Volleyball player Gabi Shilling spikes the ball against the opposing team. Photo from GoRhody.com.
On or off the court, Gabi Shilling is always active.
Shilling is a junior member of the University of Rhode Island Women’s Volleyball Team and has been a key player for them, appearing in nearly every match since she arrived on campus. Her talents don’t end on the volleyball court, however, as the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming election has brought out even more extraordinary skills in Shilling.
She had a tremendous last season for the Rams, finishing the 2019 campaign with 223 kills (second on the team) and a team-leading total of 260 points won while playing 90 of a possible 95 sets.
In regards to her experience on the volleyball team, Shilling had nothing but glowing reviews for her teammates who have dealt with a lot of adversity this year with the pandemic affecting when they can play, as well as large changes within the program.
“Everyone I have met on the team has been awesome. It was definitely scary coming from Michigan but everyone was so welcoming,” said Shilling, who is from Birmingham, Michigan. “We are going through a big culture change since we have a new head coach this year and everyone has handled that really well.”
New Head Coach Nicki Holmes says Shilling and her teammates have played an integral role in helping to make this transition as seamless as possible.
“Gabi, along with all of the returners, have been wonderful,” he said. “She is a real leader and she has shown that during this offseason.”
Her ability to talk to her teammates and coaches are a big reason why she has made her mark in Kingston. Holmes pointed out her communication and empathy skills as helpful in developing the team’s chemistry.
She used these off-the-court leadership skills to get every player on the team to vote this November in the upcoming presidential election. A challenge was set by fellow student-athletes within the department for all URI sports teams to reach 100% registration within their programs, with the third-year player being instrumental in completing the mission for her team.
“We got everyone registered on our team which was awesome,” Shilling said. “I think we realize how important it is for us young people to have a voice right now. We are the future of this country and we can change the world with our voice.”
On top of being a key player and leader for the volleyball team, Shilling works for GoRhody, the athletic department’s website where all information on each team can be found. While for now she writes about other sports teams on campus and runs the GoRhody social media account, the Michigan native is thinking about taking up law school after her four years at URI.
“We have a lot of talented players but it is not easy to pursue volleyball after college,” Shilling said. “I would have to go to Europe to play, which I have been looking into but my experience at GoRhody gives me another path I can take.”
In regards to when the team will play next, Shilling said it’s up in the air, but they’re making sure they’re ready. In the meantime, Shilling will continue to lead her team off the court and make an impact in her team, and an even greater one in the URI community.