Strike a pose: Aidan Conner is leaving her mark on Houston volleyball in a creative way

Every time Houston volleyball scores a point, the bench erupts into a new cheer, perfectly timed and choreographed to match what just happened on the court.

Seventh-year middle blocker Aidan Conner leads the charge.

“I think (the cheers) are super important because it helps the team dynamic,” sophomore middle blocker Tara Greenberry said. “(Conner) is like our mom; she’s the leader of everything.”

Conner began her college career at Columbia, where she played just one of her four years, sitting out the rest because of a COVID-19 canceled season, a redshirt year, and an ACL tear, before transferring to Houston.

She sat out with during her first year in Houston recovering from injury and made her debut in 2025.

In 2026, Conner found herself with a master’s degree in political science in hand, but with one more year of eligibility, she decided to stay for another season.

Conner is making a loud impact that reaches well beyond the court.

For her, the cheers mean more than laughs and smiles. They keep everyone in the game.

“Not only does it show the girls on the court that you’ve got their back and that you’re super proud of them, it keeps us engaged,” Conner said.

Conner says that whenever they do one of the cheers, it creates a mental note about what type of scoring is working best for the team, and she can bring it up to her teammates and coaches during timeouts.

As the most experienced player on the roster, Conner has taken it upon herself to pass along what she has learned to the younger players.

“Aiden really hasn’t stepped on the court for us in her time here, but the way she kind of became the de facto captain of our volleyball team, and the way she is unafraid of talking to her peers and demanding things from them and having them do their jobs, and how our team followed her makes me so proud of the woman she is becoming with us,” coach David Rehr said.

She leads through body language and communication, showing teammates that success on the court matters, but so does making a difference when you’re not in the game.

Conner’s volleyball story began in her sophomore year of high school. She spent the previous four years in Scotland, where her father worked in offshore oil. She never thought much about volleyball. Softball was her focus.

Before moving overseas, she attended softball games at UH, never imagining she would one day represent the Cougars in any sport, let alone a different one.

She began playing volleyball at Bridgeland High School in Cypress, Texas, about 30 minutes from Houston.

Even after graduating from an Ivy League university, Conner was excited by the opportunity to play for her hometown team. She feels privileged to be a part of a university she has watched evolve since childhood.

“I’ve learned so much with this team and this roster, and I think the coaching staff has too,” Conner said. “Dave and all the coaching staff have really worked to listen to us and be open to our input.”

Conner is tied for the longest tenure in the Houston program among current players, as only five athletes returned for the 2026 season, giving her an understanding of the team’s recent struggles.

In her first two years, the Cougars had a combined record of 21-36 overall, including 9-27 in Big 12 conference play and a 14-game losing streak during the 2025 season.

Despite the program’s struggles, she did not shy away from extending her volleyball career and supporting the team, which has improved this season.

Even though Conner has appeared in only three matches this year, Houston is 12-8 and 5-4 in conference play, surpassing last season’s win totals in both areas.

Spectators can look at the Cougar bench in every match and see cheers, smiles and maybe even a dance party. This year, Conner has a little more to cheer about.