Amanda Dowdy in Professional Game

Amanda Dowdy in Professional Game

by Mike Organ

Amanda Dowdy is seen with her parents, Rhonda and Sam Dowdy, during her senior year at Texas Tech.Lexington Ex, Amanda Dowdy, is now playing professional beach volleyball. Dowdy was chosen Newcomer of the year by the Association of Professional Volleyball (APV). Five men’s players and nine women’s players were nominated for newcomer of the year honors, based on the criteria that they must have been ranked among the top 32 players in their gender at the end of the 2014 season, and must have played in less than half of the previous season’s schedule.

In her first year on the AVP, Dowdy partnered with Olympian Nicole Branagh and showed why she is a rising star on the Tour. The pair finished outside the top ten in only one event, collecting four fifth-place finishes and two ninths. A force at the net, Dowdy collected 64 blocks and a 1.16 blocks/game average, putting her third among the women.

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Following college, she played professionally indoors for the Bundesliga in Germany in 2011-12, then played professionally in Puerto Rico in 2013. She began playing beach volleyball in 2012 to stay in shape for indoors, but in the summer of 2013, she decided to only pursue beach volleyball. She was chosen for the 2013 U26 USA Elite Eight team, then became a member of the 2014 USA Elite Development Program.

Dowdy was a four-year starter at Texas Tech. She was selected the 2008 All-Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors in both 2010 and 2011. In 2010 she set the school record for most kills in a match, with 37 againstColorado. She left Texas Tech as the all-time kill leader.

Dowdy led Lexington to the Regional finals her senior year in high school.