Ainsley Wade was on the brink of throwing in the towel.
The challenge of balancing two sports —volleyball and diving — led her to turn away from competing at a higher level. She did not want to transfer to compete. She felt her worth was tied too closely to her accolades.
A change of heart came from a campus tour at the University of New Mexico on Jan. 22. She found the team welcoming, genuine, and supportive. She saw the light again.
Wade, a star volleyball player and diver for the Hawks, committed to New Mexico — an NCAA Division I school — on Jan. 28, just days after the visit.
“After volleyball ended,” Wade said, “I realized I didn’t actually want to be done with sports.”
AINSLEY WADE was one of seven swimmers New Mexico announced as part of its recruiting class. (Photo courtesy of @unmloboswimdive)
Wade now finds herself ready to dive into a new chapter at a higher level — the Mountain West Conference. She gave herself the benefit of the doubt and now has the opportunity to pursue professional diving.
Las Positas’ program can take students all the way, as shown by Wade’s previous standout performances and her new drive to compete. In Wade’s time at LPC, she excelled as a dual-sport athlete. In the pool, she captured the San Mateo Coast Conference title and earned a bronze medal in one-meter diving at the 2024 state championships with 222.95 points.
On the volleyball court, she led the Hawks with 189 kills, ranking sixth in California with 4.19 kills per set and tied for seventh with 4.7 points per set. She proved herself nothing short of excellent.
“I’m very competitive,” Wade said. “So I know I’ll try my best. I really want to win. I’ll do anything to win.”
During the 2025 volleyball season, Wade decided it was time to step away from athletics. Wade felt her achievements were about winning, not the fun of the game. It was time to find a new sense of self.
But the positive energy she found on the UNM campus proved she wasn’t quite done.
“The team was very inviting,” Wade said. “Very friendly and down to earth.”
That was just the push she needed. A reminder that pursuit pays off.
Wade’s commitment highlights the value of the junior college pathway in college athletics. How even a community college multisport athlete can rise up to Division I.
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TOP PHOTO: Ainsley Wdae recommitted to sports and signed with New Mexico to continue her diving career. (Photo by Ian Kapsalis/ The Express)
Annie Moore is the Sports Editor of The Express. Follow her on X @SanJosAnnie.
