Miss Volleyball Spotlight: Mattawan’s Wiese proud to be lone libero finalist

It can be lonely being a libero. To the casual fan, a libero is the odd player wearing a different color jersey than the rest of her team. To the knowledgeable fan, a libero is arguably the most important player on the court. While liberos don’t get the attention of hitters, it is usually a libero that will be the difference between a championship team and a contender. Mattawan senior libero Allie Wiese knows that her position doesn’t generate a lot of media attention, but that hasn’t stopped her from proving she’s one of the best players in the state. Wiese finds herself as one of 10 finalists for the 2019 Miss Volleyball award in the state of Michigan and she is the lone libero to be among the finalists. “I was pretty shocked to be named a finalist,” Wiese said. “I wasn’t expecting it at all, so I was pretty humbled to find out. I’m very grateful to be part of a list of such great players, especially being the only libero on the list. That makes it really special.” The road to being a libero started at a young age for Allie, as she followed along in her sister, Taylor’s, shoes. Taylor Wiese was the last Miss Volleyball finalist for Mattawan in 2015 and her affinity for defense was passed on to Allie. “Ever since I started playing volleyball when I was little, I just immediately was playing defense and it’s always been my favorite part of the game,” Wiese said. “It was something I watched my sister do and I just wanted to be like her.” Wiese enjoys the mental challenge that comes with the position. Reaction time and athleticism are a big part of playing libero, especially at the Division 1 level where a lot of her best opponents will be going on to play for major Division 1 college programs. “In Division 1, you really don’t have any time to second guess. You really have to be able to read and react to your opponents quickly,” Wiese said. “Improving on my ability to read hitters has been a real focus for me and has improved a lot over the years. It makes the position so much easier when you can read the tendencies of an opposing team or hitter.” Effort is also a big part of the position and that is something Wiese has never been lacking in since she joined the team as a freshman. “When you are a senior, I think you tend to play with a sense of urgency that isn’t necessarily there in other years, but Allie has always played with that,” Mattawan coach Michelle DeGroote said. “She’s really wanted to help this team do great things and has put a lot of time and effort into making sure is the best she can be for her teammates. I never have to question if she did everything she could to help us win.” Mattawan has been able to do a lot of winning with Wiese. They have claimed district championships in 2017 and 2018 and come into next week’s postseason as one of the top-ranked teams in Division 1. She amassed over 1,500 digs through her first three seasons with the Wildcats and has been the foundation for a team that has a lot of top-level talent, including senior hitters Natalie Foster (Wichita State) and Taylor Rutgers, as well as junior setter Savannah Hall. “We couldn’t do what we do without her,” DeGroote said of Wiese. “She’s the backbone of our team. Not only is she a vocal leader on the team with a high volleyball IQ, she also gives all-out effort every time she is on the court. All of her teammates can follow her lead vocally and physically.” While the libero position may get overlooked by others, Wiese says she just appreciates the support she gets from her team after helping them make a big point. “It’s not too frustrating for me because I take a lot of joy in knowing that my play allows our great hitters to be able to do what they do so well,” Wiese said. “I understand that hitters are usually the first to be noticed and we have some great hitters (at Mattawan). It’s always nice to be recognized for your play, but my teammates definitely make me feel appreciated every day.” Following her time with Mattawan, Wiese will go on to play at Hillsdale College. But first, she and the Wildcats hope to navigate through a district they will host next week. They begin with a postseason rival in Portage Central on Monday. “We are a confident team that has a lot of high expectations for ourselves, but we really know the importance of not looking ahead,” Wiese said. “The postseason is when everyone is at their best and you can’t overlook any opponents. We just have to focus on that first match and go from there.”