Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Whether she wanted it or not, Laura Gross (wearing No. 12 for the Sycamores) was destined for a leadership position on Indiana State's Volleyball team. As she wraps up her senior season Saturday at ISU Arena, she will soon be entering a true leadership laboratory, one that's just a family thing.
 
After spending two years at Parkland (Community) College, Gross chose to play for the Sycamores. It was a bold choice considering that, at the time, Indiana State did not have a head coach. Traci Dahl-Skinner had been dismissed as head coach in December 2016 and Lindsay Allman wouldn't be hired until early February of the next year, over a month after Gross had been at the school's Terre Haute campus.
 
That first spring was one of learning for everyone. Allman was learning about her new team and players, quickly learning of the potential that Gross possessed both on and off the court. It did not take long for that potential to turn to reality.
 
"Laura came in when there was no head coach and was pretty quiet her first spring here," Allman recalled. "But we just knew she was going to have a big role here. We moved her to the outside then she began taking on a bigger role both on and off the court. She has developed so much in these last two years. She has been such a joy to coach."
 
It was not hard for Allman to spot the leadership abilities that Gross possesses and it was not surprising that they resided in her.
 
"As in our past, we are dedicated to the Core Values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment to build the foundation of trust and leadership upon which our strength is based and victory is achieved," reads the United States Navy's Core Values Charter.
 
Those values are instilled into very new recruit the Navy takes in and those Naval officers and seamen live their lives by those values. And they filtered down to Gross, who comes from a long line of United States service men and women.
 
That connection, through family, is why Gross is planning on joining the Navy upon her graduation from Indiana State.
 
"Well my family has a lot of military background," explained Gross. My grandpa was in the Marines, my dad was in the Marines and my brother just got out of the Marines. I grew up around the military so that is normal for me. Originally, I didn't think I wanted to go into the military because I was playing sports and wanted to play sports in college. But my sophomore year at Parkland I wasn't fully loving volleyball and my sister was thinking about the military at that point. That is when I realized it could be in my future."
 
As Gross moved from Parkland to Indiana State and she began to think more and more about her future, pride began to seep into her thoughts. But while it can often be vilified, pride can be a good thing and can strengthen a person's resolve. That pride and resolve set Gross on a path with the United States Navy (of which, the Marine Corps is a branch).
 
"My family takes a lot of pride in their military history so it is kind of a pride thing," said Gross. "My uncle was in the Navy and he has a daughter who was in the Navy for 12 years. I thought if I was going to go into the military I would go into the Navy. When I talked with the recruiters I found out there are a lot more opportunities for women in the Navy than the Marines, but the Marines would be the other branch I would go into if I didn't go into the Navy."
 
While both are options for Gross, the Navy led down a path where she may find more opportunities for her career goals.
 
"I am thinking about aviation and Naval Aviation is very prestigious," Gross explained. "That is why I chose the Navy.
 
Not just from story time gathered around the dinner table with her family, Gross already got a small look into the military life back in August when the Sycamore Volleyball team spent a grueling three-hour team building exercise that tested their physical and mental capacities with the United States Marine Corps.
 
She may not have elected to attend a military academy (and Sycamore Volleyball fans are thankful for that) but Gross won't be a complete rookie when she begins her military service. And while her time in Terre Haute may have been short – she will graduate after her two years are complete – her impact will be long-lasting.
 
That is because Gross enters her final collegiate match fifth all-time in Sycamore history with 3.25 kills per set, tied for second all-time with Kya James (2008-10) with 3.88 digs per set and her 3.63 points per set over her career ranks seventh in school history. And she has also left an impact on the 13 Syacmore players that will return in 2019.
 
"Laura is one of those athletes whose impact doesn't end when she leaves, she will have an impact on this program after she is gone," Allman said. "She is one of those kids that will continue to surprise you and continue to do good things. That is why she is going to continue to have an impact on this program. Our younger girls have probably learned more from Laura than they realize and they won't understand that until she is gone. I also think Laura doesn't understand how big of an impact she has had on this team."
 
Fans can see Gross in her final match wearing a Sycamore uniform Saturday evening at ISU Arena as Indiana State hosts Northern Iowa. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Volleyball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.