Photo provided Parkersburg Christian’s LouMasi Lott reacts during a game last season. Lott continues his volleyball days and academic pursuits at West Virginia Wesleyan.

PARKERSBURG — As the center hitter for Parkersburg’s Christian volleyball team, LouMasi Lott was a constant force at net.

Once her senior season was over, the 6-footer figured academics and preparing for a medical career would be her main focus once she started her freshman year at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Even after reviewing the Bobcats volleyball program during an initial visit to the campus located in Buckhannon, she ruled out the possibility of membership under coach Nancy Wheeler.

Then a text came from the coach.

“When I visited the campus and met the coach, I didn’t really want to play volleyball.” Lott said. “My mom and I had been talking for a while. I told him that I don’t know if I want to play. Then they texted me about a month and a half ago and asked if I wanted to play.

“What really scared me at first – here at Parkersburg Christian we don’t have group workouts. That’s why I didn’t want to do it. I told her about it and she said, ‘ Oh, we have people for that. I told him okay. I’m in.”

Lott, who recently signed as a member of the West Virginia Wesleyan volleyball program, joins PCHS alumni Kiera Wade as the school’s second student-athlete in the past decade to play at the college level. . Wade is the athletic director of PCHS.

“(Kiera) is my biggest role model in volleyball,” Lott said. “She has a saying that confidence is key. This is what I live in volleyball. It’s always (Kiera) who got me to where I am now.

The youngest of five children, Lott already has her own personal fan club. Along with her parents (Dan and Tamra Lott) and PCHS friends whom she considers family, Lott chose West Virginia Wesleyan from the start because it reminded her of home.

“My mum does everything for me – she takes time out of her day to make sure everything is ready”, said Lou Masi.

“Both my parents invested so much time and money into my volleyball club and generally traveling to all of my games. Mom does the book for basketball and volleyball. They always do behind-the-scenes stuff that I’m not even aware of.

“My younger Lakota elder brother, he goes to work and tells everyone about my stuff. He’s excited for me. My sister (Amber) loves it. She really takes care of me.

Lott remembers playing his first college game in seventh grade. The experience cost someone who was competing against girls four to five years older. The following year, in eighth grade, she felt more comfortable and settled into a starting role for the first of five seasons.

“My first college game in seventh grade was against Teays Valley Christian,” Lott said. “As soon as I got on the pitch I started crying – I was so scared. The following season all I remember is just playing.

Lott also played six seasons of basketball for PCHS. Volleyball, however, has remained her first love since she started playing the sport in second grade. She has previous experience with the West Virginia Wesleyan campus, spending two weeks each of the past two summers in a gifted program.

The bus rides and friendships she made competing in sports are some of the biggest takeaways for Lott, whether at PCHS or what she anticipates in college.

“What I did on the volleyball court is just a great memory,” Lott said. “There is a video of me dancing on the pitch. I always dance on the court. I love when people join me.

PCHS is considered a small school, but Lott is confident it will transition to the academic demands of the college experience. As for volleyball, she is preparing physically for the next level.

“From the advice I’ve received from former students, they say the program she took at Parkersburg Christian really helped them prepare for college,” Lott said. “Right now I go to the gym what seems like every day. I have a personal trainer to prepare me for volleyball. Do I feel like I’m ready for college, not yet. But we will work on that.

Contact Kerry Patrick at [email protected]