, because we need people who can play the whole game. That’s provided her more opportunities to get to play, because she is good at every skill. She just continues to want more.”

Jones mentioned that she has felt very welcomed into the team culture and they have created strong bonds with one another and the newcomers.

Being just one of two girls on the current roster originally from Marshall, next to freshman Kennedy Drake, Jones has grown to appreciate playing for her hometown.

“[Playing at home is] super special. I can’t wait for that first home game that we get to have where everyone gets to be here,” Jones said. “Last year, I was so supported by the community and everyone. I’m just ready to feel that again.”

Being looked at as a leader for the team as an incoming sophomore can be daunting, but Jones is taking the successes and challenges of last season as a motivation factor to continue bettering her performance both physically and mentally.

“I think for me, it should just be [having] a little bit of confidence going into this season,” Jones said in terms of goals. “But, I also don’t think I should look at it as pressure. It is a new season. I am ready to start new again.”