After a standout college career at Coastal Carolina University, outside hitter Leah Hardeman knew she wasn’t done playing competitive volleyball, so she packed her bags and headed overseas for a professional career. While her game flourished in Italy, France, and Greece, Hardeman dreamed of playing in the U.S. where she could inspire girls of color to consider the sport that she loved.
With women’s professional volleyball experiencing a new popularity in the U.S., Hardeman was able to live her dream, joining League One Volleyball (LOVB) last year. “I’m able to speak with people and engage with the fans,” said Hardeman, 30, who plays with LOVB’s Austin Volleyball. “And you’re able to be a representation for the Black and Brown girls and also obviously all the other girls, too.”
Volleyball is not very diverse — according to NCAA data, Black women comprise just roughly 12% of players in Division I, II, and III programs, but a promising 33% increase over the last 10 years. However, Hardeman was fortunate to grow up playing at a predominantly Black volleyball club in Georgia.
(Credit: League One Volleyball)
She looked up to Olympian Destinee Hooker and other University of Texas volleyball players because that was a team that always had Black student-athletes. Both her club and high school teams were college-oriented, so finding her way to a Division I school felt natural, but an overseas pro career was daunting.
“No one in my family had really lived overseas,” Hardeman said. “I took that extra year at Coastal Carolina, playing beach volleyball, doing internships, to understand if I really wanted to go do this for a job … Then I was like, ‘Okay, this is something I really want to do. I get to experience another culture. I’m getting paid to play volleyball.’”
Last year, the opportunity to play professional volleyball in the U.S. finally came her way. She found herself in Austin, home of the Texas Longhorns. She was a key force in bringing the first-ever LOVB title to Austin, which she described as kind of euphoric. Now in her second season, she relishes playing alongside players she has looked up to.
“Being surrounded by a league that’s wanting to take care of the athlete … it’s really unique,” Hardeman said. “I went to a player appearance with a predominantly Black team … and just how they lit up to see someone that’s like them — it makes me feel really good, but also makes me want to pour into them and make sure that they can know that they can do this.”