When Linda Hampton-Keith took the head Volleyball coaching job at Temple in January 2022, she knew a setter was needed to complete the roster. She envisioned a high-paced style of play and was searching for someone who fit the bill.
Hampton-Keith’s attention was quickly drawn to Scottsdale, Arizona native Lexi Yoza.
Yoza made a name for herself in high school at Notre Dame Preparatory Academy, racking up more than 1,200 assists and 200 digs in three seasons. Hampton-Keith made the setter a top priority the moment she started. After a few months of chasing her on the recruiting trail, Temple finally managed to land Yoza — a key player for the most important position.
From the moment Yoza stepped on the court at McGonigle Hall in 2023, she became an important part of a Temple program that has completely turned around under Hampton-Keith’s leadership. Yoza initially shared the starting setter spot with fellow freshman Ava Blascziek, making an impact but leaving much to be desired.
Yoza started in nine of the Owls’ 30 matches last season, playing a crucial role on offense but was not as much of a factor on defense. During the offseason, Yoza made it a priority to be a player who could contribute on both ends of the court and the sophomore has blossomed into one of the best players on the team this year.
“Being a freshman I was definitely nervous,” Yoza said. “I think over time just becoming more confident in myself, but also more comfortable with the team has allowed me to play more calm and confident on the court.”
Yoza took a leap forward on defense this year through the team’s first 16 matches. She leads the team in digs with 122 while continuing to improve on offense. She also leads the team with 361 assists.
While Yoza has taken strides, the Owls’ overall record has gone backward from last season. They are off to a mediocre 7-9 start this season due to a difficult non-conference slate. Hampton-Keith made the schedule for Temple to prove itself against the best but it instead hurt their record. Temple has also started 1-3 through its first American Athletic Conference matches.
Hampton-Keith has alternated between two systems this year and they both feature Yoza. One has Yoza and Blascziek on the court at the same time and the other features just Yoza as setter. Yoza’s success has allowed Temple to be flexible and switch between the two systems depending on what the game requires.
“The biggest thing that she contributes to our team and on the court is her steadiness,” Hampton-Keith said. “She is so steady and consistent which is such a valuable asset at the setting position.”
Both Yoza and Blascziek worked with assistant coach Jose Lugo on their setting last spring. The pair focused on gaining chemistry with hitters like Taylor Davenport. The timing and execution are key for the hitters, who rely on players like Yoza to provide them with attacking opportunities.
“She was setting closer to the tempo we wanted to run,” Hampton-Keith said. “She mirrored closer to how we wanted to run our offense, how fast we would want to run and the sets we would want to run.”
Yoza’s work throughout the offseason was evident to Davenport and the team has improved despite a regression in the win-loss column. The team flows better on the offensive side resulting in the outside hitters receiving better kill chances, in particular Davenport who leads the AAC with 237.
“It’s evident,” Davenport said. “The quality of balls we’ve been getting since spring and summer is all coming together now.”
Despite not being vocal on the court, the soft-spoken Yoza has become a leader for the team. Her calming presence on the court eases the team no matter the situation and is essentially the quarterback on the court at the setter position.
Yoza has received constant praise from her teammates and coaches, however she tries not to focus on herself. She remains zeroed in on getting her job done so the rest of the team can play well off of her — which hopefully leads to wins.
“My number one goal is to just do my job to the best of my ability,” Yoza said. “That’s really all that matters. If everyone does that, everything flows well.”
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