Rooted in Her Faith
If not for a bit of persuasion from her club volleyball coach, Abby Spidle’s career on the court would not have continued into college, and she would have never found her way to Midland University.
Spidle, a junior Psychology major from Omaha, is grateful for how things have turned out. She continues participating in a sport she loves and has found her home at Midland.
“I wasn’t sure what my plan after high school was. I was leaning toward going to UNL when my club coach (Midland assistant Steve Bymers) reached out to me and said ‘You love volleyball; you’re not done playing.’ He told me to contact (Midland coach) Paul Giesselmann and have a conversation with him. I had an amazing visit with Coach, and after visiting campus, I fell in love with Midland.
“I began to realize I was not done with volleyball, and as someone who has high standards, everything the Midland program stood for aligned with me. I would not only be pushed as an athlete but be cared for as well.”
Coming in as a freshman, and not knowing anyone on campus, Abby felt an instant rapport with her teammates. “We had a lot of team activities before classes even started. My freshman year, I worked very hard to make the varsity squad, and I was able to travel with the varsity for the first two tournaments of the year. That was very special for me because I was able to bond with some of the upperclassmen and it really helped me acclimate to college life.”
In her three years at Midland, Abby has impacted campus far beyond the volleyball court. She is part of the Howard Hanson Honors Program, Midland leadership team, and serves as a peer career coach for the Career Studio.
“Being part of the Honors program has been very beneficial to me. It’s given me opportunities to travel and really motivated me to push my creative boundaries in my major.”
In her first year as a peer career coach, Abby has grasped the ability to further her own career and help other students across campus do the same. “I have so much respect for Taylor Tucker (Director of Career Studio), so when she asked me to be a coach, I immediately said yes. I felt welcomed right away by the other coaches, and I have learned so much about resumes, cover letters, and career readiness. If I can help another student hone their desires and interests for a career, that is very cool to me. My top strength right now is ideation, and I’m very big on ideas and concepts that live through my life.”
Helping others is something Abby strives to do every day and is a big reason why she has pursued Psychology as her major. “I’ve always had an interest in psychology but didn’t fully realize it until I took an Intro to Psychology class with Dr. Frank Ferraro. I really enjoy sports psychology and would love to be able to help people shift their mindsets and have a perspective of how to overcome obstacles as an athlete.”
With a Business Administration minor, Abby has kept the door open to other opportunities when she graduates in May 2026. “I’ve done some internships through the business realm and gained experience in what a workplace looks like and how to build relationships.”
What has helped Abby overcome challenges in her own life has been her unwavering faith, something she said has continued to grow since she arrived at Midland. “My faith is huge to me and I’m grateful God has allowed my faith to grow since I’ve been here. FCA was very welcoming to me when I got here, and those FCA leaders, along with my teammates and friends, have really pushed me in my faith.”
Abby Spidle is a junior Psychology major from Omaha, Nebraska.
