Purdue University Athletics Department / Courtesy Photo)
Colorado's finest
New outside hitter Alexa Smith was ranked the No. 7 player nationally during her senior year at Lewis-Palmer High School by PrepVolleyball.com. Some of the honors she collected during a wildly successful prep career:
2014-15 national Player of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association
2014 Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year
2014 national Player of the Year by MaxPreps
2014 first team AVCA/Under Armour All-American
2013, 2014 Class 4A state champion
Alexa Smith was not unlike any number of pending high school graduates eager to spread their wings and explore the vast world beyond their hometowns.