Redshirt junior Amanda Raker could’ve stuck with basketball.
Instead, she chose to play volleyball - and she didn't find the transition nearly as difficult as she thought it would be.
“I knew that I was kind of going in blind-sided, and I didn’t know completely what to expect,” Raker said. “I think I have a lot to owe to the [Ball State] coaching staff and [head coach Steve Shondell]. They’ve made my transition so much easier.”
The 6’1” Raker initially committed to playing basketball at Butler University after her sophomore year of high school, wanting to follow in her dad's footsteps, who played for the Bulldogs from 1979-80.
Raker, however, chose to return to the sport she fell in love with later into her high school career.
“I was thinking that I could transfer and go play basketball in Indy or close by,” Raker said. “And it would be a way easier transition, but volleyball was always in the back of my mind. I still loved volleyball.”
An Indianapolis native, Raker attended Perry Meridian High School, where she earned four varsity letters in volleyball. She was named Class 4A First Team All-State as a senior and played on the Indiana South All-Star Team.
Her family background was all about basketball, however, and Raker spent plenty of time around and observing the game.
“I grew up around a basketball-oriented family, and growing up around that … it was natural for me to be more involved with basketball,” she said.
Raker was named a McDonald’s All-American nominee, as well as a First Team All-State selection after her senior year, and when it came time for the recruiting process, her familiarity and love for Butler made it her top choice.
“[My dad going there] definitely influenced me when I was younger,” Raker said. “But in the deciding process, my dad wasn’t pushing me to go one way or another. He definitely let me take my own decisions.”
As a freshman at Butler, Raker saw sporadic playing time, coming off the bench, playing a smaller role.
Her role increased her sophomore season, as she started 22 of 31 games and averaged 4.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. She played 21.8 minutes a game, contributing regularly to a team that finished 17-14.
It was around this time Raker said she began to feel concerned with some inconsistencies in the program and didn’t feel she could reach her full potential.
After the season, Raker decided to quit her basketball career and instead resume her volleyball one - a feeling she said she’s had since late in high school.
“I think I got to a point where I was burnt out almost; I had played the game so long,” she said. “It just wasn’t fun anymore, and when something’s not fun it sucks the life out of everything really … I just lost my passion for the game, unfortunately.”
At Ball State, Raker played in just 13 sets as a redshirt sophomore in 2013, but she has played in 40 already this season.
Her biggest impact to the team has been her defensive tenacity, as she has tallied 29 total blocks, third on the team. Her 0.73 blocks per set is second on the Ball State roster as well.
“She has been a player that I think our entire team looks up to and respects,” Shondell said. “She’s brought a lot of the intangibles, because she’s also an outstanding athlete and is gaining volleyball experience every time she steps on the floor.”
For a defense that has struggled at points throughout the season, Raker will do her best to help lead the team through conference play and into the postseason tournament.
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