Striving for Perfection

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Symone Sims came off the volleyball court unaware that she had achieved a monumental feat. Kansas State fell in five sets against Iowa State in a back-and-forth battle that lasted more than two hours. It was the Wildcats' third five-set match in seven days.

But Sims, the 5-foot-5 junior libero/defensive specialist was spectacular. A couple weeks after recording a then-career high 21 digs against Arizona, Sims did even better with a career-high 25 digs against the Cyclones at Morgan Family Arena.

It allowed Sims, a native of Frisco, Texas, to reach the milestone 500^th dig of her standout career with the Wildcats.

"I like hitters thinking they'll get a good kill and it's like, 'No, no, it's up. What are you going to do now,'" Sims said. "I really like to take that momentum from those big 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4 hitters and turn it into an offensive moment for our team."

Sims has assuredly been big for K-State's momentum over the 194 sets she has played in her career. As a freshman, she had 68 digs. As a sophomore she had 259. She's on pace to eclipse that total her junior season.

She currently ranks sixth in the Big 12 Conference with 3.64 digs per set.

"We've seen a ton of growth the last three years in Symone," K-State head coach Jason Mansfield said. "She's been incredibly important to our team ever since we took her off redshirt in the Oklahoma match (in the 2023 season). She was a huge part of the Texas win and BYU win after that. She just continues to be better. This year, being libero, she's earned that and she's a great leader for us on and off the court.

"The consistency that she shows every day in the gym is something that she's always done since she's been here. It's great to see her have success. She's really steady and an incredible athlete, plays different positions in the back row for us, and she's selfless in that way. I'm really proud of her."

Volleyball is just a part of Sims' story.

Sims was selected to be a part of the Big 12 Beyond Borders program in 2024 and 2025. She represented K-State along with linebacker Asa Newsom.

The Big 12 Beyond Borders program is designed to give student-athletes a broad global perspective through cultural immersion and engagement. The program develops future leaders by providing unique cultural, academic and leadership experiences outside of the United States. In 2025, the program included an immersive cultural trip to Mexico City for student-athletes to experience the local culture. It has also facilitated experiences such as a Student-Athlete Design Lab Internship and opportunities to advocate for causes at Capitol Hill.

In July 2024, Sims and Newsom represented K-State in the Big 12 Beyond Borders program in Washington, D.C. The visit to the Nation's Capitol featured stops on Capitol Hill to meet with congressional members and senators, visits to multiple museums including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Native American History Museum, which they also participated in a community service program at a local elementary school.

While in Washington, D.C., Sims tackled the topic, "NCAA and Title IX" and advocated for the HR-8534 Bill, which prohibits student-athletes from being employees, particularly emphasizing the equity-versus-equality aspect of the Bill.

"Going to Mexico City was a cultural immersion whereas Washington D.C. was more of a learning experience as we went to a bunch of museums," Sims said. "In Mexico City we did salsa dancing and painted Mexican art and did a bunch of different things. My big takeaway from Mexico City is you never know what's out there. This trip just inspired me. I just want to be better for K-State and help my teammates be better for the university."

When Sims isn't working to become better on the court, she's working to maintain her excellence off the court.

"I've never had a B in my life," she said. "I'm not going to start now."

Sims earned Academic All-Big 12 honors with her 4.0 grade-point average in 2024. She's on pace for a repeat performance this year.

"I take a lot of pride in it," she said. "That's where my relentlessness on defense starts. I strive to be perfect in everything I do. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it hurts, but it's what makes me really consistent.

"It's just time management and making sure in those moments that I have free time that I'm able to take care of myself so I can be the best I can possibly be on and off the court."

As for her on-court talent — the art of the dig — that drives opponents crazy?

"I've never been afraid of the ball," Sims said. "I've gotten hit in the face probably 20-plus times in my college career, and I probably will even more, but I'm not scared of the ball. I'm short, so that helps, but I'm scrappy and throwing my body on the floor is a big part of my game."

Sims' interest in volleyball came at age 6. Wearing zebra kneepads, pink socks and pigtails, Sims began her volleyball journey. She received her first college volleyball recruiting letter at age 14.

She was said to have "lightning quick speed" when she signed with K-State in November 2022. She came to K-State after a sensational career with the Skyline Juniors Volleyball Club where she earned Defensive Player of the Year five times, received the Skyline Legend Award, and helped Skyline capture the 2022 USAV All-Star Championship title. At Lebanon Trail High School, she recorded a school-record 1,677 digs, and she was a four-time First Team All-District 5A and four-time Academic All-District Team selection as a National Honors student.

"When I was 16, the K-State coaches came to my college coach's camp," Sims said. "I thought, 'I like purple, I don't know much about the school, but I know they beat OU every year in football.' I got here and loved everyone on campus. I loved the girls on the team. The family aspect of K-State is what really got me to commit here."

Family has always been important to Sims. Her mother, LaTasha, is always close by.

"My mom has a house here, so she's here most of the time," Sims said. "It's awesome. My mom is friends with all the donors and season-ticket holders, so it's nice when I'm going to Dillons or getting gas, seeing people be so supportive of us win, lose or draw. They always just want the best for us and it's awesome."

K-State looks to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament this year after missing it a year ago.

"It'd be awesome," Sims said. "Our eyes are on that right now. Every game we're trying to go 1-0. That's a future goal, but right now, it's trying to go 1-0."

And trying to have plenty of fun along the way.

"It's been so much fun," Sims said. "This is a season where the team trusts each other a lot and we can really have fun because we can lean on each other in those hard moments and really let loose and play like ourselves."

And, once in a while, reach an eye-popping milestone.

Five-hundred career digs.

And counting.

Kansas State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Symone Sims

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