Ashland University senior libero Abbey Queen has been beating the odds since an early age.
 
Now, as she prepares for her final volleyball season as an Eagle, Queen wants one more shot at a Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship, a spot in the NCAA Division II postseason, and another place in the AU volleyball record book.
 
Queen and the Eagles will open the 2026 campaign with three matches at the Findlay Classic on Friday and Saturday (Aug. 28-29) – and will seek to rebound from a 2025 slate in which she missed time due to injury, and an 11-4 beginning turned in a final record of 13-14.
 
"It has been amazing. I've seen a huge impact in the gym," Queen said. "Energy-wise, competitiveness. No matter what side of the court you're on, you are working your butt off.
 
"We have big goals, and we are more than capable of accomplishing them."
 
Queen has made an early impression on first-year Eagle volleyball head coach Alicia Wood.
 
"She is an extremely hard worker, someone who we never have to get on about leading by example in any way," Wood said, "whether it's in the gym or culture or being a vocal leader in the gym. She's just a kid that coaches love to have, what we ideally look for in a player.
 
"She's gritty, she's aggressive in the right ways, and just a very sweet person. Very grounded, and just has been a phenomenal leader for our senior class."
 
After starting her collegiate career as a freshman at Wheeling coming out of Olentangy Liberty High School near Columbus, Ohio, Queen got off to a fast start as an Eagle in 2024, setting a new program record for digs in a season with 624. Two of the top three single-match dig marks in program history also are hers, along with two first-team All-Great Midwest selections.

With 1,067 digs in just two seasons, Queen needs less than 300 more to crack the top five in Ashland volleyball annals (Jennifer Bartlett, 1996-99, 1,355 digs).
 
"I was talking to a couple schools in Florida, but it was just too far from home," Queen recalled about her original recruiting experience. "I was talking to the coaches previously when they were at their old school. I had that contact. And when I entered the portal, I saw that they jumped to here, and I was like, 'I might as well give it a shot.' And it's worked out perfectly. The coaches had a lot of faith in me. I came here, was given an opportunity.
 
"We are so ready to show the new Ashland volleyball. We have been working…everything, we are ready."
 
In her first two years at Ashland, Queen is a two-time College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District choice, and sports a cumulative grade-point average of 3.79 through the spring 2026 semester – despite having been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in third grade.
 
"I wasn't expected to go to college, just because I was so far behind," she recalled. "It's been challenging, but my parents are a huge support system. And, honestly, the academics here, with the disability services, they have helped me tremendously with keeping up on school work, getting accommodations I need.
 
"It's been a challenge, but it's made me tougher as a person, knowing that God made me uniquely. And it's something I can show younger kids that it doesn't define you, and you can take it as a challenge and become successful."
 
Balancing both parts of being a student-athlete is challenging in and of itself, but Queen said of adding ADHD on top of that, "It's been very challenging, just having to study a little extra harder than other people, taking more time on tests. It just takes a lot of time. But, luckily, we are able to study on the road, we get time in the hotels.
 
"It's just something that I have to work around, which is just what it is."
 
Queen said her faith in God has been a driver in her life, her success on the court, and her success in the classroom.
 
"I lean on Him all the time," she said. "I know that I am not perfect. No one is. When I just put my whole heart into believing that whatever plan He has set for me...I just need to trust in Him.
 
"And He's given me the gift of volleyball, so I can make an impact on someone. And becoming an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) leader, and being able to help plant the seed, has honestly been a blessing, because I get to grow my faith with other believers, while also helping to disciple my teammates. I think that's also helped with the relationship of the team, knowing that we can't just rely on ourselves. We have to rely on God, because He has all the power in the world to help you."