Record-setting setter aiming for 4,000 assists

Lady Colonels’ senior setter Amy Whitehead knows the ups and downs of Nicholls State volleyball.

She was among head coach Chris Laird’s first recruits, signing in 2005. Since then, the team turned out two lackluster years before earning a berth last season in the Southland Conference Tournament.

Throughout her four-year career, Whitehead has emerged as a leader, according to her coach, snagging a starting slot the first time she stepped onto the court at Nicholls.

Against Prairie View A&M Sept. 19, Whitehead made team history, becoming the first player to tally 3,000 career assists. Dana Denton (1996-97) previously held the record – 2,273 assists.

Laird predicts that Whitehead will likely add to her total tally this season.

“Honestly, had she not battled injuries during her sophomore season she would be closer to 4,000 – if not surpassing it – by now,” he said. “She’s our team captain and has done a great job of being a leader. We are going to miss her after this season.”

As the Lady Colonels continue to fight through conference play, Laird said the 21-year-old education major will be an impact player regardless of the setting record.

SportsNet caught up with the record-setter (no pun intended) to talk volleyball and what’s ahead after graduation.

SportsNet: So Amy, what brings a San Antonio girl to Nicholls?

Amy Whitehead: I came here on a visit and I fell in love with the girls here. I had a really good time. I love Louisiana’s culture and everything about it. It is definitely a different place, but I like it a lot.

SN: How have you enjoyed holding the school’s record for assists?

AW: It’s a great accomplishment, but the credit goes to everyone around me.

SN: Surely 3,000 career assists is an achievement. Is that a singular feat or do you credit your teammates?

AW: I’ve been really lucky my whole time here. I wouldn’t have been able to (reach the record) if I didn’t have the passers and the hitters to do it.

SN: During your time in Thibodaux, have you noticed yourself becoming a better player?

AW: Most definitely. My vision is terrific; I’ve become a smarter setter. Coach Laird taught me a lot. He was a setter when he played, so it helps to have him around.

SN: What’s the biggest difference between this year’s squad and those in the past?

AW: I think this year we have a lot of depth at every position, a lot of people that can come in and be just as good if not better than the person they replaced. We’ve never had that before. We’ve always had the six starters who can play but not a very deep bench.

SN: What’s it like playing for a former volleyball player like Coach Laird?

AW: He’s a really good coach. He’s changed a lot since my freshman season. I’ve become a better player with him. I think the better we have become as a team, the easier it has been for him because he doesn’t have to try to get us motivated. We are already motivated.

SN: The team is off to a pretty good start so far this season. To what do you attribute the success?

AW: We play really smart. We’re not just playing volleyball, we’re thinking about what we are doing before we play. We have good game plans to win. We know we need to do this, this and this and not just go out there and play.

SN: Some people tend to think volleyball is easy to play. How physical is the sport?

AW: We’re not a contact sport like basketball or football or anything like that, but you have to be quick and ready for anything to happen. …You have to be ready to work.

SN: Before you graduate, what do you hope to accomplish at Nicholls?

AW: It would be nice to get 4,000 assists. That’s what I’m shooting for, but I just want to make it to the conference tournament and have a really productive senior season.

SN: When you are not playing volleyball, how do you spend your free time?

AW: I play the Wii. I watch a lot of television and do a lot of schoolwork.

Amy Whitehead made Nicholls’ history when she earned her 3,000th career assists. She’s set her sights even higher, trying to accomplish 4,000 assists before the end of her playing career. * Photo by KYLE CARRIER