UTA alumna Brianna Ford arrived in Germany on July 31 last year after signing with her first professional volleyball team. Now, she enters her second year in the pro scene, returning to play on home soil just under a month ago.
“It’s kind of just been go, go, go ever since then,” Ford said.
She received and signed a new contract to play for the Columbus Fury on March 23 in the recently merged Major League Volleyball, one of three U.S. women’s volleyball pro leagues. On April 3, she played her first match for the Fury, one of at least three home games she will participate in.
Ford said she knew she wanted to go to the big leagues, specifically Germany. Her former teammate, senior outside hitter Evyn Snook, said it was clear Ford was willing to put everything on the line to make that happen.
Her last year at UTA, in 2024, embodied her work ethic and solidified her as a future pro. She bundled some of the highest accolades achievable as a collegiate athlete, backed by a conference championship win the program had not seen since 2002. The head coach at the time, J.T. Wenger, was one of the few who propelled Ford’s growth as a person and a player.
Her dream was certain in March 2025, signing her contract with USC Münster with the help of her agent, whom she said Wenger had introduced her to. Wenger said he never saw his contributions that way and that he only gave a little nudge every so often.
“She did the work,” Wenger said. “While she’s been in Europe, she’s shown up and had a really fantastic go of it, and I think she won some MVPs, and then just getting some recognition from her program, which kind of speaks for itself.”
However, her time overseas wasn’t always ideal. A defining quality of Ford is her love for her family, and she said not being able to be with them after a game was difficult to come to terms with. Her pride and devotion to her loved ones would ultimately get her into trouble.
“I actually went home in December for my brother’s wedding, and that was kind of against my club’s wishes, so there was some backlash with that,” she said. “That was a big personal growth moment for me, just kind of having to know what I was willing to give up and sacrifice for volleyball and what I wasn’t.”
After straightening things out with her club, Ford returned to Germany ahead of playoffs but returned home again after learning her grandfather had died. She said her agent planned to keep her in the mix following a mutual termination of her contract.
“My agent was talking about places, wanting me to come for playoffs in Puerto Rico, and then he also mentioned Columbus,” she said. “That would be cool, but also I had my grandpa’s funeral and everything, so I wasn’t really super focused on volleyball, but my gramps loved watching me play volleyball.”
Ford shared a special bond with him and said he was one of her biggest supporters when she was playing. His illness hindered his ability to attend games, but they found ways to keep the connection alive.
“Anytime my Nana would be talking to him about me, she would just make an arm swing motion and say, ‘boom,’” she said. “He would get really excited, and that’s how he just connected me with volleyball, was just that little motion.”
This wasn’t her first hardship in volleyball. She said she hit a low point and later regained focus and found her faith during her second year at UTA, with help from former assistant coach Carlisa May and by competing in the Global Challenge.
“Since then, I have just been on this drive to be able to kind of not just prove to other people, but to myself, that I still love it and have what it takes to be able to perform at such a high level,” Ford said.
At UTA, that drive became something her teammates could see and feel. In her final season, Ford lived with a few of her teammates, including Snook, who said Ford helped make a locker room sign inspired by the blue and yellow “Believe” poster from the TV show “Ted Lasso.” Before every game, they reached up and tapped it.
“She really just sparked a belief in the rest of us,” Snook said. “She didn’t care if anybody else thought you could do it, but if you believe you can do it, you’re going to do it.”
Snook said Ford became one of her best friends and has been keeping up with her journey somewhat closely through social media and occasional chats. When she heard Ford was playing overseas, she said, she had a proud little-sister moment about someone she aspires to be and play like.
Ford said she hopes to keep the game in her life for a long time and plans to transition to coaching the sport when she is done. A big contribution to that desire was Wenger, who she said allowed her to pour into him as he guided her.
“Sometimes it’s a little push. Sometimes they have to pull back a little bit, but letting them be themselves and develop a core personality,” Wenger said. “Makes me feel good to hear that, of course, but a lot of that is just the way that she is.”
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