Set after set would result in a Cavalier kill. Various outside hitters would thunderously slam the ball into opposition territory. But before the kill, a strong play was almost always attributed to the set-up, always done by one player — senior setter Ashley Le.
Over her four seasons at Virginia, Le registered 2,263 assists — which ranks seventh in program history. She was a crucial catalyst for the Cavaliers’ rebuild, and energized Memorial Gymnasium every time she took the court.
As a setter, Le’s job is to make sure that she is always keeping her attention on two areas — tracking down where the ball is coming from after her teammate tries to return a tough attack or serve and turning it into the perfect set to the attacker for a strong strike.
Being responsible for these roles has made Le the glue for the Virginia volleyball team. Often, a tough return would result in Le sprinting across the court to connect with the ball. She would then sail it over to a hitter waiting for the perfect moment to attack.
Without her precise passes, the Cavaliers would not have achieved nearly the same amount of victories that they achieved during her time at Virginia. This is especially true this season, in which the Cavaliers went 21-11 and broke program records. Coach Shannon Wells and company made significant strides in their rebuild thanks to Le’s efforts. It didn’t just happen overnight though.
Le originally became a Cavalier in 2021 — as a freshman recruit from Plano, Tex. that had graduated high school with thousands of assists, digs and various other honors already tucked under her belt.
Before Le arrived, the program was in tatters. Virginia had earned double digit wins in a season just once since 2016. But before the 2021 season, Wells was hired — and in her opening campaign, Le began to shine.
Many regarded 2021 as a Year Zero for the program with an entirely new coaching staff, but progress was still shown. Le started in all 28 of Virginia’s fall matches as a freshman. With Wells’s coaching and Le’s impeccable assisting skills, the team had their best start to the season since 2015. Le also proved that the Cavaliers made a smart decision signing her, as she led the team in assists and was third in digs.
Unfortunately, 2022 was a disaster. Virginia went 8-20, including an abominable 1-17 in ACC play. But even so, Le did not give up. She continued to progress as the leader of the program, something which ultimately led to a significant improvement in 2023.
In that 2023 season, for the first time in program history, the Cavaliers hosted the Commonwealth Clash against Virginia Tech in John Paul Jones Arena — instead of the usual home at Memorial Gymnasium Oct. 29, 2023. A record crowd of 3,162 spectators attended and watched as Le and her teammates clawed their way back from a 0-2 set deficit to defeat the Hokies.
On the heels of an electric victory, Le fully stepped into the role as a leader on and off the court in her junior year. She achieved a then-career high of 46 assists that season and was also recognized for being a part of the Cavalier Classic All-Tournament Team and the Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll.
There was just one small achievement lacking in Le’s, and Virginia’s, season — an invitation to compete in a national postseason tournament. The Cavaliers had not advanced to the postseason since 1999.
Walking into Le’s senior season this fall, it was evident that reaching the postseason was a goal Le and the other seniors wanted to achieve before they walked the Lawn at graduation. Virginia hit the ground running — defeating opponent after opponent to start the season 13-2, a mark that had not been reached since the early 2000s. The Cavaliers returned to John Paul Jones Arena once again Oct. 6 and took down Miami in three straight sets, just a few days after defeating then-ranked Florida State to cap off an electric weekend.
Le broke records of her own during this time as well — achieving a career-high of 51 assists in just one game against Middle Tennessee State Sept. 18 to contribute to Virginia’s five-set win.
The most exciting moment of the season, though, was at the dawn of a frustrating moment. After narrowly missing out on the NCAA Tournament, Le’s Cavaliers were invited to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship and received the honor of hosting two matches in the early rounds of the tournament. For the first time in 25 years, Le and her fellow seniors led Virginia back to the postseason.
With that extra time on the team, Le moved up to seventh in assists across program history. While nothing has been announced yet of Le’s intentions to play professionally after graduation, spectators of Virginia volleyball will likely hold their breath to see if they will continue to receive the enjoyment of watching Le on their screen.
In the meantime, though, Le deserves a standing ovation for leading the regenesis of Virginia volleyball. The future of this program is incredibly bright because of the improvement spearheaded by one of the greatest Cavaliers to ever call Memorial Gymnasium home.
Read More
Virginia adds six promising players in second week of the transfer period
By Peter Kriebel | 4 days agoVirginia has reinforced several positions throughout its roster, and more additions may be on the way.
Reflecting on a year of incredible achievement by women’s sports at Virginia
By Eleanor Buchanan , Caroline Wulff and Cierra Lyles | 5 days agoThree Cavalier Daily staff writers share their thoughts on 2024 highlights.
Late run pushes men’s basketball past American
By Thomas Baxter | 6 days agoVirginia squeezed out a win to end non-conference play.
