The unbreakable game face of senior setter Hope Rayburn is often a point of jokes for her teammates and coach on the UNA volleyball team, head volleyball coach Stephanie Radecki said.

Rayburn is the sole senior on the team and is one of four players that were on the roster last season.

“She’s a hard worker, and has stepped up as a huge leader,” Radecki said.

Rayburn is from Springville and graduated from Springville High School in 2010.

She won four straight area titles and three straight county titles at Springville.

In her senior year of high school, she was named first team All-State and made it to the Elite 8.

She is studying secondary education with the goal of becoming a math teacher. 

Rayburn, who has tried other majors like physical therapy, said her inspiration to become a teacher stems from her mother, who has been a teacher her whole life.

Rayburn’s mother, who was a counselor at her school, was a teacher until Rayburn’s seventh grade year when she focused her career on administration.

As a math teacher Rayburn hopes to teach at the high school level. Her goal is to make the learning experience for her students fun and make the material relatable to them.

Aside from volleyball, Rayburn also spends time camping and enjoying outdoor sports, including hiking, kayaking and skiing, she said.

“When I was in high school, we used to go skiing for spring break,” Rayburn said. “While some were going to the beach, we were skiing.”

Rayburn is a Christian and joined Highland Baptist Church her freshman year. She also goes to The Well, which is a college Bible study and worship on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. at Highland.

Rayburn tries to have a social life outside of volleyball, but depending on the steam schedule, it makes it hard for Rayburn to get involved in other campus activities, like being away on weekends during football, she said.

Rayburn, who is in her fourth year as a starter for the Lions, started playing sports growing up in Springville.

“I played basketball and softball in high school, but I started volleyball and basketball in junior high,” Rayburn said.

Once she started club volleyball she stuck with it, Rayburn said.

She would be interested in the sand volleyball league in Huntsville after graduation, she said.

She has changed from her freshman year, Rayburn said.

She came in as someone who was quiet and shy and had a lot to take in as a freshman, she said.

She wants incoming freshman to know she is here for them.

An inspiration for her is a former UNA setter Alli Jacobs, who was an All-American player she looked up to, she said.

She would like to be remembered by other players in the same way, Rayburn said.

“I want to be remembered as a hard worker — a good leader that people can look up to even if they don’t know me,” Rayburn said.

Rayburn is one of the nicest players she has coached, Radecki said.

Rayburn is also a member of the UNA track team. She runs in the 200-meter dash, the 4-by-1-relay team and jumps in the long and triple jump.

Rayburn and the UNA volleyball team are 4-10 (2-4 GSC record) for the season and will travel to play Shorter University on Oct. 11 in their next matchup.

The Lions will turn around and play at Lee University on Oct. 12 in Cleveland, Tenn.