St. Ursula's Glancey loves seeking out new challenges

11/8/2018

St. Ursula's Abbey Glancey passes the ball during a match against Perrysburg. As a senior, Glancey had around 400 digs for a team that won the district championship.

THE BLADE/LORI KING
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St. Ursula volleyball’s Abbey Glancey isn’t afraid of new challenges.

In fact, that fearlessness is the reason the senior started to play volleyball in the first place.

Glancey’s early athletic years were spent training as a gymnast. But as a seventh grader at Anthony Wayne, Glancey decided to trade in her leotard for a pair of knee pads. 

“Gymnastics was just getting really tough for the level that I was at, and it was just so demanding,” Glancey said. “I just wanted something new, so I just tried volleyball and I liked it.”

But Glancey has done more than just enjoy volleyball — she’s thrived.

In her recently completed senior season, Glancey recorded around 400 digs and earned first-team All-District VII honors.

Glancey excels at the libero position because she can cover a lot of ground quickly, which helps her get to tips and in serve-receive.

WATCH: Abbey Glancey on the strongest parts of her game

She’s also worked to develop her mental toughness.

“I've definitely developed my serve-receive skills and made them more consistent because I've worked on that mental part and it's really helped me with a leadership role in my senior year,” she said. “So I would say the mental game is really important and something I've worked really hard on.”

In three varsity seasons with the Arrows, Glancey helped bring home three district titles. The Arrows have won 11 consecutive district championships. 

St. Ursula also ended the regular season in a three-way tie with Notre Dame and Clay for the Three Rivers Athletic Conference title.

“We had a younger team, so it was a little difficult adjusting,” Glancey said. “I was really proud of us this year because we were underdogs and everyone underestimated us and didn't even think we would make it out of district. So being able to win that title was definitely proving to everyone how strong we really can be.” 

Third-year coach Sydney Antonio said during the past three seasons she felt she and Glancey had the unique opportunity to grow together.

“The way that we have seen her grow and develop has just been unreal,” Antonio said. “Sometimes at practices [assistant coach Laura] Fender and I would look at each other and just be like, ‘Oh my gosh, we did it, she is just such a stud.’”

Antonio also said Glancey, one of two seniors on the team along with Jaclyn Graf, wore many different leadership hats throughout the season. 

“She's definitely changing the mindset of the program,” Antonio said. “She was that kid that, when she wasn't there, the practices weren't as disciplined as when she was there. So she had some tough roles, but she would also be that loving senior that when a sophomore was nervous or upset about something, she was there comforting them.”

Glancey doesn’t yet know where she will attend college, and isn’t sure if she will play volleyball once she gets there.

But with the rest of her senior year to look forward to, she once again is diving into a new athletic challenge — this time literally, by joining the school’s diving team. 

“I used to be a gymnast, so I figured I could be somewhat good at it,” Glancey said. “We're just going to have fun and try something new.”