When you’re out watching the Washburn Lady Blues volleyball team this season at Lee Arena, and you’re wondering who the really tall girl is, remember the name Breanna Lewis, one of the newest members of the team.

Originally from Topeka, the 6’5 freshman attended Seaman high school and has been around Washburn volleyball a while.

“I’ve grown going up going to the Washburn games. And I’ve known Coach Herron for a while. It was nice just to come back to Topeka.”

Lewis, a transfer from Texas A&M, simply got homesick after being away for a short time.

“I was just there for a semester. I didn’t like being away from home. I wanted to come back and be with my family because I’m a very big family person.”

Going from a Division I school in the Big 12 to Washburn, you’d assume there would be a noticeable change. But Lewis says Herron keeps the Washburn women on their heels.

“Really with coach you’d think the intensity would be a lot different, but with him, he keeps the intensity high. So that helps a lot,” the incoming freshman said. “It wasn’t like a big transition so that was really nice.”

Breanna hopes to have an impact on the Lady Blues squad in her first season but knows playing time doesn’t come with out responsibility.

“I’m probably going to have a lot more pressure put on me here because [at Texas A&M], they knew I wasn’t happy. Here, I’m ready to really like be there to play and everything.”

Head coach Chris Herron welcomes her to the team with open arms after losing three big seniors last year including Tessa Jones.

“Offensively, since we lost Tessa, we’re looking for someone to fill that role. And at that height, she’s going to be a lot better blocker than Tessa ever was,” Herron said. “We just want to make sure we can get almost as much out of her as we did Tessa. Then hopefully we will have another All-American.”

The Lady Blues coach explains that where Lewis will play on defense is determined a lot by her height.

“We plan on playing her on the right side because your opponents, most of the time, get the ball on their left sides so obviously she’s going to present a big block,” Herron said.

All-in-all, Lewis is just glad to be back home, and the Washburn volleyball team is glad to have her. Now she can have two things she loves, her family and volleyball, all in one setting.

“I missed my family so much. Now, it’ll be a lot easier for them to come and watch me play.”