Becoming a Hawkeye a dream come true for Adrenaline Volleyball’s Tubbs
When Grace Tubbs was just an 8th grader, older sister Elle played club with former University of Nebraska player Michaela Foecke. Seeing Foecke and Elle dominate on the court was something she'll never forget, and something that inspired her to work hard so she could excel in a sport that she loved. When Grace became a freshman, she finally got the chance to play with the sister she had for so long watched and idolized on the court.
“My favorite memories from volleyball are the ones with my sister. My freshmen year, my first game on varsity I had a block and turning around to Elle cheering for me and being a teammate was amazing,” states Tubbs.
The years of watching Elle and working hard to improve her skills have paid dividends for Grace. Grace was named a 2nd Team All-State player this season after leading Clinton High School with 360 kills, 72 blocks and 15 aces. She plays club volleyball with Adrenaline Volleyball Academy, and credits her teammates for contributing to her love for the game.
“I've met my best friends through club volleyball and I'm forever grateful for my AVA teammates, they mean the world to me.”
This fall Grace signed her letter of Intent to play volleyball for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
“My dream as a kid was to go to Iowa. I grew up going to the games and being a Hawkeye fan. My parents both went to Iowa so its a special place for our family. I chose to go to Iowa because at the time I wanted to go into the medical field and Iowa has an amazing program. I'm not sure what I want to do anymore but I'm in love with Iowa City. I know where I'm going to live and I know campus pretty well and I can't wait to live there. I love where the Iowa volleyball program is headed and what the coaching staff has been doing. I can't wait to be apart of the team and get to be teammates with the girls I've known for years now.”
Iowa is a member of arguably the toughest volleyball conference in the country, The Big 10, and has been climbing the ranks in the conference the past few years under 5th year head coach Bond Shymansky.
“I can't wait to wear black and gold. The big 10 is one of the most competitive conference so being able to play against some of the best competition in country is a blessing.”
