Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Livia Ward is Welcomed Home to WSU

On Wednesday, Livia Ward, a 5’10” setter from Oklahoma, officially signed with Washington State. What makes Livia’s story stand out is the unique path her recruiting process took. Unlike many of the other high-profile recruits we cover, Livia didn’t hear from Washington State until late in the game—January, to be exact.

As Ward explained, part of the delay was due to her being from Oklahoma. Situated between two volleyball powerhouse states—Kansas and Texas—Oklahoma’s prep talent often gets overlooked. This paired with Ward describing herself as the kind of setter who “recruiters have to take a second look at to like,” makes it easy to see why her recruitment wasn’t as fast-paced as that of some other elite 2025 prospects.

“I’m not a very flashy person, but I’m solid in my choices and my location with the ball,” Ward said during our live show last Wednesday. We love her honesty. She recognizes that she is not the tallest, most eye-catching setter on the court. Instead, she’s all about consistency, smart decision-making, and getting the ball exactly where it needs to be. This quiet confidence is what has kept her grounded, even when her recruiting process took longer than expected.

The 5A Oklahoma High School Volleyball State Champion will graduate early and head to Washington State this spring. Before she moves to Pullman, Ward is focused on staying sharp—getting reps as a practice player for her club team and hitting the weight room to prepare for the transition to college ball.

From everyone at VBAdrenaline, congratulations to Livia on her official commitment to WSU! We can’t wait to see her make an impact on their program.

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