By Caroline Domecq
LSU Sports Information
Beth Cowley has more to be proud of beyond being a setter on the LSU volleyball team. On top of practicing and traveling throughout the season, the two-time member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll is working to earn a master’s degree in business administration after completing her undergraduate studies in marketing in August after only three years.
“I had no idea what to expect academic-wise at LSU, especially getting an MBA. But it didn’t seem that hard for me to graduate in three years with my undergraduate degree, and I figured I could handle graduate school,” Cowley admitted.
Volleyball coach Fran Flory knows this is not an accomplishment to take lightly.
“I don’t think that many people have ever done that,” Flory said. “Only a few other student-athletes at LSU may have ever had the opportunity to do that. She is just an outstanding student and it’s a tribute to all of her hard work and her work ethic that she didn’t just take the easy way out and take 12 hours in the fall. She carried a full course load and sometimes more than that and still maintained a high GPA.
“She’s just an impressive person and I think she exudes that. And that’s why she’s really popular in the department and really popular in the MBA program. She’s somebody who people know when they look at will be successful.”
While it may seem that volleyball would make this task more difficult, according to Cowley, it has actually helped her with her time-management skills.
“It’s pretty tough because it’s a big-time commitment,” she said. “But playing volleyball has taught me to manage my time. I actually think that when volleyball is over and I’ll still have a year and a half left of school that I’ll start stressing because I have way too much time on my hands. But for the most part, even though it is stressful, it is good in helping me learn how to manage my time effectively.”
Not only has she been able to manage her time in both of these areas, but she has also excelled in them throughout her life.
In high school, Cowley started as the setter for Assumption High School in Louisville, Ky., leading her team to the 2000 National Championship and three Kentucky State Championships. Her senior year she was a first-team All-State selection and was named AAU National Tournament MVP in 2000. This was all on top of academic excellence, as she also received the Assumption Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award in 2000.
She could have stayed in Kentucky and played for an in-state college as most of her friends chose to do, but Cowley wanted a new scene when it came time to choose a school to attend.
“All of my friends from Louisville either went to University of Louisville, University of Kentucky or another school in the area, and I was just ready for a change. When I came on my visit to LSU, I loved the team, I loved the coaches, the campus, the weather; I liked everything about it, and it seemed like a good fit for me.”
Flory knew Cowley would be a good fit for LSU in the recruiting process as well.
“We liked a lot of things about her, but probably the first thing we liked was that Beth is a true leader,” Flory said. “She’s a fighter; she’s a feisty kid; she’s somebody who holds herself to a really high standard on the court and off the court as well. She’s the whole package. We knew that she would show great character and great balance.”
Earning as much success as she did in high school and being such a key element of her team on the court, the transition to LSU was a big adjustment for Cowley. She went from being a three-year starter on a championship team to a back-up player on a team that, despite advancing to three SEC Tournament appearances, has yet to make the NCAA Tournament.
“One of the hardest things I’ve had to deal with in the past four years was coming from a high school program where our team did not lose–we were national champions. I was good and we had a really good team. I think coming in as a freshman I had higher expectations for myself. And we haven’t had a stellar season since I’ve been here, so that’s a huge adjustment. First of all, not playing and being a big part on the court was difficult, and then not winning all the time was as well.”
After being a back up her freshman and sophomore years, Cowley was in place to be the team’s starting setter her junior season. However, in the spring before the season, she injured her wrist and had to have surgery.
“I was all excited because our setter had graduated and I had planned on being the setter my junior year,” Cowley explained, “but I hurt my wrist and had surgery in the summer hoping that I’d be back, but I wasn’t sure. I rehabbed really hard and tried to start playing, but it ended up being too soon.”
This put Cowley back on the bench, something she hoped to avoid in her final two years. But as a senior, she said she has learned to make the best of her situations and opportunities and found a new role on the team.
“I was so ready to come out and be the leader on the court, but after a while I began to accept the fact that I’d have to lead in another area, in my attitude off the court when I wasn’t playing,” she said. “For the most part I see myself as a motivator and enthusiast. I consider myself the glue, trying to keep everyone together. Whether I’m playing or not doesn’t really matter to me anymore. I just want our team to be the best it can be and contribute in whatever ways I can contribute.”
Cowley got the opportunity to contribute on the court this year, as she replaced an injured Daniela Romero and started in the Oct. 24 match against Kentucky. And she contributed in a big way, posting a career best performance.
In front of a crowd of 984, the ninth largest in LSU volleyball history, Cowley led the Tigers to a 3-1 victory over Kentucky in a key Southeastern Conference contest.
In the match, Cowley recorded 65 assists, two shy of a top-10 performance in school history. It was also the most in a four-game match by LSU this season and only the Tigers’ second 60-plus assist match this year.
Cowley said she saw that match as a chance to prove herself on the court.
“I think I recognized it as an opportunity to show that I can still be a starting setter and I’ll do whatever I can to help the team,” she explained. “I was nervous because it had been so long since I had run an offense, but I knew I had nothing to lose. So I took that attitude and went out there and ended up playing really well.”
After the match, Flory praised Cowley as the reason the LSU was able to compete so well and defeat Kentucky.
“Beth hasn’t set a match in a long time,” Flory said, “and she just said ‘Fran I got it’ and she did a great job. We helped her a little bit, but it was her on the court and I think she made the difference in the match. She made the right choices and she created the right opportunities. Our entire team responded to that. They respect her and they want her on the court.”
But whether it is on the court or off, Cowley just hopes she can help the team in whatever way possible to close out her volleyball career successfully and get on the right track for next year.
“In the past we have struggled in the middle of the season,” she said, “and our goal is to get our mindset right from here on out because we need to win for the rest of the season to get into the SEC Tournament and to end on a good note. Plus, there are only three seniors leaving, so the team needs to pull together and have a good starting point for next year. It’s amazing how good our team is and how good everybody on the team is, it’s just a matter of pulling it all together.”
Flory recognizes Cowley’s dedication to team achievement as well.
“I think the best thing about Beth Cowley is that she will do anything that anybody asks her to do,” Flory said. “She is a true player and someone who really has gotten lost in the shuffle at times, mostly because of her injuries which is unfortunate, but she has overcome a tremendous amount. And when you have those experiences, good things happen for you in the end.”
Cowley understands how lucky she is and appreciates all she has been able to accomplish at LSU — athletically, academically and in every other aspect of her life as well. But as much as she has enjoyed her time in Baton Rouge, upon completion of her master’s degree next May she plans to move back to her home in Louisville to find a job. Eventually, her ultimate goal, once she earns enough money, is to open her own spa and salon in her hometown.
Whatever successes she earns after this year, Cowley will always look back on her volleyball career and remember all of the lessons it taught her in life.
“I’ll always remember the life lessons playing volleyball has taught me,” she said. “I have struggled with homesickness, school, stress, relationships–everything, and volleyball has been the one constant thing in my life. I think I’ve learned how to put things in perspective and know what really matters in life and what doesn’t. I think overall it has just made me a stronger person. I’ve gotten to meet a lot of cool people and travel to a lot of cool places, and I’m very thankful to have had that opportunity.”