“Is it actually me?”
Those were the words LSU volleyball junior libero Ella Hemmings said when she opened a letter during practice that contained a huge secret: she was being put on scholarship.
When Hemmings showed up to practice on Sept. 2, she was confused as to why she was mic’d up. She was told it was for film and the team was receiving letters, which she said she thought were probably from alumni.
When Hemmings opened her letter, the words on the paper read, “Congratulations Ella, you’re on scholarship.” She didn’t piece two and two together at first, thinking all of her teammates’ letters had said the same thing.
One of her teammates called out from a distance, “One of your teammates is being put on scholarship,” and Hemmings was brought to immediate tears.
That’s when Hemmings looked at her coaches in disbelief, asking if it was actually her being placed on scholarship — to which they answered yes.
“My stomach just kind of dropped,” Hemmings said. “It was one of those moments where it’s like, ‘Huh? Really?’”
Hemmings committed to LSU as a walk-on out of high school after touring the university. She immediately fell in love with the program and Baton Rouge, leaving her visit sobbing because of how amazing she thought the place was.
“There were no questions asked,” Hemmings said. “Coming somewhere where I knew I was going to get a fresh start and where I was going to be able to build something for myself outside of just volleyball was a big reason why I came here.”
Often there are misconceptions about walk-on athletes when it comes to the process of playing at the collegiate level. Walk-on and scholarship athletes at a university do the exact same things, scholarship money is just an additional benefit.
Hemmings knew that she might not get the money she was looking for as a college student, but that was okay in her decision to play for the Tigers. LSU is a place where Hemmings knew she would get so much more out of the university and what the athletic program provided, she said.
The coaching staff and teammates surrounding Hemmings was another reason for her to love the Tigers. She said she’s been under the guidance of the best coaching staff in the country, and they truly strive to show how much they care for and value each and every player on the team on and off the court.
As for her teammates, Hemmings sees them as her sisters. They’ve been there for her since the very beginning of her time in Louisiana, and they mean everything to her.
“My teammates are my best friends,” Hemmings said. “For them to be there for that moment was especially heartwarming. The four of us that were here two years ago — Jurnee [Robinson], Angie [Lee] and AC [Froelich] — we’ve been through everything together.”
Having a huge support system around her is something that Hemmings is extremely appreciative of. To her, being a part of this program is about more than volleyball.
“Yes, we’re here for volleyball, but at the end of the day, it’s way more than that,” Hemmings said. “It’s about who you are as a person, who you are off the court, how you represent LSU and the connections that you make.”
The opportunity to receive a scholarship her junior season was a weight off of Hemmings’ shoulders. For most college students, money is an important factor, and not having to worry about it is something that students juggling academics find comfort in. To receive an athletic scholarship was a relieving feeling, she said.
The video from practice received a huge amount of national attention, to which Hemmings was a bit overwhelmed by. She had nothing more to express but gratitude.
“I’m really thankful to be a part of a program that has always and continues to show how much they value me,” Hemmings said. “They’ve done a great job of that over the past two years, scholarship or not.”
For other walk-ons like Hemmings, her story is a testimony that going somewhere where you feel appreciated and can play to your best ability, regardless of scholarship, can amount to something great. She’s thankful for the scholarship, but getting to meet some of her best friends and play in a caring program was already everything to her.
Hemmings had no idea what college volleyball was going to look like for her coming out of high school, but she reminded herself of one thing: bet on herself.
No one in Hemmings’ family had ever played at the collegiate level, and she didn’t know what to expect for her next four years. Still, she took a risk and believed in herself anyway. At the end of the day, she said she knew that every risk she took was going to turn into a lifetime memory.
“I’m probably not going to even remember any digs I had or any service passes,” Hemmings said. “I’m going to remember all the memories and how thankful and grateful I am to have taken the opportunity to come here.”
