July 17, 2017
Senior setter Alexa Filley enters her final season with already a plethora of accomplishments. The two-time AVCA All-South honorable mention already holds Auburn's top three season assists records (rally scoring only) and will be among the top setters in program history.
Academically, the Louisville product is pursuing a career in pharmacy, working on that goal with the Harrison School of Pharmacy. With one final go-around in an Auburn jersey ahead, Filley and the Tigers hope to make this season the best yet.
Q: Going into your senior year, do you feel any pressure to compete well?
A: There is a little pressure for me to compete at my best, just because it is my senior year and I want to go out on a high note. I think that the same pressure is on the other seniors as well, so I'm not the only one that is working hard, pushing myself and bettering myself for this upcoming season. I think that everyone is pushing themselves to the limit. I've also never been the one to think 'I'm only a freshman, so I can only do this much,' I've never really been afraid of hard work or give 110 percent effort.
Q: Is that something you attribute all your success to?
A: I think that putting in the extra work outside scheduled practice has really helped me step up my game and become a stronger competitor. I think that being able to put in 110 percent effort in anything, really, has helped me become a stronger, more focused person, both on and off the court.
Q: What are your goals for this upcoming season?
A: My personal goal is to be organized especially for school, because I am about to start pharmacy school in the fall, and that will be time consuming. I know that it's going to be really crazy so I know that if I can manage my time really well, stay focused and put in 110 percent into everything that I do, I can make it and end on a strong note.
Q: How are you planning on building off your past accomplishments?
A: I don't like to look at individual accomplishments just because volleyball is such a team sport. I like to look at it as the team is going to benefit from my success. I put the team first and focus on how we as a team can win and if the awards and accolades come after, then that's great. Overall, I just want to focus on how I can make my teammates better.
Q: Was it cool knowing that you and Courtney Crable were going to be attending the same school?
A: It was fun knowing we were going to be going play for the same college. I think that it made our relationship stronger because we knew that we could go to each other for anything. It also has made us stronger competitors because we are able to push each other on and off the court. It was nice to know someone coming in as well. She was always there when I needed someone from home to talk to.
Q: What about Auburn stuck with you when you were choosing schools?
A: I had gotten my schools narrowed down to Kentucky and Auburn but I just knew in my heart that Auburn was the place that I was supposed to go. The coaches were the type of coaches I knew I like to play for. The campus was beautiful, neat and clean. However, one of the biggest things that stood out to me about Auburn was the sense of family. I know it's a little clichÃÆ'Æ'© to say that, but that's how I felt when I chose Auburn. I was choosing family and I felt like I became family when I stepped on campus. Everyone was friendly and I knew that I wanted to branch out, try something new and create new memories here.
Q: Do you ever get homesick?
A: I don't really think that I get homesick. There are times when I do just want to go home and be with my family but that's when things around here get hectic and crazy and I want some space and room to breathe.
Q: What are some of the lessons have you learned since freshman year?
A: I've learned a lot and now that I'm a senior and stepping into that leader role I've learned that things will get hectic and crazy but a leader must see through all of it and be able to lead the team to the final destination intact. That's one of the many things that I have taken with me into my senior year. I have just seen so many good leaders come and go throughout my college career and that is one the of the main points they've left me with.
Q: Do you think it will be easy to stay task oriented with all the new faces on the team?
A: I don't think it will be too difficult just because we know that we can accommodate them into the atmosphere that we want. Right now we're working on getting into the gym and learning how everyone works together and it's been really fun. We're focusing on the freshmen and teaching them how the team operates, how hard we need to work and everything else that comes with the team expectations.
Q: What's it like to have so make new face on the team?
A: It's really fun. They bring a new energy and excitement to the team. They mesh well with the team and it just gets everyone else even more excited about season.
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