Hawkeye Fan Shop — A Black & Gold Store | 24 Hawkeyes to Watch 2018-19
Each Monday throughout the 2018 regular season, a student-athlete from the University of Iowa volleyball team will be featured in a Q&A.
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Sophomore Brie Orr is in her second season as Iowa’s setter. Orr combined for 107 assists during Iowa’s opening weekend of competition against SMU, Lipscomb, and Belmont.
One year under your belt… what have you learned? How have you improved?
“I definitely gained a lot of confidence from last year going into this preseason. I feel like I can have more of a vocal leadership role on the team, so that really helps with having a lot of new people. I have the confidence to not just set the ball, but I can be a vocal leader as well.”
What are your personal goals for year two? Team goals?
“On our team we really don’t have goals. We have expectations for ourselves to stay on our mission. Our mission is True Mental Toughness, so that has four big pillars to it that we try to stick with every day. We believe that if we stick to our mission we can accomplish a lot of things like making it to the NCAA Tournament and becoming closer as a team as a result from that.”
What made you come to Iowa?
“It was close to home. It’s the Big Ten – the best volleyball conference. I connected with the girls that were here already when I was on my visits when I was younger. I knew that they had a good sense of community on the team and I really liked that.”
Who’s the funniest player on the team?
“Not Bond (Shymansky). I would say Emily Bushman. (She’s) definitely one of those like quietly funny at first. She will say a lot of things that are funny. Doesn’t have to be jokes necessarily, but she has good responses to everything.”
What’s something people wouldn’t know about you?
“I lived in Macedonia when I was growing up because my dad played basketball overseas. I’ve been to France 15 times (because of him).”
Who’s the most influential person in your life?
“My grandpa for sure. He’s a good person all around. He’s funny, but he can also be serious so I feel like I get a lot of life lessons from him.”
What are your favorite hobbies?
“Watching Vines. I go on YouTube and watch old Vines.”
What’s your favorite movie?
“I love all Disney movies because they’re like feel good. They can be sad, but funny. Big Fish is probably my all-time favorite. Coco that was a recent one. I loved that one. It made me cry a little bit. My (Disney) all-time favorite would have to be The Little Mermaid.”
