Q&A: Gray Adjusting Fast to the College Game
8/14/2025 10:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Victoria Gray was one of the fastest-rising middle blockers in this year's high school class. Head coach Steve Aird and his coaching staff made her a priority almost two years ago and she committed in October of 2023 to IU's highest-ranked recruiting class in program history.
She was a finalist for Michigan Miss Volleyball and Miss Basketball but elected to focus on the former in college. Now with her eyes set fully on volleyball, Gray has all the tools to become one of the best young players in the Big Ten. We caught up with Gray before the season starts to hear about her road to Bloomington.
Q: How have you adjusted to the college lifestyle so far?
GRAY: "It's actually everything and more. I can't explain how much different it is. I'm so glad I'm here. These girls are amazing. They're my best friends now. It was an adjustment at first but now I've met people on other teams. We feel so connected right now."
Q: What has it been like so far training with the coaches in the gym?
GRAY: "I've never trained solely on one sport. I've never really even been trained in volleyball. It was always basketball came first and then volleyball second. It was train basketball, play basketball and come to volleyball once a week. Now, being able to hone in on one sport – I'm excited for where it can take me. These coaches notice everything, even things you didn't think you'd notice."
Q: Why did you choose to play volleyball in college instead of basketball?
GRAY: "Volleyball for me was so refreshing and different. I chose volleyball because I wanted to see what I could become in volleyball. I have no idea what I can turn into. I knew what I was in basketball. I could develop the skills. But I wanted to come into the gym and learn and get better at volleyball every day."
Q: What made Indiana the right choice?
GRAY: "It was just the fact that they took such a big chance on me. Knowing that I wasn't the top recruit in the country. I wasn't the star player. They saw something in me that I didn't know I had. They wanted to train me and that's what I wanted to be. They were all in on me."
Q: How close have you gotten with this year's recruiting class?
GRAY: "When we first committed, our group chat was the '2025 Hoosiers'. We would text and then it would be dead. Then we started playing each other at tournaments. I played Avery Freeman a hundred times and had no idea she would become my teammate and roommate.
When I met Hannah [Leftridge] at a tournament, I texted Coach [Steve] Aird and told him that we were going to be best friends. We're all so similar. It's so refreshing to be with the type people that have similar personalities, similar goals and similar drive. They're recruiting people that fit their culture."
Q: What was it like growing up with three sisters?
GRAY: "Mom had to break up a lot of fights. I was a middle child and had to share a room growing up. First with my older sister and then with my younger sister. When I was a freshman in high school, my sister was a senior. She would hammer away at me in practice. Now she's come to the realization that I'm the better athlete. They were so hard on me but that made me the person I am today. I learned how to do everything possible with sisters. Now, I love being around people all the time."
Q: What have you taken away from your fellow middle blockers so far?
GRAY: "Each of them are so different. Ava [Vickers] has gone through so many things and she's so stable and energetic. She brings the positive energy and feedback. She sees stuff that you might not. [Madi] Sell is a returning starter and has been at two different programs. She knows what she's doing. She's very physical, so I learn that from her. Ella [Boersema] is still learning stuff too so she's teaching me that as well. They've helped me with stuff that I need to know. Now it's my turn to do what they're telling me to."
She was a finalist for Michigan Miss Volleyball and Miss Basketball but elected to focus on the former in college. Now with her eyes set fully on volleyball, Gray has all the tools to become one of the best young players in the Big Ten. We caught up with Gray before the season starts to hear about her road to Bloomington.
Q: How have you adjusted to the college lifestyle so far?
GRAY: "It's actually everything and more. I can't explain how much different it is. I'm so glad I'm here. These girls are amazing. They're my best friends now. It was an adjustment at first but now I've met people on other teams. We feel so connected right now."
Q: What has it been like so far training with the coaches in the gym?
GRAY: "I've never trained solely on one sport. I've never really even been trained in volleyball. It was always basketball came first and then volleyball second. It was train basketball, play basketball and come to volleyball once a week. Now, being able to hone in on one sport – I'm excited for where it can take me. These coaches notice everything, even things you didn't think you'd notice."
Q: Why did you choose to play volleyball in college instead of basketball?
GRAY: "Volleyball for me was so refreshing and different. I chose volleyball because I wanted to see what I could become in volleyball. I have no idea what I can turn into. I knew what I was in basketball. I could develop the skills. But I wanted to come into the gym and learn and get better at volleyball every day."
Q: What made Indiana the right choice?
GRAY: "It was just the fact that they took such a big chance on me. Knowing that I wasn't the top recruit in the country. I wasn't the star player. They saw something in me that I didn't know I had. They wanted to train me and that's what I wanted to be. They were all in on me."
Q: How close have you gotten with this year's recruiting class?
GRAY: "When we first committed, our group chat was the '2025 Hoosiers'. We would text and then it would be dead. Then we started playing each other at tournaments. I played Avery Freeman a hundred times and had no idea she would become my teammate and roommate.
When I met Hannah [Leftridge] at a tournament, I texted Coach [Steve] Aird and told him that we were going to be best friends. We're all so similar. It's so refreshing to be with the type people that have similar personalities, similar goals and similar drive. They're recruiting people that fit their culture."
Q: What was it like growing up with three sisters?
GRAY: "Mom had to break up a lot of fights. I was a middle child and had to share a room growing up. First with my older sister and then with my younger sister. When I was a freshman in high school, my sister was a senior. She would hammer away at me in practice. Now she's come to the realization that I'm the better athlete. They were so hard on me but that made me the person I am today. I learned how to do everything possible with sisters. Now, I love being around people all the time."
Q: What have you taken away from your fellow middle blockers so far?
GRAY: "Each of them are so different. Ava [Vickers] has gone through so many things and she's so stable and energetic. She brings the positive energy and feedback. She sees stuff that you might not. [Madi] Sell is a returning starter and has been at two different programs. She knows what she's doing. She's very physical, so I learn that from her. Ella [Boersema] is still learning stuff too so she's teaching me that as well. They've helped me with stuff that I need to know. Now it's my turn to do what they're telling me to."
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