Sara Stribe graduated from high school as one of the top female basketball players in state history. Now, just two years later, she has changed specialties and is strictly a volleyball player. Stribe, junior in accounting, is a returning starter at the setter position for the ISU volleyball team. Stribe originally transferred to Iowa State from Drake to play basketball but instead chose to pursue an athletic career in volleyball last April. Stribe has left her basketball playing days behind and is focused on helping the Cyclones improve on last season’s 3-24 record. “My mind is with volleyball, and I love my teammates. I’m just really enjoying myself and working very hard. Hopefully we can start to win some matches and start a new era for Iowa State volleyball,” Stribe said. The role of setter is an important part of volleyball, and Stribe used a basketball analogy to explain her position’s importance. “As a setter, you’re basically kind of like the point guard in basketball,” she said. “You set up the offense and try to keep all of your hitters in line. You’re the leader on the floor as the setter and I take my role very seriously.” ISU middle blocker Stacy Nicks said Stribe offers the Cyclones a big boost to the mental attitude of the team. “I think Sara brings some excitement and fire to our team. She has a strong competitive spirit, and I think that helps us out a lot. She definitely has a desire to win, and I think she brings that to the court,” Nicks said. Nicks has gone through different setters in her Cyclone career and said she likes Stribe’s style. “I talk with her very easily about where I want the sets. She’s one of those setters where you tell them where you want it and they keep trying harder and harder to get it exactly where you want it. Others will just keep doing the same set and not care what you want,” she said. Stribe was a standout athlete in both basketball and volleyball at Carroll High School. Stribe finished her basketball career as the leading scorer in five-player state history, as well as being named Miss Iowa Basketball her senior year. She also was named first-team all-state twice in volleyball Despite her volleyball success in high school, Stribe admits that it’s been a new experience playing at the Division I level. “There’s so much to understand about volleyball – so much more than I ever thought,” she said. “I’m learning more every day, just about hitting smarter shots and more consistency with my setting.” The level of competition for ISU volleyball is unlike anything she’s experience before, Stribe said. “Playing in Division I is a whole new level,” she said. “There’s just such a big difference in, like, quickness and strength. Even the Big 12 conference is a notch above everybody else, so we have to be ready to play every game. We have quality opponents, night in and night out.” Stribe had to sit out the basketball season last year due to NCAA transfer rules but was eligible to play volleyball and found it to her liking. Although she started the season a month late and had a few kinks in her game to work out, Cyclone volleyball Head Coach Linda Grensing said Stribe is more ready for action this season. “I definitely think Sara is well ahead of where she came in last year. She’s a different player from last year, from the standpoint of she’s had a year to work technically, and she’s focused,” Grensing said. Grensing also pointed out that the decision made to focus her whole energy on one sport will pay dividends for Stribe. “For Sara, I think the difference is that she knows the direction she’s headed, and she’s focusing on volleyball. Now she’s really had the opportunity to work hard in that area,” she said. As for the season, Stribe said she knows the Cyclones will be a youthful squad, since seven freshmen recently joined. “We’re very excited, we have a young team, so we’re going to be young, athletic and scrappy,” Stribe said. “It’s going to be a big learning experience, so people need to be patient with us, but I think we’ll surprise some people.”