Tara Beilsmith sets OVC all-time digs record

The Southeast Missouri State volleyball program has seen countless talented players come through the program.

Among them is Tara Beilsmith, who recently set the Ohio Valley Conference all-time record for digs with her 2,663 dig, breaking Tennessee State’s Gina Rivera-Ortiz’s record.

“It was always a goal of mine,” Beilsmith said. “Every year, I just want to beat myself out. Coming into this season, I knew this was a possibility, so I just wanted to push myself as hard as possible.”

While the recognition is a personal one for Beilsmith, she takes pride in being there for her teammates.

“At the end of the day, I want to be there to help defend for my teammates,” Beilsmith said. “It’s not all about me, so it’s really cool.”

In 2019, Beilsmith, just a freshman, had a massive impact, totaling 641 digs, which was the most in a single season at SEMO.

“One of the main reasons I committed here was because I knew I could contribute so much,” Beilsmith said. “I knew we had two very good liberos already here in Ally Dion and Emily Boggetto. Those two really really pushed me my freshman year and helped shape me into the player I am today.”

Redhawks coach Julie Yankus said a freshman coming in and making such a big impact “doesn’t happen often.”

“We knew she was a special player right away,” Yankus said. “People ask a lot how she progressed and how she got better, but honestly, she was always a stud. She came in at a very high level and helped elevate our program from the get-go.”

Obviously, at the Division I level, every athlete is talented, but Yankus said it’s the mentality that makes Beilsmith different.

“What makes Tara different is her drive and determination,” Yankus said. “She’s very much a perfectionist. She’ll make seven great plays and then one that’s not so perfect in her mind, and she’s instantly trying to fix it.”

After a breakout year her freshman year, Beilsmith was on pace for another big year before missing the least seven games of her sophomore season.

“I had like a freak health thing,” Beilsmith said. “It sucked but it was awesome to see my best friend Ally Dion be the libero. In my comeback season my junior year, I just wanted to beat out my freshman year self and prove that I did get better.”

Beilsmith’s junior year in 2021 and 2022 was when she began to break out on a national level.

In 2022, she led the nation in digs with 773 and ranked third in the nation in digs per set with 5.90.

“I don’t ever take a lot of off days,” Beilsmith said. “I was always in here with either Claire Ochs, Laney (Malloy) or Matt (Stolz) and just had them hit at me. I was never complacent.”

Beilsmith said that being a member of the SEMO teams that have had so much success over the last five seasons was crucial for her development.

“Having those older girls to look up to and seeing how they battled their college careers and how good they got really pushed me,” Beilsmith said. “Obviously you can’t sit back and watch your teammates ball out all the time and not want to.”

Once a younger player looking to the older players for guidance, Beilsmith is now in that role in her fifth season with the Redhawks.

“It’s really weird,” Beilsmith joked. “I’m playing with 19-year-olds, and they are studs, and I can’t wait to see how good they get. Last year was definitely the test because I had to start being more vocal. I’m usually a lead by example and not a vocal leader, so I really found that last year, and I feel like it’s a lot easier to do that this year.”

Another aspect of being such an impactful player on the court for the Redhawks is the impact she has for young volleyball players off the court.

“I remember being that age,” Beilsmith said. “I would go to SLU camps and Lindenwood games all the time, so I remember being in that spot, and I know how important it is to interact with them.”

Beilsmith and the Redhawks are back in action at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18, when they travel to take on Little Rock.