Liam Richards '23 Recruiting Profile

Since I was young, I grew up around volleyball. My parents had both played in college and coached at the middle school where they taught. My sister, being three years older than me, started when she was 12. When my dad would bring her to the school on weekends to work on her passing and hitting, I would occasionally go. The more I practiced with them, the more I liked it. When I was 10, I asked my parents to play volleyball, and since there was no boys team that young, my parents had to ask my sisters club director if they would let me try out for a girls team. He told them that I could try out and that was the first team I played on. When I was 13, I played with my first boys’ team.

I am strong, quick, and have a great vertical jump that sets me apart from other players. I have been told I have a strong volleyball IQ and I attribute it to starting so young. I have also been a multisport athlete and continue to be. In my first two years of high school, I played football in the fall and baseball in the spring/summer. I played club volleyball in the winter of my freshman year but that got cut short due to covid and because of covid, did not play my sophomore. This year, my junior year, I realized how much I missed the sport of volleyball and decided to play for my high school team for the first time. I was honored to be voted first-team all-conference and honorable mention all-state. This club season I was excited to be offered a spot on the top team in one of the top clubs in Wisconsin. I always want to challenge myself, learn new skills and make myself better. Playing with the top volleyball players in the state and competing in open divisions in tournaments, has really increased my love of the sport.

I am a strong student with a GPA of 3.8, consistently on the honor roll and in the National Honor Society. I take honors and AP classes whenever they are offered. I am also involved in the Student Leadership Program in my school district and was nominated and attended the Student Leadership Summit. I enjoy being a team player and also the challenge of being a leader on the court and in the classroom.

I want to attend a college or university that is both a great academic and athletic fit for me. I want to be able to excel in my course work as well as be a contributing factor for the team in whatever capacity that may be. I do like a challenge and feel like I am at my best when I am in challenging situations.