Why LOVB Is Must See TV, Just Ask Amber Igiede

Not only has she already cemented herself as a rising star in the sport—she was a two-time All-American player at the University of Hawaii, played on the U.S. National Team and competed professionally in Italy—but her name is also being volleyed around for the 2028 Olympic team.

But for the 25-year-old, it’s one step at a time, as it’s always been.

“I am still young, and I feel like a lot of my accomplishments have been through really understanding the big goal,” she explained, “but also setting the small ones and trying to hop over the small ones one step at a time.”

In fifth grade, having never played volleyball before, that goal was to simply make the team. Then in eighth grade, it was to make varsity the next year. In high school, to be able to play at the collegiate level—and so on. Needless to say, she aced them.

“I've always had these big goals of like, ‘One day, USA national team,’” she detailed. “But then when I bring it back to Earth, I'm like, ‘Okay, let's just make the varsity team.’ So, it's like the little goals really matter. And it helps you. It helps you feel less overwhelmed.”

So, while Amber admitted she is “really trying to live in the moment” when she hears Olympic rumblings—after all, the Games are still years away—she also isn’t shying away from dreaming big.

“I think it really is important to establish the goal that you want in your mind,” she said, “because it's something to fight for, and it's something to push for.”

In the meantime, Amber is focusing on her game and quietly reveling in the position she finds herself in: Being a role model. Among the snaps on the athlete’s Instagram grid is a video of Amber flexing alongside a group of young fans.

“It honestly makes me almost emotional because I used to really be insecure about my arms,” she shared. “As women we are always like, ‘Oh, how do I look in this dress? How do I fit into these jeans?’ Just always worried about our bodies, especially as athletes. And I’ve had these arms since I was 3, genuinely.”

But instead of dwelling on what she can’t change, Amber embraced her physique—and all it has allowed her to achieve.

“We do such hard things as women in general, and plus as athletes,” she said. “So I think it's really fun to embrace being a strong woman, physically and mentally. And then also embracing softer side and embracing different relationships: Being with your friends, cooking, being at home, just embracing different sides of you—I think at the end of the day, it really brings depth as a person.”

To follow Amber’s matches with LOVB Houston, tune into USA Network Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET—or catch her spikes in person: Tickets are available on LOVB’s website.

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