Charlotte 49er volleyball player, Abreia Epps, is emerging as a leader on the team with some impressive performances as of late. Despite the 5-11 record, the 49ers have managed to be competitive and are improving. The redshirt sophomore, Epps, won Conference-USA Player of the Week last week after leading the 49ers with twenty-one kills in a 3-1 win over UTEP in the first conference game of the year. The twenty-one kills were a new career high for Epps who has now led Charlotte in kills in sixth of the last eight contests and has had seven straight games with double-digits in that category.
Abreia Epps. Photo by Benjamin Robson.
The Columbia, S.C. native began playing the sport in eighth grade when she was recruited in P.E. by the assistant volleyball coach at her middle school. “I just started playing and ever since then it just clicked,” said Epps. Epps played for Blythewood High School and helped lead her team to a 14-1 record and a spot in the 4A playoffs.
Epps said she was drawn to Charlotte by the coaches who recruited her and the facilities. “The campus is beautiful,” she said. “It was just a great atmosphere to be around and I loved it,” she said of her official visit with then head coach Chris Redding.
Abreia Epps readies herself for the serve. Photo by Benjamin Robson
Epps is now under the leadership of Karen Weatherington who is in her first year as the 49ers head coach. When asked about playing for coach Weatherington, Epps said she is much different than her previous coaches at Charlotte. “She is a hardcore, let’s go to work, let’s go to war kind of coach. We are definitely getting to learn her better and she is getting to learn us better.”
Epps credits her recent play to a change in her mindset before the games. Epps likes to enjoy some of her favorite artists Future and Drake before the games to get in the zone. She also takes time to go over the scouting report to get a better understanding of her opponent and lately it’s been paying dividends.
“It feels great,” Epps said of her recent C-USA POTW honor. “Just knowing that your hard work and all the work you put in in the preseason to day to day practice has paid off.” Epps is second on the team in kills behind senior, Sarah McDonald who has also played well all year for Charlotte.
“I definitely just want our team to just battle,” said Epps on moving forward this season. “A lot of teams underestimate us. We just have to get this mentality as a team.”
Abreia Epps. Photo by Benjamin Robson.
Charlotte has battled lately. They dropped their last two games but they were hard fought five set matches against Southern Miss and Rice who have each only lost once in conference play so far. C-USA is a very competitive conference and if Charlotte can fine tune a few more details they have a great chance to make a run down the stretch. Charlotte has 11 games remaining on the schedule, the first two being on the road at FIU and Florida Atlantic. Look for Epps and the 49ers to continue improving. The 49ers have only two seniors, which makes Epps one of thirteen players who will be returning next year. The future promises to be bright in Charlotte as Epps and the rest of the 49ers continue learning Weatherington’s system which has been successful at her former schools.