Morgan County’s volleyball team has been successful over the past few years due to players like senior Allie Cox, who just recently got her 2,000th career assist.
Cox’s consistent facilitation of the ball has really opened up Morgan County’s ability to score points.
“It was really intimidating at first, but the longer I’ve been here, the more comfortable I got,” Cox said. “I have teammates that have helped me through everything, encouraging me to be my best, and the coaches have really helped me with what to do when I’m setting, so I think I’ve really grown in my four years here. I’m getting there, and I’m super confident in my setting abilities now.”
Her high school head coach, Kat Goodwin, acknowledged it’s been special having a player like Cox excelling in a tough position.
“Being a setter is hard, because you are making the decisions on where the ball is going, and sometimes, setters can catch a lot of flak for making bad decisions or favoring some hitters over others,” Goodwin explained.
“But Allie knows her hitters really well, and she knows the timing and the speed of balls every hitter on the team needs, and that’s something as a coach, I’ve been incredibly lucky to not have to teach my setter. Her sister was the setter my first year here, and she comes from a volleyball family, so she’s been around the game a lot, and that’s evident of her high volleyball IQ.”
Cox started playing volleyball at the age of nine at the recreational level, and she got into travel ball a few years later as she entered middle school.
Cox’s two older sisters played volleyball as well. Anna Cox, the youngest of Allie’s older sisters, currently plays at Toccoa Falls and was the setter under Goodwin a handful of years ago.
Thanks to her family’s support, Cox developed a love for the sport at a young age.
“My oldest sister, Rosa, always tells me to never give up, and my other sister, Anna, has always coached me and helped me get better with my setting skills,” Cox said. “They help keep me humble through the whole process, and they both influenced me and the way I play a whole bunch by being supportive.”
Allie’s father, Mercer Cox, also attributed her passion for volleyball to always being close with her older siblings.
“Both of her older sisters played volleyball, and she loved watching them,” Allie’s father said. “She got interested at a very high level and loved it. Allie and Anna were actually on the first team to make it to the state championship match in 2020, coming in second to Westminster. Anna was the setter for that team, and Allie was the setter for the 2022 team that won the state championship over Oconee County.”
Not only is the Spike Dog senior a high school state title winner, but she also is an elite travel ball competitor. Aside from Morgan County ball, Cox has played for Metro Volleyball Club and Walton Elite.
She has spent countless hours with her family traveling around the southeast and competing against some of the best volleyball players in the region.
Being able to show her skills at multiple different levels of the game has led to Cox being recognized for multiple awards throughout her career. She was named to the All-State team during Morgan County’s state title run in 2022 and honored by her coaches and teammates for countless others.
Allie’s mother, Christy Cox, acknowledged that Allie also has a great relationship with everyone on her team, which makes her drive even better.
“The compassion that she has for not just her teammates, but her friends, the sport – you can just see it in whatever she does,” Christy Cox said. “Compassion would definitely be the one word I would use to describe her on and off the court. It also helps that she has such a good relationship with Coach Kat, also. They’re very comfortable with each other, and Allie loves her to death.”