The cliche goes something like, “Big things come in small packages.”

While 6-foot freshman Alexis Conaway is not exactly a small package, she has certainly come to Iowa State bearing outsized rewards on the court.

Conaway was recruited as a hitter out of high school, but soon after her arrival on campus it became evident to ISU coach Christy-Johnson Lynch that she had found more than just an offensive threat.

What had fallen into her lap was a middle blocker capable of solidifying a vulnerable ISU front line that had been searching to reinvigorate its defense at the net.

“If you look at [Conaway], and then you look across the net … pretty much any night, middles on the other side are taller,” Johnson-Lynch said. “It is hard to be successful in this conference as a small middle. That is hard to do. She has embraced everything we have given her.”

What makes Conaway a formidable force in the middle is her athletic ability. She glides across the floor with strides so smooth and graceful that her feet appear almost to hover above the court rather than step on it.

In juxtaposition to the smoothness and ease with Conaway moves is her devastating leaping ability.

She launches herself into the air like a rocket propelled by an explosion, the height of her bounds being matched only by how quickly she rises off the floor.

“She can just jump so incredibly high,” said junior hitter Mackenzie Bigbee. “She has done a great job to bring that blocking to our team.”

Through 22 matches this season, Conaway has contributed six solo blocks and 73 block assists, helping Iowa State’s cause of defending against the lethal attacks of hyper-athletic teams like Texas.

Conaway’s physical gifts also make her the most efficient offensive player in an ISU uniform, as she has hit at a percentage of more than .300 in a time-span that includes 319 attack attempts.

Johnson-Lynch has noticed the trends and has bent the offense more in Conaway’s direction as she has developed as a player in her inaugural year.

The strangest part about all of it for Conaway is how quickly she has been thrown into the mix. When she arrived on campus, she was not even sure she would win a starting job.

“It is all about aggression and confidence,” Conaway said. “There is a lot going on, and in the beginning, things would kind of go over my head. But every practice and every game I learn something new and become more confident.”

Conaway is humble and soft-spoken by nature and is quick to give her team credit when she is personally complimented.

Johnson-Lynch said that Conaway’s demeanor can lead to misconceptions about who she actually is and from where her confidence is derived.

“She is not loud, she does not yell, she is not real demonstrative in her competitiveness,” Johnson-Lynch explained. “But look at her history in her high school. What she did for her basketball teams over the years was incredible. She put that team on her back and won championships for them. She is a tremendous competitor.”

Conaway also claimed four state championships in the high jump as well as state titles in volleyball to match her basketball success at MOC-Floyd Valley High School.

Despite her wide array of talents, volleyball is her true passion.

“I have not missed other sports yet,” Conaway said. “The season honestly is flying by, which is great. It means I made the right decision, and I am loving it.”

Conaway added that one of the aspects she loves most is how close the team is off the court, despite how hard they compete with each other on it for playing time and in-practice bragging rights.

Conaway said she plans to savor every minute of what has been a rewarding and touching experience for her to this point.

“The greatest thing about it all is just how many people I have met and been involved with and been able to touch whether I know it or not,” Conaway said. “On the team we have all these trainers, we have coaches, we have media people and all these other people investing in us. It’s just awesome to have all these people helping me and cheering me on while playing this game that I love.”