Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Christiansburg’s Ela Shepherd has announced her commitment to continue her volleyball career at Radford University.
Shepherd, who is one of the top players in the state, made her intentions official this past week on social media.
“I chose Radford University because of the incredible coaches and teammates,” said Shepherd. “From the very beginning, they made me feel truly welcomed and accepted as part of their family. The culture they’ve built, and the positive, supportive environment immediately stood out to me, I knew it was exactly where I wanted to be. Seeing how much they care for one another and witnessing their strong work ethic was truly inspiring, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that.”
Following her successful time as a player for the Radford volleyball team from 2012-2016, Savanna Hammond was named the 13th head coach in Radford volleyball history in 2024.
Hammond joins the Highlanders after spending the last four seasons with Division II Bluefield State where the Big Blue earned a 53-57 record including Bluefield State’s first-ever national championship title in 2022 at the USCAA National Tournament.
At RU, Shepherd will join former Blacksburg High School volleyball player Rylee Sloss.
Earlier this month, she set a new volleyball record at Christiansburg for assists. She currently has 1,451 assists. For the season, she has 183 kills, 16 blocks, 26 aces and 797 digs. She has 729 kills for her career with 133 blocks, 201 aces and 797 digs.
“My biggest goal on the volleyball court is to show why I play, and that’s because of Jesus. He’s the reason I’m so passionate about what I do, and my ultimate purpose is to glorify him every time I step on the court.
“I also want to be a light for others, to lead, encourage, and help those around me succeed. No matter what my role is, on or off the court, I always strive to be a great teammate and represent him in everything I do,” she said.
Shepherd plans to major in Psychology, possibly incorporating the two together, psychology and athletics.