FEATURE: Sophomore Middle Lyndsey Urick Presents Imposing Presence For Elite Eight Bound Ferris State Volleyball

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Lyndsey Urick's fellow Bulldogs roared an endorsement after Ferris State won the 2025 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship on Dec. 6, in St. Louis, Missouri.

That roar came after Urick's name was called as she officially earned her spot on the all-tournament team with a trio of teammates: outside hitters Gabby Piazza and Logyn Geren, and setter Hayley Wegener. The 6-foot-5 redshirt sophomore's teammates applauded loudly as she earned that achievement following the Bulldogs' second consecutive regional championship to punch their tickets to this week's NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

In a way, it was a moment of reflection on how far she had come, battling early injuries in her Ferris State volleyball career. Her current success, which has contributed to the Bulldogs' success, prompted Urick to consider how far she'd progressed – personally and competitively.

"I believe everything happens for a reason," said Urick, who did not compete as a true freshman for the Bulldogs in 2023 before appearing in six matches in 2024 as a redshirt freshman. "I felt like when I came in, I knew I had to work my way up. I felt like I had the potential, but it wasn't there yet. I knew there was a lot that I still had to learn about playing college volleyball."

A good learner, Urick's early injuries could have exacted an even greater mental toll on a younger player. But she had something others might not: a rock-solid support system with her Bulldog Volleyball family.

"My teammates helped me a lot working through the injuries and coming back from them," said Urick, a sophomore middle hitter who has played in 22 matches with 55 kills and 29 total blocks, including 11 solos. "Everyone was checking up on me. They kept me involved in everything. I felt like I had such a strong goal focus."

If Urick's volleyball love was challenged, that challenge proved unsuccessful.

"I have so much love for volleyball. I felt like nothing was going to take that from me," the native Chicagoan said.

Nothing would stand in Urick's way as Ferris State rolled to a 3-2 win over Quincy, a 3-0 victory over Rockhurst and a 3-1 win over Indianapolis to bring home the regional championship.

In the regional quarterfinals against Quincy, Urick had 11 kills on 17 total attacks with four block assists. In the regional semifinals, she continued her productivity with seven kills, one solo block and three block assists. Finally, in the regional championship match, Urick totaled six kills and a block assist as the Bulldogs completed a strong three-match stretch at the home court of the host institution, the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

The championship feeling was as special as ever.

"I was really happy seeing the team have success because team success is our main goal," said Urick, originally from Plainfield, Illinois. She would move to and live in Germany before she returned to the U.S. "Coming into this year, I was excited to play on the court with the team, being part of such a strong program. I am excited about how this team continues to improve and get back into the tournament. We have so many younger players who are working hard, getting better every day."

Urick's regional tournament performances garnered high praise from Ferris State head football coach Tony Annese, who has led the Bulldogs to three national championships during the previous four seasons and has Ferris State headed into the national semifinals this weekend. Annese, who tuned in for the regional tournament matches, saluted Urick during a hallway conversation for her strong play before she headed into the team's last practice before preparing to fly out to South Dakota.

Urick and her fellow young Bulldogs have learned a lot, absorbing knowledge from playing with last season's 34-1 team that earned regular-season and tournament Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships before winning the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship in 2024.

"Last year really helped us. Last season set the stage for what we've been able to do this year," said Urick, who graduated as a prep from Wiesbaden while in Germany where she also excelled also in basketball and softball. "We were practicing every day against the No. 1 team in the nation. We knew we were also a big part of what was happening last year. We've used those experiences to help make us and the program continue to play well coming into this season."

Urick and this year's returning Bulldogs were students of the game, competing against a talented and experienced Ferris State lineup that took the program to the Elite Eight in 2024 with a 34-1 record.

"I was constantly observing my teammates and asking a bunch of questions," she said. "Being involved with everything that was happening helped me a lot as I was working through my injuries. I got to see the other side of things as I was learning volleyball. It helped me learn a lot more."

Urick's larger journey, personally, has also included a stronger sense of self-love.

Growing up as the "tall girl" often had its challenges — challenges she believes have made her a stronger young woman today.

"It wasn't always easy. It has taken me a long time to become confident with who I am," Urick said. "When I was younger, I was really insecure – like in middle school. Everyone was shorter than me, like all the boys, too. I had to learn to love myself and my height."

Growing up, her athletic competition helped.

"It definitely helped that I played sports, and I had opportunities to use my height to do what I enjoyed," Urick said. "That helped me a lot."

These days, she sees the pieces coming together to help support her team.

The Bulldogs, the No. 8 seed, will take on No. 1 seed University of Tampa at 8 p.m. (EST) in the national quarterfinals of the Elite Eight on Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

"We're so excited to be back in the Elite Eight," Urick said. "We've worked so hard for this, and we've had a clear goal since last spring. Like, we would sit in meetings and talk about how badly we wanted it. And like, we're just so happy that we get to go back and fight for the trophy."