Lada Smetanina '25 Recruiting Profile

Hi Coaches,

I was born in Los Angeles and raised in Moscow, Russia. At the age of 14 I moved back to the USA and now me and my family live in beautiful and peaceful Sun Valley, ID.

I‘m a Sophomore at Wood River High School. I have already played JV, Varsity and Sun Summit 16-1 Club 2023 teams. I’m proud to say that within my first season at JV I got an MVP award and appreciation among my High School community. Working hard, being a supportive teammate, constantly improving my skills is a part of my lifestyle and mindset.

I actually started playing volleyball back in Russia when I was 10 years old. I was lucky to experience tough but effective coaching and competitive athletic environment which enabled me to play on the court fearlessly.

I’m fond of studying. It has truly become my passion here in the USA, where I am taught to think freely and motivated to stay curious. I’d like to continue developing my “citizen of the world” mindset. My goal is to experience and represent different cultures. I’m confident Miami will give me this opportunity. Its extremely vibrant and international community is where I want to grow as an athlete and a student. I would like to specialize in biology.

I have an open mind. I’m a teamplayer and a hard worker who values challenges and opportunities and is forever grateful for them. Playing volleyball is a reflection of this mentality and through this fantastic sport I constantly grow and become better version of myself.