On February 4, Adrianna Howell signed her National Letter of Intent to continue playing women’s volleyball at Bard College in Dutchess County, New York. She will be playing Division III volleyball as a defensive specialist (DS)/libero and will be entering the school as a member of the Class of 2030.
Howell has been playing on the Linganore High School (LHS) varsity volleyball team for two years as a DS. Additionally, she has been playing club volleyball at Metro Volleyball Club of D.C. for nine years, and currently plays on the 18 Central team.
LHS varsity volleyball coach Andrea Poffinberger describes her as a “phenomenal contribution” to defense. Her composed presence brings control to the otherwise frenetic team.
“Adrianna’s serve-receive was steady and poised and her defensive skills were some of the top in Frederick County,” Poffinberger said. “She is just so steady with her passing. There’s just so much calmness and not a lot of spastic movements.”
Along with her excellent defense, Poffinberger said that Howell excelled at the service line with a tough float serve. She led the LHS varsity team in service aces, with 36 on the 2025 season.
“She was very poised and consistent … she just got stuff done for us behind the service line,” Poffinberger said. “Her tough-to-return serve brought velocity, movement and, most importantly, consistency.”
With her skill, Howell knew she had what it takes to compete at the collegiate level. While searching for schools, Howell found Bard College. After meeting the coach and considering the quality of education, she fell in love with the school.
“I love the community and the campus is really beautiful, too. I just liked all the values in it,” Howell said. “It just kind of hit everything on my list.”
Her decision to commit to Bard reflects her athletic tenacity and the confidence she has developed throughout her high school career. Howell’s mother, Dena Zook-Howell, witnessed the growth of her daughter’s determination first-hand.
“She’s so passionate that it hasn’t been hard to support her,” Zook-Howell said. “As a player … she’s grown into knowing herself. She’s definitely developed greater confidence over the years.”
Howell’s improvement has benefitted herself and her Linganore teammates. Poffinberger believes that Howell’s impressive diligence in everything she does will help her thrive at the collegiate level.
“[Howell] just puts her head down and works … [she] take[s] coaching feedback without any pushback,” Poffinberger said. “[She is] a dedicated volleyball player and overall student athlete, and I can’t wait to hear what she does in the next chapter of her life.”
At Bard, Howell plans to get her master’s degree in psychology and work in a cognitive science field.
