Poth, Texas is around 1,200 miles away from Iowa City.
But that distance didn’t stop Aimee Huffman from becoming a Hawkeye.
As a highly touted high-school volleyball player, she knew she wanted to play for Iowa during her junior year. Her mother, a Texas native, graduated from Iowa in 1983, and her father grew up in Iowa City. After they married, they relocated to the Lone Star State.
Despite being recruited by the likes of Florida State and Texas Tech, Iowa was her school.
“I never went on any official visits [to other schools] or anything like that,” the 20-year-old said. “I came here for an official visit really, really young, so I kind of made up my mind really young.”
Huffman’s interest in volleyball started at the age of 8 after watching her older sister. She didn’t play on a team until the sixth grade.
From there, her passion and competitiveness took over.
Leading her prep team to three-consecutive state championships from 2004-2006 highlighted Huffman’s high-school career. In return, she was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association and prepvolleyball.com All-American her senior year.
She was also honored as first team all-state selection four years in a row.
With those accolades, it only seemed natural that Huffman would continue her game at a higher level.
“Playing in college was always what I wanted to do,” she said.
Playing as a setter and right-side hitter during her freshman season at Iowa, she started 29 of 31 games. She ranked second on the team in both assists (249) and service aces (21) and stood third in kills (192) during a season when the Hawkeyes went a disappointing 9-22 overall, 1-19 in the Big Ten.
Over the last two years, though, Huffman has enhanced her game. Her versatile abilities on the court are a large asset for the Hawkeyes. This season, she even shifted to the outside hitter position.
“She’s so skilled,” Iowa head coach Sharon Dingman said. “She can perform every skill at a high level. She’s a great blocker. Obviously, our most efficient attacker. She’s very good on defense. Really, she can do anything we ask of her on the court.
“We have very, very high expectations every match that Aimee will do that every time she steps on the court.”
Even off the court, teammates agree Huffman’s dependability and guidance are some of her best traits.
“She’s a great role model,” junior cocaptain and setter Mara Hilgenberg said. “I follow her. She’s just always there for me.”
Despite some turbulence and frustration while playing in the brutal Big Ten, Huffman believes she made the right decision in choosing Iowa.
“I don’t think I have regrets, just because I’m really happy here,” she said. “Earlier in my career here, I’ve wondered, ‘What if I would have gone and looked at other schools,’ because I didn’t really fully take official visits to other places. Now that I’m here, I’m really happy.”