Abercrombie excited for sophomore season
With a year at USC and a summer in China under her belt, sophomore opposite Brittany Abercrombie is more than ready to face the fast approaching season with a newfound confidence and an elevated level of play.
As a freshman, Abercrombie appeared in 15 matches and recorded a total of 56 kills. So far this season, Abercrombie has appeared in all three matches and recorded 30 kills, the second highest on the team.
Her play this past weekend against then-No. 7 University of North Carolina, Chicago State and then-No. 11 Brigham Young University, was something that USC fans missed out on last season. Abercrombie came out of high school as one of the top 10 volleyball players in the class of 2014.
With the look of her play so far, Abercrombie is on track to become USC’s next volleyball star, completing the strong offensive attack alongside seniors opposite hitter Samantha Bricio and middle blocker Alicia Ogoms.
Abercrombie and Ogoms already have a great defensive chemistry together, racking up multiple solid blocks this past weekend.
Following her freshman year, Abercrombie was selected to play on the USA Volleyball U.S Collegiate National Team, which toured China during the month of June. She was led by Arizona State University head coach, Jason Watson, and joined by 11 other sophomores, juniors and seniors from colleges across the U.S.
While in China, Abercrombie played against professional teams comprised of 23-year-olds who played volleyball a little differently than here in the States. Along the way, she said she made new friendships and bonded over a love of volleyball with her new teammates.
“I learned so much about volleyball,” Abercrombie said. “You had to adapt quickly, and it was just fun to battle with new people.”
Looking back on her past experiences, Abercrombie feels more confident heading into her sophomore season. She’s familiar with the system here at USC and is ready to face anything that comes her way.
“You know what’s going on, and you’re not really surprised by anything,” Abercrombie said.
For the Women of Troy, Abercrombie is not the only one who is feeling more confident. The team as a whole has adopted a more confident mentality, and Abercrombie has noticed that the team’s “chemistry is all there.”
“Everyone has each other’s backs,” Abercrombie said. “We’re there to compete because we all just love the sport.”
Abercrombie said she is motivated by her internal drive, which she said is a mandatory quality when playing.
“You just learn to grind and to have it in you, to get better and compete all the time,” Abercrombie said. “That’s what drives me.”
Abercrombie said volleyball is a rewarding sport. Despite the highs and lows that arise from the game, she said the adrenaline rush makes all of the hard work worth it.
Abercrombie especially enjoys the team aspect of the game. Volleyball allows her to spend time with her best friends.
“You get to do the sport you love with the people you love,” Abercrombie shared.
A Southern California native, Abercrombie was drawn to USC from the moment she first stepped on campus. On the same trip, she also visited UCLA, but said she fell in love with USC, its traditions and volleyball’s prominence at the University.
She saw USC as more than just a school where she would play volleyball. She loved the atmosphere USC had to offer.
Looking forward to the season, Abercrombie is optimistic.
“Our culture in the practice gym is really good,” Abercrombie said. “We all are competing all the time and that translates over to the games really well.”
Trojan fans can come watch Abercrombie and the rest of the Women of Troy take on Utah State to start off the USC Classic on Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Galen Center.