Junior year in high school can be the biggest workload of any young adult’s life – particularly for student athletes. But, for one Coppell volleyball standout, the hard work is already paying off.

Lauren Lee, who plays libero for Coppell, recently committed to a volleyball scholarship from Rice University in Houston. On the court, she is an electric player, but that is all a spectator can see.

Lee’s dedication and drive is clear by looking at the sheer number of hours she commits to volleyball each week. Collectively, she spends at least 22 hours a week in practice. Additionally, she has two high school matches a week during the four month season and club tournaments throughout the country on most weekends.

And she doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

According to U.S. News and World Report, Rice University is the 18th highest-ranked college based on academics, beating out many Ivy League schools. They accept only the most studious and committed applicants – proving that in addition to her athletic ability, Lee’s intellect is rivaled by few of her peers.

“Traveling all of the time to play national tournaments puts stress on me to best the best academic I can be,” Lee said. “But through hard work and determination it can be done”.

A libero, the position Lee plays, is a defensive specialist and often the player who plays the most amount of time on the team. They are responsible for lines and formations and, therefore, are thrust into a leadership role on the court.

Despite the vital position played by liberos, according to Lee, they rarely are offered scholarships.

“For a libero to get (a scholarship) at all is a big deal,” Lee said. “So I am truly blessed to have been given this opportunity”.

To appreciate just how good Lee is, one has to ignore the flashy scoring plays that draw fans out of their seats and focus on the details. A true acrobat on the court, Lee covers ground like few can with her dives and agile movement, providing her the ideal position to pass the ball.

The jaw-dropping kills are reliant on Lee pinpointing her passes in a small window.

If a pass or save is not placed perfectly, the ball might as well have hit the floor. This is where Lee separates herself. “Passing is such an easy and taken-for-granted skill,” Lee said. “But it’s all a game of consistency and hitting your targets”.

Texas is widely known as one of the premier hot spots for many sports. And according to AthlonSports.com, Texas is top two in producing pro athletes for the three major sports (football, basketball, and baseball); and volleyball is no exception.

Lee is adamant in saying, “in those out-of-state tournaments it was really an advantage to say you were a team from Texas because that’s where the scouts were.”

Lee is comfortable as a dominant player, though. After her eighth grade year, she was selected by coach Kyle Shaw to be on the Coppell Middle School East All-time team.

Senior Commissioner of Conference USA Alfred White, the collegiate conference that includes Rice, said it is important to be a unique and well-rounded individual to separate yourself from other players.

“[You have to] be able to show you did well in the class and on the field, demonstrate you did good things in the community as well. Extracurricular outside of sports (clubs, service hours, etc.),” White said. “Being in your community making an impact.”

Lee has done this through mission trips and being involved in a prestigious society like National Honors Society. She also takes time from her busy day to teach younger children volleyball. It’s safe to say they couldn’t find a much better person or player to learn from.

White’s stance about the most important part of the recruiting process is, “Don’t limit (scouts’) ability to judge you by just your athletic talents, be an admirable person.”

Lee is just that. To family, friends and teammates, she is an outstanding player, and an even more outstanding person, who is destined for great things.