Auma Mbeche-Odhiambo may have started her first season with the volleyball team just over a month ago, but her impact on the court has been undeniable. Through 14 matches of play, she has led the team in points and kills, with 191 and 172 of each, respectively.
Hailing from Houston, the sophomore outside hitter played for her high school team and a club team. Upon graduating in 2024 from Bellaire High School, Mbeche-Odhiambo decided to move from Texas to Pennsylvania to attend Lafayette College.
But before things came to a close in Texas, disaster struck for Mbeche-Odhiambo — she tore her Achilles tendon towards the end of her senior season.
“It had just been a very hard year in general,” Mbeche-Odhiambo said. “At the same time I was injured, my dad had been hospitalized in a coma, so there were a lot of things going on.”
Faced with the mentally and physically draining journey of recovery, Mbeche-Odhiambo persisted with the help of her teammates and coaches at her club team.
“It was hard, but the people around me really helped support me and kept me busy and really helped me stay mentally locked into the game,” she said.
Mbeche-Odhiambo spent her year of recovery studying psychology in the classroom and cheering on her teammates on the sideline. Despite not being able to play, she made a lasting difference on the team.
“When Auma had her injury, she was one of those teammates who would just support others,” sophomore outside hitter Destiny McKenzie said. “She would be by your side to give support and confidence in practice and at games.”
After a year of rehabilitation — and a busy pre-season dedicated to working back to her current level — Mbeche-Odhiambo has finally made her debut for the Leopards and has not looked back since.
First-year head coach CJ Werneke helped Mbeche-Odhiambo tap into her potential, moving her to the right side of the net, opposite of where she had played in high school.
“Just trying to put her in the best situation to be successful, which then not only helps her, but helps the team,” Werneke said about the position switch. “I think it just utilizes her skill set a little bit better.”
Although the switch was challenging for Mbeche-Odhiambo, her new position has led to her taking more of a proactive approach on the court.
“Switching positions in the preseason has been difficult mentally because I didn’t have as much time on the court,” Mbeche-Odhiambo said. “Switching into the mentality of when I go in to ‘I need to make an impact now’ instead of slowly going in and getting my momentum going into the game.”
Despite the Leopards’ 3-11 record, her consistent efforts have given the team hope going forward.
“For Auma, there’s no doubt, the sky’s the limit,” Werneke said. “She wants to be great, not just good.”