Throughout the 2010-11 seasons, the Southern Conference will feature a student-athlete from around the league in a series called the SoCon Spotlight.  This will be an opportunity to see what student-athletes are doing while they are not in the classroom or competing in their sport.  The question and answer session focuses on student-athletes that serve as outstanding conference representatives through their community service efforts.

This SoCon Spotlight features Samford's Hillary Fountain, a senior from Holland, O.H. and member of the Bulldogs volleyball team.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a senior setter from Holland, Ohio. I play for Samford University's volleyball team. I have three brothers - one older and two younger. My parents both played volleyball, so I was pretty much raised playing volleyball.

What do you like best about playing for Samford?

The campus is really beautiful. I was recruited by Michelle Durban, who now works in the athletic office. She resigned as the volleyball coach my freshman year. We are very fortunate to have Derek Schroeder as our coach from my sophomore year to now. We've been really successful in the past three years, and I'm just so fortunate because I continue to grow as a volleyball player year after year.

How was the transition going from one coach to another in your first two years?

That seems to be everyone's fear as a student-athlete, coming into any university knowing you're being recruited by one coach who all of a sudden leaves. It was very scary at first but it made our whole team want success even more. We wanted to prove to our new coach that what he inherited was good for him and that we were going to help him be successful in the future as well.

How did growing up with brothers shape you into the person or athlete that you are now?

 My brothers have made me very competitive. My older brother and I competed in all sports with him. We are only two years apart, so a lot of times we played on co-ed teams. I always wanted to beat him. We'd always be in the yard shooting baskets or playing any sport we could. He made me very competitive.

You've been playing organized sports and volleyball since the age of seven. How has a volleyball team become like a second family to you, especially here at Samford?

I have been playing competitive volleyball since I was seven, and a lot of the other girls on my team have been playing competitively since that age. Volleyball is a big aspect of our whole life and it always has been. I think that motivation to make everyone happy, to play for yourself and play for your teammates is an awesome thing for Samford's team.

Not only do you support each other on the volleyball team, but you also support other teams on Samford's campus. Tell us about the program you have there at Samford.

Our SAAC has representative from each team, and those representatives get to choose a couple games for each sport that they want a big group to come to, whether it's students in the school or other student-athletes. Those are called Athletes for Athletes games. All the student-athletes sign in to these games to earn SAAC points to earn rewards. One team is named gets the Best Athletes 4 Athletes Team award at the end of the year. It's a great way to support the other teams.

Does your team do anything outside the school with the local community?

In the spring we have a lot of off time, and we go out to other schools and churches and organize clinics for girls that are interested in playing volleyball.  Sometimes we work camps after a spring practice.

Both of your parents played volleyball in college. How is it now for you to teach younger kids to play volleyball?

I grew up with my parents playing volleyball, so that was always my dream. I was in high school, and I loved working with the younger girls that would come to camps at my high school. I think that's what led me to teaching because I just loved to coach the girls.

You've earned several awards since you've been at Samford, including being on the OVC All-Newcomer team, All-SoCon, and All-Academic teams, and have been named MVP of tournaments. You're also third in Samford's record for all-time assists. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I'm very proud of all the accomplishments. My freshman year, I had never run a 5-1 or been the only setter on a team. I had always had another setter and we would rotate in and out, so I think coming in my freshman year knowing the other setter was injured from the past year and was still recovering opened a big step for me to fill those shoes and that leadership position for older girls on the team. I needed to earn their respect right away, and I was able to do that. I think that was a big accomplishment for me.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?

I plan to teach right away if I can get a job.  If not, I'd like to go to graduate school. Along with teaching, I would like to coach one day. I will probably start in middle school and work my way up. I definitely want to coach young girls' volleyball.

What has been the biggest influence on you wanting to be a teacher?

My own teachers in the past have been a big influence. I can name all of my teachers from kindergarten through high school and say something about them - good or bad. They inspire young kids every day.  Some kids don't have a figure they can look up to at home, and I want to be that person for those less fortunate kids.

When you first came to Samford, it was part of the Ohio Valley Conference and now it is part of the SoCon. Looking back at the two conferences, what's the best part about playing in the Southern Conference?

The Southern Conference has a lot of smaller and private schools just like Samford. As a freshman, the OVC was very overwhelming with the larger schools. They were just a lot different than us. In the SoCon, we get to go to a lot of beautiful campuses like ours and more private schools.