DAPHNE — Daphne High senior Ella Lomax started playing volleyball at a young age and fell in love with it from the moment she picked up the ball.

What started as a hobby alongside other sports quickly became her passion.

"When I was 11, I played on a grassroots team," Lomax said. "I did gymnastics at the same time, but I just decided that volleyball was my thing."

That decision set the foundation for a career that has already left its mark on Daphne volleyball. By the time she entered high school, Lomax was ready to compete at the varsity level, where she immediately began learning about leadership from the program's upperclassmen.

"I have been on varsity since my freshman year," Lomax said. "Maddie Hammond was a leader on the court (then), and I have just taken everything that she has taught me and put it into my game."

Over the years, Lomax has grown from a wide-eyed freshman into the team's leader. Along the way, she has piled up numbers that few in Alabama can match. She reached 1,000 career kills as a junior, recording a career-best 507 that season alone. This fall, she has already added 234 kills, ranking third in the state, and is well on her way to the 1,500 mark before the Trojans close the book on 2025. Lomax also surpassed 1,000 digs last year and recently crossed 200 career aces, a testament to her all-around game.

That production has helped Daphne remain a consistent contender every season, but Lomax said she believes the team's success through the years is about more than numbers.

"Definitely stepping on the court and having the mindset that we can win, we're a great team and not to undermine ourselves," Lomax said when asked about the winning culture at Daphne.

While indoor volleyball has defined her high school years, Lomax has also been preparing for a future in the sand. She will continue her career at the University of North Alabama after signing a beach volleyball scholarship to compete in the NCAA Division I ranks.

"My 12 year of club, I decided I wanted to try beach and didn't really like it that much, but then I got more into it," Lomax said. "I played at Dave's U.S Juniors, and I really loved it. I just decided that is what I wanted to do in college — I just have my mindset on playing beach, so I did all the things to be recruited for beach."

The transition hasn't always been easy. Indoor volleyball and beach volleyball may share the same core skills, but Lomax has learned the two games require very different approaches.

"One of the biggest differences is the approach in sand," she said. "In indoor, you want to take a longer approach and in sand you want to compact it and jump up. I am still learning how to switch back and forth."

While speaking with Daphne head coach Casey Craig about Lomax, one of the main points she emphasized was her strong character despite all her success as an athlete.

"I just have to remember that before I became a great athlete, these are all the things that I had to do," Lomax said. "I have to continue to keep doing them to become greater."

During her time away from the volleyball court, Lomax keeps herself grounded with family and outdoor adventures. She loves snow skiing, a tradition she's had since childhood.

"My family and I have been flying out every year since I was 5," she said. "We go to Utah, and we have been to Big Sky Montana. We have done it every year since, and I just love it."

Those experiences away from the court provide balance for Lomax, but no matter where she goes, volleyball is never far from her mind.

From the grassroots teams of her childhood to leading Daphne into her senior season, the sport has shaped who she is and where she's headed.

As she prepares to close her high school career and embrace the challenges of the college beach game, one thing remains constant for Lomax: her love for the game and her drive to be great.