photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State junior middle blocker Anniston Clark sets the ball in a 3-1 win over Lawrence at Free State High School on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Lawrence.

Anniston Clark is a competitor. It shows on her face after a kill: there’s usually a stare down involved before she joins her team to celebrate the point.

Clark’s competitive spirit has pushed her in volleyball throughout her life, helping her secure a scholarship to play volleyball at Division I Lipscomb University. And for her senior year at Free State, it’ll help her lead the Firebirds to the state tournament once again.

“Going back to state last year was a big goal that we want to achieve again,” Clark said. “It’s a standard we want to have that every year we’ll make it back to state, and I think knowing that this is my last year, I’m really gonna make sure that I implement that in our every practice.”

Clark has been a leader on and off the court for some time now, but taking on that mantle is even more crucial for her final year with the Firebirds. Clark said she’s seen an impressive ability from some of the younger girls at open gyms this summer who can help Free State reach the state tournament again.

“I’m really excited for this season,” Clark said. “Finally being a senior and being able to take the captain spot and leader on the team has been really important. I’m just really excited to see what we can do here, and hopefully make it back to state.”

This is Clark’s last season with Free State, but it certainly won’t be her last in the sport. Clark took a tour of Lipscomb and fell in love with the environment of the school and of Nashville. Being a country music fan certainly helped sell Clark on Lipscomb, but her interest in the volleyball team stood out among other schools Clark was talking to.

“I just knew that was my home as soon as I stepped foot there,” Clark said. “It’s a great environment, and I feel like I can really make an impact on the program. The girls there feel like my family already, so that really helped.”

When it comes to her play on the court, Clark brings an intensity and a grit that allows her to score points with authority. That intensity is what allows her to be the go-to player in tight situations. The other Firebirds know they can rely on Clark to score when they need it.

The Firebirds have developed a family chemistry with the team, but Clark has a particularly strong connection with middle blocker Tessa Nover-Estes, a fellow rising senior on the team. The two have been on the same team for years and know exactly where each other will be at all times.

Clark’s capacity to get kills comes from her own hard work and ability, but it also comes with her connection to Nover-Estes. Clark’s shot selection separates her from the rest, but it’s thanks to passes from Nover-Estes that gives Clark the ability to make her shot.

“We kind of just know each other, like I know where she’ll be, she knows where I’m going to be on the court,” Clark said.

For her final year with Free State, she’s hoping to leave a lasting legacy at the school, including breaking the school record in kills.

This season will be a different year for Clark and the Firebirds. Longtime volleyball coach Jayme Savage won’t be leading the team this fall, which means it’s up to the seniors like Clark to keep the culture going into this new era of Free State volleyball.

“Playing this year in her honor, and taking it where she left the program is going to be a big goal for us,” Clark said. “I think no matter what happens, it’ll be OK. It’s just sad to see her go.”

This season will be a big year for Clark. She’s got personal goals for her season as well as large team goals for the Firebirds to accomplish. She’ll be doing it all while being a leader for a Free State team that is undergoing a change in leadership at the top of the program. The stakes are high, but Clark is ready to meet them with her team.

“I’m really excited to show that I can execute,” Clark said. “It helps when not only I am confident but our team is also confident. Momentum is a huge thing in volleyball, obviously, and whoever has the most is most likely to win. So we definitely need to keep our confidence.”