Ellie Snook | Photo by Patric Simon
Last fall was tough for Ellie Snook, a junior business major specializing in advertising and marketing and star defender on PSU’s volleyball team.
“A lot of times I found myself struggling to get motivated for both school and volleyball, which is something I've never really struggled with before,” she says.
Snook especially missed competing. “I put off working out and playing because I knew I wasn't going to be doing it at the same level I always have,” she says.
But months later, when she was finally able to compete again, Snook came back stronger than ever. She finished the regular season ranked second in the Big Sky and 41st in the NCAA — and was named Big Sky Libero of the Year.
The volleyball program was a big factor in Snook’s decision to attend PSU. “The coaches and team made that decision very easy for me,” she says. “I really liked the environment that PSU athletics was committed to creating.”
Snook also has strong family ties to the university. Her father, Jamie, played basketball for PSU. Her cousin, Jake Porter, is a defensive end on the football team. And this year her younger sister Lily is joining her on the volleyball court.
With training for a more normal season already underway, Snook’s excited to have increased activity around campus this fall — and having fans in the stands.
“I'm looking forward to having people at our games, hopefully,” she says. “It was kinda weird playing in such a big, beautiful facility without anybody there to experience it with.”
Snook says she’s also learned several lessons over the course of the pandemic that she hopes to apply to her junior year. “A big one was not to take anything for granted,” she says. “Being forced to stay home made me appreciate learning in the classroom.”
Watching her professors adapt to remote teaching also made her realize how dedicated they were to helping students succeed. “They are always adjusting to everything just as much as us,” she says. “Utilizing them as a resource is something before last year I never really did, but I definitely think it's something that I will do more of in the upcoming school year.”