Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Lindsey Brown is one of only a handful of local athletes to earn a Division 1 athletic scholarship. The list of local athletes to play for Auburn or Alabama is even smaller, and Lindsey is among them.
Brown graduated from Edgewood Academy in 2024 and won AISA championships in softball, basketball, and five straight championships in volleyball.
She earned a volleyball scholarship to the University of Alabama and moved to Tuscaloosa last summer. Brown described her first season as amazing.
“At first, it was tough trying to handle the college world and learning a new level of talent that I’d never seen before,” said Brown. “But as it went on it became more natural and easier to handle, which was really enjoyable. I really love the coaching staff, players and family I’ve been surrounded by up here and it’s everything I’ve dreamed of.”
Competing against other SEC athletes every game was a huge challenge as well.
“You can prepare for something like this as long as you want to but the SEC is just built differently. There is so much talent with every team and it’s a blessing to be a part of. Coming to Tuscaloosa June 1st and practicing with the team all summer before season really helped me as well. We practiced 3-4 times a week for a few hours, and that is what really caught me up to speed with everyone. Being in the weight room and gym every day since June has shown me how much the SEC cares about speed and strength,” said Brown.
The hard work paid off for Brown. She was the only freshman in the starting lineup every game for the Crimson Tide. She had 15 serving aces and 133 digs during the season. She also led the team in Serve Receive Total Attempts with 466, with only 17 Serve Receive Errors. Brown is on course to be the starting Libero for Alabama in Fall 2025.
Of all the big moments in her freshman season, the one that stands out the most is when Alabama defeated Auburn.
“My favorite moment was beating Auburn at home,” said Brown. “Growing up in the state of Alabama it’s always Alabama vs Auburn. That’s all I’ve known is that rivalry. I’ve grown up watching it on TV and in person my whole life and it was always so cool. But being the player on the court is a whole new level of rivalry. It means so much more and getting that win was my favorite moment.”
Outside of volleyball, Brown cited the opportunity of meeting other athletes as one of her favorite experiences.
“The University and athletic department here do a really nice job with athletics and letting us all meet each other. I have met so many great people and hearing about their stories and how they ended up at the same place I am is so fascinating to me. Coming from a small town, to one of the biggest schools in the country it can be overwhelming at times but having this many peers who are going through the same things as me makes it so much easier.”
As one of the few local athletes to move on to the next level at such a big stage like Alabama, Brown knows that many up and coming high school athletes want to follow in her footsteps. She had some advice and words of encouragement.
“I’d say the most important things to focus on that helped me prepare are to keep your priorities straight. You have to know what you want in life in order to go after it. Never go into something with no idea what you want to do. I’ve had this dream of playing in the SEC since I was as little as I can remember. Also, keep your faith and family close to your heart. The Lord has blessed me with this opportunity and my family has been with me every step of the way. Always push yourself to the top of the mountain and don’t let anyone drag you down. You will have a lot of people that don’t want to see you succeed but never let them stop you because in the end it’s you vs you.”
