We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Sakura Codling.

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After falling in the regional semifinals the past two seasons, Sakura Codling and her Seton teammates are aiming for a deeper run in this year’s Ohio Division 1 state playoffs. The Saints — who last captured a state championship in 2005 — entered this week 21-2 and face Milford on Wednesday in hopes of making Saturday’s district finals before continuing on from there.

Codling – a 3-star libero and UCLA commit from the Class of 2025 – has been part of varsity since her freshman season. She took over at libero last year and remains there as a junior this fall. She’s been a defender since her 11s season, when she switched from playing setter her 10s year.

“I love being a libero,” she said. “It’s so much fun. I know hitters get all the glory but my club team when I make a big play they all rush and push each other around. The feeling of making a huge dig in a crazy big moment is such a good feeling.”

To date, Codling has put up a team-leading 406 digs. She’s averaging 5.1 per set and recorded a season-high 32 digs in a September victory over defending Division 1 state champion Ursuline Academy.

Seton opened the season winning its first 15 contests before dropping consecutive matches to Kings and Mercy McAuley — both in five. The Saints had swept Mercy McAuley in their first meeting and it’s possible they could see one or both again in the state playoffs.

“My freshman and sophomore season we were so close to being really good, we just didn’t quite have all the pieces,” Codling said. “This year we are playing really well. We were on a roll for a while then we lost our first game to Kings. We were ready to bounce back in the next one but we ended up losing in five again. That really took a toll on us but it helped us build character. We are all focused on doing our jobs and holding each other accountable.”

Seton coach Kelly Crowley is also the club director at Tri-State Elite, where Codling plays club. She’ll be a part of Tri-State Elite 17 Blue this coming spring. Codling gave a lot of credit to Crowley for helping her through her recruiting process and her eventually committing to UCLA.

“I was out in California when I made my decision,” Codling said. “I had to quickly call Kelly to ask him about what I should do and if this should be my final choice and what about the other schools involved. He was right by my side and ready to answer any question. He helped lift so much stress and pressure of my shoulders. He was at AAUs and I was texting him at random times in the middle of the night. It was like 9pm in California and midnight in Florida when I sent him a text and he was ready to answer and walk me through my stuff.”

With the high school season soon coming to its conclusion, it won’t be long before Codling is back at it for club. She said she’s hoping the team learned from a tough ending last season when it finished 21st in 16 Open at AAUs and will take a step forward in 2024.

“Going into next season we have almost the same team,” she said. “We have a new setter who played on Drive Nation last year because she ended up moving into town. We are excited to have her. Going into the season it’s about staying focused on what our goals are and what type of team we are going to be.”

Outside of volleyball, Codling said she’s really into crossfit and will spend three to four days a week doing it during the club season. She also loves to fish during family vacations, saying the family makes it a competition every year.

“This past year we didn’t have a lot of luck,” Codling said. “We go down to this small part of Florida and there is a little dock. There are sheepshead and some red snappers and stuff. They aren’t huge. Maybe eight inches, so we catch and release them.”

As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Codling about volleyball and more.

Who is a role model or someone you look up to?

Codling: For volleyball, it’s Morgan Hentz because she’s the one who shared that you don’t know if you don’t go. I remember that every time I play defense. I don’t know what balls I can touch or not or what passes I can make without making the move. Just going after every ball and watching her play in general because of her volleyball IQ is always something to remember. Also, I look up to my teammates for all the effort they put in every day that keeps me going. If they are putting in their all it makes me feel the need to put in my all too.

Would you rather explore space or the ocean and why?

Codling: I think exploring the ocean. There is so much we don’t know about it and exploring it would be fun. Also, to be able to go scuba diving seems so interesting and it’s something I want to do.

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be and why?

Codling: I don’t know, I would want to go somewhere international like Italy or Greece and just have a fun day with my friends chilling and relaxing.

Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why?

Codling: I think being a gymnast. I don’t watch them all the time but when I see clips on Instagram or Tik Tok like Simone Biles doing a floor routine or the bars or all those things it’s so intriguing and I think that would be cool to learn to do.

Would you rather have the power to instantly master any new sport you try or have the ability to instantly recover from any sports-related injury and why?

Codling: I think it would be mastering a sport instantly because as a libero I don’t really get too many injuries. Maybe a broken finger or shin splints but those are easy fixes. Mastering a sport instantly would be pretty cool.

Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go a day without?

Codling: I love using flavor packets like Liquid IV and LMNT. I’m always using those. I also use a little massage ball pretty regularly. I have this very specific blanket that I use all the time when I sleep. I made it with my best friend. It’s a knot blanket. Another is TIY hair ties. My hair is so thick I’m always snapping regular hair ties.

What is one thing that instantly makes your day better or makes you smile?

Codling: Anytime I go to practice is pretty much the highlight of my day. If I go from school or I go home and do some homework, when I walk into the gym I’m always laughing because something funny is always happening. We always need to take a break in practice to recover because we are on the floor dying laughing.

What’s your favorite way to have fun?

Codling: Most of the time on Saturday night the whole volleyball team hangs out together and plays board games. Or it’s going out with friends and having a nice lunch and going to the mall and hanging out. Nothing too crazy.

Outside of volleyball what are you most passionate about and why?

Codling: It’s hanging out with my family. I always try to make family time every day. It’s hard with school and practice. I also take some underclassmen home from school. I’m always going somewhere. So just coming home and spending time with my family, whether it’s sitting at the table or playing Mario Kart with my brother, I always find something with them so I can hang out with them.

What is one thing that may surprise people about you?

Codling: A lot of people are surprised how talkative I am. My freshman year I was shy and quiet. Then starting my sophomore year I never stop talking. People are surprised how much I talk. When I go to club volleyball tournaments I go hang out with friends on other teams and my teammates are like how do you know all these people?

If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

Codling: I would actually want to live in California or out West. Out in California the weather is so nice. I thought it would be super hot when I was out there but I was walking around in sweat pants and a sweatshirt and wasn’t even breaking a sweat. So it would be living somewhere out West like California.

Would you rather be stuck on a broken ski lift or in a broken elevator and why?

Codling: Probably a broken elevator. One of my biggest fears is heights. I don’t like roller coasters and I’ve been on a ski lift once and didn’t enjoy it so I’d rather be stuck in an elevator.

What’s your favorite number and why?

Codling: My lucky number for club is 11 and I don’t really know why I picked that number. One of my coaches says it’s double pennies. I don’t really have a reason. For high school, I’m 10 but there isn’t a reason for that either. I just picked the number at random and it stuck with me.