Catching Up With: Alexis Conaway

04.06.2020 | Volleyball

This is the third in a four-part series, with cyclones.com catching up with former Cyclones continuing their playing careers overseas.

Not all paths in volleyball are straightforward. That was the case for Alexis Conaway before she even made it to Iowa State. As a multi-sport star in high school, it would not have surprised anyone had she taken her talents to basketball or track and field over the volleyball court. On top of that, Conaway was very active and decorated beyond volleyball, earning CoSIDA First Team Academic All-America as a senior and the Cyclone Letterwinners Club All-Around Award. So it should come as no surprise that Conaway’s first move following her playing career at ISU was not to stay in volleyball.

“After four intense years, I was physically and mentally ready for a break from volleyball,” Conaway recalled. “The summer following graduation (2018), I worked for the Cyclone Letterwinners Club. After that, a connection helped me get a position with a Congressman in Washington, D.C. I had an awesome experience and learned so much, but I realized I still had a passion for athletics.”

Alexis Conaway was the recipient of the Cyclone Letterwinners Club All-Around Award for the 2017-18 school year.

Conaway was a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection and a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in 2017 while at Iowa State.

Opportunity was able to arise from there, as Election Day 2018 saw the official she worked for lose, meaning she had to find a new path. That led her back to volleyball.

“I was interested in coaching, and another connection led by to a volunteer assistant coach position at LSU,” Conaway said. “I immediately knew I was in the right field. I loved being back on a college campus and back in the gym.”

While there was still a challenge of getting back into volleyball shape, Conaway does believe the break was what she needed before taking the next steps in her career.

“I was able to workout at LSU and gradually build up my strength and endurance,” Conaway noted. “The mental aspect of competing was more of a challenge. I had to relearn to trust myself as a player while fighting the fears that I would not be good enough. The break gave me a renewed joy in the sport, and hunger to improve.”

Conaway credits Suzanne Horner (left) with helping make her decision to go to Finland and play for Liigaploki

Conaway began working with an agent as she started looking into getting involved in professional volleyball. While uncertainty about what her future was still held, she ended up going down a path that one of her best friends had just gone down.

“I had no idea if I would even get a contract,” Conaway reflected. “But I knew I would regret not going for it while I still could. I knew Suzanne (Horner) had a great experience in Finland, but I could not imagine living somewhere so cold and dark. When the coach at Liigaploki showed interest, at first I spoke with him just to learn more about the professional world.”

However, with more talks to the coaching at Liigaploki and Horner, her mind began to change and her destination was decided, as she was off to Pihtipudas.

Cyclone Volleyball "Catching Up With" Series

Week One: Catching Up With Hannah Bailey
Week Two: Catching Up With Suzanne Horner

Conaway celebrates a point with her Liigaploki Pihtipudas teammates

“The coach shared his focus on developing players and I realized I did not have my priorities set,” Conaway noted. “I was focused more on where I wanted to live over being the best volleyball player I could be. When I talked to Suzanne, she helped me see the other great aspects: a trustworthy club, a competitive league and a supportive community. I accepted the offer, and came to love the country, the snow and darkness. I ended up living in the exact same apartment and bedroom that Suzanne previously lived in.”

While she was going down the path laid out by Horner (who left for Bournemouth the same summer Conaway arrived), she would still have to go through the same challenges in terms of getting around language and cultural barriers.

“The Finnish are very reserved, at first I thought they did not like me but then I found out that they were nervous to speak in English and preferred to keep to themselves,” Conaway said. “It took more time to build relationships, but once you were in you had friends for life.”

The communication challenges did lead to volleyball challenges at times.

“My Finnish teammates did not communicate nearly as much as the Americans, so that created a bit of a challenge at times,” Conaway said. “We had to learn to compromise and decide what actually needed to be said versus what could be left out. Fortunately practices were run in English, which was the common language for the Finnish and American players and Italian coaches.”

Though the season was cut short before the league playoffs due to COVID-19, with Liigaploki finishing third in the league, it was still a historic season for Conaway and the club. On Jan. 18, Liigaploki beat LP Viesti 3-2 to win the Finnish Teknikum Cup with Conaway leading the way with 23 points. It was the first trophy that the club had won in its history and involved a very familiar pattern for Conaway.

“The week leading up to the final was full of uncertainties, as we had numerous players dealing with injuries.” Conaway recalled. “I had to switch positions from middle to outside, just like my senior season at Iowa State. I was thankful I had the experience and could make the transition smoothly. I was just proud of the team for coming together and contributing in new ways.”

While the win was significant for Conaway and the club, she was sure to give credit to her adopted home of Pihtipudas as well.

Conaway, who made the familiar move from middle blocker to outside hitter, led Liigaploki with 23 points as they won the Finland Teknikum Cup, the first trophy in the club's history.

As big as the win was for us as players, it was even more important to the club and residents. With only 4,000 people, the life of our small town revolves around the volleyball team. We have fans who have followed the club since it was established. To see their joy and celebration after the win was both a humbling experience and an honor.

Alexis Conaway

Conaway is now back in the United States and with her family as she waits out the end of COVID-19, but she is already planning for her next steps.

“The life is not always easy or glamorous, but I love competing and experiencing the new culture,” Conaway reflected. “I hope to play another season next year, I don’t know where yet. My goal is to get better every day and every season and work my way up to more advanced leagues. Long-term, I plan to keep playing as long as I am healthy, am enjoying the sport and improving as a player. After that, I’d love to stay involved with athletics in some way. I have experienced the impact that they make on individuals and communities around the world.”