[00:00:14] Speaker A: Hello. Welcome to the Roundhouse Podcast with Paul Sullentrop of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. Thank you very much for listening. Our guest today is former Shocker Morgan Stout. Morgan is playing professional volleyball. She is with the Omaha Supernovas of Major League Volleyball. Morgan played for the Vegas Thrill last season. The MLV is an eight team league. They have plans to expand by two teams. I think I read it was formerly known as the Pro Volleyball Federation and then those two entities merged and now they're moving ahead as mlv. Their season begins in January. If you're looking through the rosters, you may also run across former Shocker Natalie Foster. She plays for Orlando.
Morgan played for wichita State from 2021 to 2024. She earned all American Athletic Conference and All Region honors as a senior while helping the Shockers do the NCAA Tournament. She is from Fowler, Kansas and played at Nickerson High School. The Thrill picked her with the 25th overall selection to start her professional career last November. She finished second on the team and seventh in the league with a.3 11 hitting percentage. Okay, Morgan, let's start with updating people on professional volleyball. For those who aren't familiar with it, describe your season with Vegas and how that league works.
[00:01:30] Speaker B: Yeah, so I got drafted on November 25 or 20. Yeah, 25th of 2024. And it kind of. It was streamed on YouTube, which is kind of different just because the league is like new. You know, there's still trying to figure out, like, different, like streaming services.
But I did get. I did get a streaming service on YouTube and I watched the draft, but I did not expect to get drafted, honestly. I mean, I, like, worked really, really hard, but I need to give myself more credit.
But I ended up being the 25th overall pick.
And I just remember sitting there in my living room and I was like, oh, my gosh, no way. They just said my name.
So. And then the announcers, they.
They call the people that aren't very like.
What's the word? Like, that don't have a lot of notoriety to their name. They call them like sleepers. And so they referred to me as a sleeper.
And I kind of took that to heart and took it very personally. And I was like, well, I did accomplish a lot at Wichita State and I'm gonna do even more in my rookie season.
And I think I did.
But whenever I got to Vegas, it was very like, I've always been like, close to home and about like an hour away from home. And so having to pick up all my stuff and pack it somewhere and take Nothing but like, a suitcase with me to somewhere that's 17 hours away from Kansas is kind of extreme for me. But it kind of gets, like. When you're following your dreams, it sometimes gets a little lonely because you're like, I made it up here. But, like, all my support system, I kind of, in a way, left them behind.
And it did get kind of, like, kind of lonely while I was out there.
But I had to constantly remind myself, like, I'm here for a reason, and it is to do well in volleyball and excel in my career.
And so having to maintain that focus and that drive while kind of being by yourself is, you know, it's a game changer. Like, you're like, okay, now I have to, like, really lock in.
And so whenever I got drafted, they had five new people on our team, and they only fit, like, 14 on a roster.
So I think there was about 25 people that were, like, trying out to be on the roster.
They had to cut it down to, like, 14. So they made two cuts, and it was.
One of them was, I don't know, like, a couple weeks in. The next one was, like, a day or two before, like, we went back for Christmas break. So I just remember sitting there having, like, so much anxiety, like, hoping I made the team, but I again had to remind myself, like, I'm here for a reason. Volleyball means so much to me, but it's a constant battle of having to prove yourself. But not only, like, for a position, it's like you're kind of battling in your head, like, positive self talk, having to have that discipline to, like, keep going when things are not going well for you.
Because in pro, everyone's just as good as you, if not better. So you have to have, like, that positive mindset, positive feedback to yourself.
But, yeah, I talked to, like, some of my other teammates and about that, and they were like, yeah, it's just, you know, it's. It's against yourself all the time. Like, you have to know how to, like, regulate those things.
And.
But, yeah, it was a game changer. I honestly had so much fun while I was out there.
I. It opened up a whole different perspective on how I look at volleyball.
So being able to, like, grow and look at volleyball at a whole different perspective is, like, amazing. And having to be around, like.
Or getting to be around people like Willow Johnson, who. Her dad, Randy Johnson, was like, a famous MLB pitcher, one of the greatest. So just like, having great role models that are there with you every single day, helping mold you into a great athlete, Having people like that by your side who push to have you better is a great opportunity in itself every single day. So, um.
But yeah, we played. We played each team like four times, and then they picked the top four people or teams to play in the championship. And then the championship team, whoever wins it, they win a million dollars.
[00:06:17] Speaker A: So very good.
[00:06:18] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:06:19] Speaker A: So the draft would have been going on as Wichita State was in post season play.
Were they in communication with you? Did you know the Thrill was interested? How does that part of it work?
[00:06:28] Speaker B: I had no idea.
I had talked to SM and I was like, I would love to play in the US And Dave Rubio had some contacts with people, but nobody really reached out to me. I had Bird from Omaha. She was their head coach at the time. She had texted me.
That didn't really go anywhere. So I was like, I probably won't make a team, to be honest.
But like, some teams, they. I think they were able to talk to players after a certain date. I'm not sure quote me on that. But I knew that some players kind of knew where they were going to go, but I had no idea.
[00:07:05] Speaker A: So let me go back and refresh people on a couple names. You mentioned. Smash, which is Ashley Holton, one of the Shocker assistant coaches. And then Dave Rubio, former head coach at University of Arizona, and is Chris Lamb's buddy and volleyball mentor. So those would have been. Those are the two names that you mentioned.
So, okay, you move away for the first time. Who are you leaning on?
How are you navigating through all that? A little bit of homesickness or loneliness or just all of a sudden I'm out here and things are totally different than all my athletic life.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: Yeah, I had to bond with, like, the rookies because they kind of understood the same thing. Like they were going through the same thing in a way.
So Charity Looper, she played for Louisville, great outside hitter.
She traveled.
Cameron Hannah, she played at Penn State, national champion there. I think she was like outside Oppo there.
And those two traveled quite a bit to get to Vegas. Lauren Jardine, she was my roommate for a little bit.
She traveled about five hours. So it's not like 17, but it's still quite a ways away.
So I leaned on her quite a bit. Her and I were really close then.
And then I want to say, yeah, Mary Schroal, she played at Arizona State University.
It's not like Arizona is not too far away from Vegas, but it's still, you know, it's still quite a ways. So all the rookies kind of like, had to pick up on the same note as me and pick up all their things and move away. So having other people around me that are kind of, you know, understanding the same situation as me or kind of going through the same thing is really nice to have.
Like, it's a good support system to have to talk to.
[00:08:47] Speaker A: So did you go to a show at the Sphere? Did you improve your blackjack skills? Did you find a great all you can eat buffet? What was it like living in Vegas?
[00:08:57] Speaker B: I went to Korean barbecue. That was really good.
You pay, like, $99 to get whatever however many dishes you want.
And I was super full when I left. And then I did not get to go to the Sphere. I wanted to post. Malone was out there. He was doing a concert there. And I can't rem what I had going on, but I couldn't go to that.
But I did go to Fairmount Street. Is it Fairmount or Fremont? Fremont, yeah.
[00:09:25] Speaker A: The old Vegas kind of casinos.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: Yeah. So I went to Fremont street, and they had, like, the zip lines that travel, and one of them was, like, 11 stories high. And I was like, I'm just gonna do it. And I went on a zipline. And I have an extreme fear of heights.
So that was really cool because kind of got over my fear there.
But, yeah, I went there. And then Vegas has some, like, really good food places.
And also, like, when I was getting breakfast, they have, like, Einstein Bros. And Panera. I swear, the Panera and the Einstein Bros taste so much better. Like, I don't know what it is, but I went to Panera here in Wichita and went to Panera in Vegas, and it tasted so much better. I don't know, but I think the food's really good. Food's really good. Atmosphere is great. It's a great place to live at, too. Like Henderson, that area, because it's, like, 12 minutes from the strip. And I think that was, like, a nice, like, suburb to live in.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: So there would certainly be a lot of. A lot of food and entertainment options in. In Las Vegas. What's the biggest difference between pro and college volleyball? On the. On the court.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: On the court. It's.
It's definitely different because, you know, you're there to, you know, play with these people and, like, intricately connect and make relationships with them, but you're also there to, like, do good, you know, because your salary is kind of based on how good you are, obviously.
So it's like, there's no excuses. You know, you have to take full responsibility for, like, everything.
And that was something truly eye opening for me, because. Not that I never did, but it's like, okay, so I don't want to get moved down. I don't want to get traded. I don't want to get cut, so I have to do well.
But, yeah, that was something that was kind of eye opening for me because it's like, you're not, you know, like, I've always been raised on, like, you're more than just a number, you know, because you are. You're human. But it's like your salary kind of depends on, like, how well you perform.
So in a way, it's like, you kind of have to find a balance between, like, that and numbers and stuff like that. So that's something that was kind of eye opening.
Sorry about that.
And then everyone is, like, really good around you, like, just as good as you, if not better than you. So as an athlete, like, playing in practice or playing on the court with my teammates, it's like you're scouting the other team, but they're also scouting you, and they're really good at their jobs. So it kind of molds you to be a player, a different player every day. Because your team scouts you in practice every day, they know your tendencies. So it's like, I have to know that I have to play differently some days, if that makes sense. So, like, everyone around you is pretty good at, like, blocking, coverage, hitting, digging, setting. Like, they can do it all. So having to play around people that just intricately connect and they're very good at their jobs, it kind of makes it easier, but it also makes it harder because you have to, like, do different shots and stuff like that.
[00:12:39] Speaker A: Who was the teammate that was the best role model that you picked up the most helpful tips from?
[00:12:44] Speaker B: On the volleyball court, I want to say our setters, Alicia Glass Childress and then Carlie Graham, she played at Rice, so she was a really good setter at Rice. And then Alicia played at Penn State.
But I think their knowledge is great.
Alicia is an olympian. She's also 37, has three kids, so she's very, in my opinion, very emotionally mature.
So having to get to lean on someone like that for, like, feedback or, like, advice or help, especially after practice. Like, Alicia always stayed after practice to, like, help us work on connecting with, like, the gaps or, like, the middle or the flies or stuff like that.
And then Carly Graham is such a hard worker. Like, Alicia was kind of her mentor, and she. Alicia gave Carly a lot of feedback. So now Alicia is a San Diego coach, San Diego, Mojo. And then Carly is actually playing for San Diego, I believe. So now it's like, it's. It's great to have like, great role models like that on the court that give you a better, like, vision and perspective on different things. So.
[00:13:55] Speaker A: So you signed with Omaha as a free agent in August. Why choose Omaha?
[00:14:01] Speaker B: I wanted to be closer to home.
And then two, they're just. I want to be surrounded by the best people and I believe that being surrounded by the best people only makes you better.
So John Cook, he's the manager and co owner, I think of the team.
[00:14:21] Speaker A: The former Nebraska coach.
[00:14:23] Speaker B: Yeah, former Nebraska coach has like five national championships. Like, I want to, you know, I want to be a part of a team that knows that winning is a number one priority and winning national championships is the number one priority. That's the team I want to play for. So getting to play with like Merritt, Beeson, Brooke Nunaviller, Morgan, hence as an Olympian or was on the USA team.
What's her name?
There's someone else I should have.
[00:14:52] Speaker A: Spin it out the roster for you.
[00:14:53] Speaker B: It's okay. There's really good athletes that are on that team and they all have a winning mindset and they all want to be the best and that's who I want to play with. So.
Yeah.
[00:15:04] Speaker A: So your season ended back in May. How do you prepare through the summer and the fall to get ready for January?
[00:15:11] Speaker B: Yeah, so when I was. After our season in Vegas ended, I lived with Lauren Jardine for a little bit for like a couple months. And we played like some grass and beach volleyball in Utah. That was really fun.
Went to like some co ed tournaments, did really, really well there. So had some, like, you know, have to find training somewhere.
And then I've been practicing a couple days a week with Wichita State and then also just getting to see the girls too. Like, I miss them. So just being around them in the gym is have. It's been so much fun. And then, yeah, now I'm getting to go up there early, like, move in early, get some training early before training camp starts. So as a pro athlete, you're kind of moving around a lot, but you have to find ways and resources to get yourself in the gym and get some training, you know, so. And that's just a mindset to have, like, while in college too, like, or even in high school, like, get some training in. Get some training in whenever you can, make yourself better. So it's that mindset that's already instilled in you and you're like, okay, I need to get some training in, you know.
[00:16:19] Speaker A: Several shockers over the years have played professionally, played overseas. Jody Larson and Izzy Strand are playing right now or will be whenever their season starts.
Take us through the comparison. What's the difference between being a pro here in the United States and playing overseas?
[00:16:35] Speaker B: I think the seasons overseas might be longer. I don't know if izzy's season is six to seven months, ours is only from like 10, technically from like January to mid April.
So it's about like four months, five months.
I think Izzy's might be about six or something like that.
I don't know how long Jody's is, but I, I think the seasons overseas are a lot longer than the usa.
[00:17:07] Speaker A: What was the biggest adjustment you had to make to being a pro volleyball player?
[00:17:12] Speaker B: I think it was really good. Failure recovery for the most part.
Just like becoming a different player whenever I fail at things. It's like positive self talk.
Knowing that this is just one practice doesn't fine you.
Statistics don't define you. If you had a rough practice one day, like, shake it off, it's gonna be okay.
And like using every single day and every single time that you get to practice and train in the gym, that it's another opportunity to get better.
So that was like already my mindset, but it was before I got to pro. I was kind of hard on myself when it came to like failing at things because I don't like to fail at things.
So having better failure recovery after mistakes or like having bad games or bad practices was a big thing thing for me.
[00:18:00] Speaker A: Compare a Chris Lamb practice to a pro practice.
[00:18:05] Speaker B: Lambeau. I'm just going to compare it to Vegas. But Lambo, he's very, very critical in fundamentals. Like he, he acknowledges or recognizes when people are step closing, where their step closes, where their first left foot is taking off, where their feet were on defense, how their blocking footworked.
Yeah, like how their blocking footwork was whenever they were blocking the right side compared to the outside. He does like a lot of comparisons and basic fundamentals and he's very, very critique on numbers like stats, as we know.
I think in Vegas it was like you're a pro athlete, like you know what to do. So not, not saying that, like he didn't coach us or whatever, but he, it was just like, this is go time. Like, know you're a pro athlete. You should know what to do, if that makes sense. So if we had questions, it was like we had to go up to him. Like sometimes Lambo he stops practice, gives us a talk on, like, why Emerson's having a day. Having a good day today. This is why.
But there. There was, like, certain things that we didn't really go over, but he would just kind of briefly discuss, like, why our block is getting tooled. He's like, you're not pressing enough.
Whereas, like, if, you know, someone got tooled on the block, Lambo's like, well, your feet did this first. Your hands looked like this, like, kind of goes into, like, the fundamentals of it. Whereas in pro, it's, like, kind of briefly discussing. This is the general idea of what happened and having to know, like, what, you know, you need to do to get better at that. So, yeah, I think that was, like. The biggest part is, like, basic fundamentals aren't really instilled because it's like it already should be, if that makes sense.
[00:19:56] Speaker A: You arrive with a certain level of expectation. You can do these basic things. Wichita State, famous for really running the middles frequently. What's it like being a middle in the pros?
[00:20:06] Speaker B: Yeah, being a middle in the pros. It's. You know, sometimes in college, ball control is kind of difficult when playing certain teams, like, whether it's, like, passing or just basic defense. But, like, our back row is really good in pro. Like, everyone's a plus, so there's a lot more in system.
Things that you can run, but you also have pins that can really score. So it was. The offense was really spread out, and every single time I got set, it was like.
Every time I got set, it was more or less, like, a perfect set every time.
Whereas, like, during, you know, playing at Wichita State, I was my senior year getting, like, 40 to 45 attempts, you know, per game. Not every set's gonna be, like, perfect, you know, but in pro, I'm getting, like, maybe eight to 16 attempts, and nine times out of 10, like, those sets are, like, perfect. So I would say that that's really different. And then blocking, too. Like, blockers are really good, so their defense can be really spread out, but everyone's, like, super athletic, so they really close the block.
And also, like, in pro, the block is, like, really set up pretty well, and everyone has, like, really good verticals or super, like, tall.
So going off of the high hands, like, tooling the block and then kind of hitting deeper than, like, usual is, like, a huge thing in pro.
So teams that we played against, they'd actually, like, make their last or their, like, back row people take a step back on defense and read.
Because a lot of the balls that get hit, they get off the high hands, and those are, like, easy points for a lot of teams. But if you move your defense back, it's kind of a lot easier to dig those balls.
[00:22:03] Speaker A: So was there a light bulb moment where you remember being in a. In a match and thinking, okay, I've kind of got this figured out. I know how I can score. I know how I can defend.
[00:22:13] Speaker B: In the pros, yeah, I think I beat them with speed. So, like, in pro, it's like, everyone's really good. You know, they read really well. So speed kind of works really well. So there was a lot of, like, zero tempo balls that I was hitting off the block, or not off the block, but, like, off the setter, and it didn't give anyone any reaction time. So I had, like, huge holes that I was hitting in, and that was. That opens up the outside hitters, too, like the pins, and it just, like, spreads out the offense if your middle is up and, like, super early. So that's also something that Scott Larkin taught me in club because, you know, he was also really good at volleyball. Great middle blocker.
A lot of that goes to him, too, because I practice that in club as well.
But in pro, it's kind of like those basic fundamentals, like, they come back and you're like, oh, okay, I can just beat him with smart.
[00:23:08] Speaker A: So this is a relatively new professional volleyball league. I think a lot of women's professional sports are kind of in the early stages. Even the WNBA is as established as it is. It's still going through changes and growing pains. Is there a responsibility that you and your teammates would take and say, all right, we're trying to get this thing started. We're trying to help show women that they can make good money and be a professional volleyball player?
[00:23:35] Speaker B: Absolutely, yeah. It was almost talked about every single day while we were at practice. Like, we're all here for a reason, and it is women in sports. You know, we just want to build more credibility to, like. I mean, women's sports already has credibility, but it's like we're growing. Like, volleyball is a growing sport, and there's so many good athletes that are volleyball players.
And just being able to be a part of something that is, like, so special and growing is, like, amazing. Like, I feel so blessed every day. Like, every day I wake up, I'm like, wow, I'm a professional athlete, and I'm a woman professional athlete that plays volleyball in the U.S. like, because over the years, like, the USA, they've tried to Have a league, but it just, like, didn't work out. But I think this time it's like, we're actually doing something here. And, like, women in sports is amazing. So.
But yeah, getting to be able to have the opportunity every day to be like, I'm a woman in professional volleyball in the United States is, like, absolutely amazing. Because people overseas, like, they're like, I would just. I would do anything to play in the usa. And I'm like, I'm so fortunate, you know, I'm truly fortunate to be able to have the ability to play in the usa. So.
But, yeah, it's a growing. It's a growing league. It's a growing sport and popularity.
Huge creds to Nebraska, their volleyball team, because they, you know, they sold out so many games, had over 93,000 or spectators at one of their. At their football stadium watching a volleyball game. So just bringing more popularity to the sport of volleyball and women's volleyball is just.
Yeah, it's something that's very talked about.
[00:25:22] Speaker A: And we would have seen an example of that with the athletes unlimited softball that has been at Wilkins Stadium the last couple summers. You mentioned credibility, and I think that goes back to what we were talking about before we started recording. If you go to the MLV website, you can find the salary structure for MLV players can make between $60,000 and $175,000 base salaries. That was in 2025.
So how important is it for them to pay a good wage? How important is that for the credibility of the league?
[00:25:53] Speaker B: It's extremely important. It lets people know that, okay, we're not just messing around. This is a real thing. We're going to pay athletes who are really good, and we're gonna give them what they deserve. And so the credibility of the league, it's recognized whenever they do that, because it's not like an unserious thing. Like, people are like, okay, you can actually make a job out of this, and you're making good money, too. So, like, I don't know what the statistics are, like, on average, specifically in the United States, but, like, Anywhere from like 45k to 50k is a good salary to make in the US with like, a family, you know, and it's like one person individually is making that. So that's really good money. And it's like, we're giving. They're giving this money to people and they believe in them, and they're like, this is what it could be for you too, you know, for, like, future generations of athletes. So it brings in more popularity brings in more respect for the league and credibility. So, yeah, it's a huge thing.
[00:26:58] Speaker A: So that first check hits the bank account. Did you treat yourself to anything?
[00:27:01] Speaker B: Absolutely. I.
[00:27:02] Speaker A: Okay, let's go. Tell us a little bit more about that.
[00:27:06] Speaker B: So I went to Lululemon. I love Lulu.
So I went there. I went shopping. I really like going to Sephora, too, so I got some Sephora.
But, yeah, food. I'm also big on food. Like, I love food, so I treated myself with food, too.
That's another thing. As a pro athlete, you have to make sure you're fueling your body really well and taking care of it. That's like 90% of why you're so good at what you do is because you're taking care of your body and you're healthy. So food was a really big thing for me.
[00:27:37] Speaker A: But, yeah, Lululemon, that's a totally appropriate way to celebrate being a pro athlete. Who is the best player you played against last season?
[00:27:46] Speaker B: I want to say probably.
I think Brooke Nunaviller is really good. She loves to be involved in every single play. Like, every play we.
We had against them, she was just in it. So whether she was, like, digging a ball, hitting a ball, like, she was just revolved around every single play. And she just does so well.
And then Leah Edmond, she played for Atlanta or still does. She's also really good, so she's involved in every single play.
And yeah, Brooke, I think both of them are outside hitters, too. So just being able to play around those people against those people is, like, incredible.
[00:28:31] Speaker A: Did you have a favorite road trip?
[00:28:35] Speaker B: San Diego was fun. I had never been to California, so just being able to see San Diego was really cool. And then Florida was also really cool. I've been to Florida, you know, but I also just love the warmer areas, so.
Grand Rapids was also really pretty.
But, yeah.
[00:28:57] Speaker A: What would your advice be for a college athlete who is thinking, hey, I'd like to give this pro volleyball thing a shot? How should they be preparing what should be on their mind?
[00:29:09] Speaker B: Yeah, it's like every day is.
Get down to business, like, every day, because they'll. I don't know what the chances are specifically, but it's like. I think it's like one in a thousand of getting drafted because there's a lot of Division 1 athletes, and the more you improve yourself, the more you stay focused. Not taking a day off on. On days that you could like, obviously, like, taking care of yourself is a huge thing, but if you want to make it in the professional world of volleyball in the United States.
It's, it's kind of an unlikely thing, but it's like it is less unlikely if you put yourself in situations where you can improve those chances, if that makes sense. So just like always staying on top of training, always staying on top of taking care of yourself. If there's something, you know, hurting, go see a trainer immediately, like take care of your body because that's a number one thing. And then just get to work. Like every, every single day is an opportunity to get better and grow as an athlete. And you just gotta lock in. Like, I don't know how to explain it, but you can definitely, there's, it's definitely very, very likely to play overseas. Like, it's a huge thing.
But just putting yourself in those situations, positive self talk every single day and just being that person that your team can rely on is also another thing. Like just giving yourself opportunity after opportunity and taking advantage of every single opportunity and just grinding it out is probably the best advice.
[00:30:57] Speaker A: I have not talked to Izzy Strand since she's been playing professionally. I have talked to Jodi Larson. She just loves it, plays plays in Europe and is really, really loves the whole experience. Morgan Stout, She's a former Shocker. She plays professional volleyball with the Omaha Supernovas of Major League Volleyball. Their season gets started in January. Morgan, thank you very much for your time.
[00:31:18] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:31:34] Speaker A: Thank you for listening to the Roundhouse podcast courtesy of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. We encourage you to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can find more roundhouse
[email protected].
[00:31:50] Speaker B: Stroud sets it up.
[00:31:52] Speaker A: Ligon finishes.
[00:31:54] Speaker B: The Shockers stamp their tickets to the NCAA Tournament. They are the American Conference champions.
