Men’s Volleyball | January 22, 2024
In an effort to get to know our incoming athletes further, sports information student assistant Malala Pyle sat down with freshman outside hitter Wes Smith and asked him a few questions.
Malala Pyle: Where are you from?
Wes Smith: Encinitas in San Diego, California.
Malala: What’s your favorite part about your hometown?
Wes: I love the weather and the beach. It’s gorgeous.
Malala: What’s your favorite sport to play other than volleyball?
Wes: Definitely basketball.
Malala: Breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Wes: Breakfast.
Malala: What is your favorite breakfast meal?
Wes: Some good french toast and an omelet.
Malala: Where is your dream place to live?
Wes: Encinitas, honestly.
Malala: Who is your volleyball or athlete hero?
Wes: Peyton Manning, I love that guy.
Malala: What is your favorite show or movie?
Wes: I’ll go with the Office.
Malala: Do you have a hidden talent?
Wes: I can whistle pretty well.
Malala: Why USC?
Wes: I chose USC for a few reasons. I love the team, the academics, love the coaches — there’s one of them. Say ‘what up’ coach!
Coach Nygaard: What up, coach.
Malala: Are you into podcasts or do you only listen to music? What do you listen to genre wise?
Wes: I actually do like podcasts. I like Andrew Huberman a lot. Music wise, I’m a big house, country, and reggae fan.
Malala: Who do you look up to the most?
Wes: I look up to my mom and dad the most. I’m really honored by the way they’ve raised me. They’ve helped me grow and are a light in the right direction — I want to be like them.
Malala: What’s your best volleyball memory?
Wes: Probably winning gold in Cuba with the U21 team, that was really fun.
Malala: What’s been the best part of your day so far?
Wes: Probably just throwing Brad right there. That was fun. (Check out the shot here!)
Malala: What is your favorite season of the year and why?
Wes: Summer. Weather, being home, and being with friends and family.
Malala: Any advice you’d give your past self?
Wes: Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t worry about what other people have to say.
Malala: You’ve traveled and played internationally. Tell me a little about that.
Wes: It’s an experience. It’s super broadening. Going to Cuba was an experience — we were eating food I would probably never get to eat here. Bahrain was different in a lot of ways, too, the weather was crazy….
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