The Southern Athletic Association (SAA) has begun the series "More Than" to showcase the untold stories of our student-athletes. Today marks the second story in the series featuring Yzziane Dsamou of Rhodes College Volleyball.
When Yzziane Dsamou talks about volleyball, she speak of more than a sport. She speaks of a community shaped by continents, family, and years of growth. Her story begins long before she ever stepped onto a collegiate court at Rhodes College. It begins in France, in Cameroon, and in Arizona, unfolding across the places and experiences that shaped her.
For Dsamou, the journey to finding her passion with sports began after her family relocated to the United States when her mother began medical residency in Arizona. Her parents quickly immersed her in the world of athletics, enrolling her in at least six different sports. However, by age 10, Yzziane discovered an undeniable affinity for volleyball. What began as one of many athletic pursuits became much more than a game, it became the foundation for her growth, ambition, and opportunities that would shape her future.
The connection with volleyball extended beyond the court and into her family. All of Yzziane’s sisters play volleyball, creating a shared passion that brought them closer together. She even played on several teams with one of her sisters, saying she loved having a built-in best friend with her on the court. Her father also played an important role in her love of volleyball. At local parks, he would organize makeshift training sessions for her and her sisters. In this way, volleyball became more than a sport, it became a gathering place where time spent training, competing and growing together turned into lasting memories with her family.
Growing up in Arizona, Dsamou never expected her journey to lead her to Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon her campus visit, surrounded by the collegiate gothic architecture, she found herself captivated by a place that felt almost too extraordinary to be real. “It literally looks just like Hogwarts,” she said, “I’m on my fourth year and I still don’t fully get used to it.” Yet Rhodes offered far more than an unforgettable campus. It offered a close-knit academic environment, and location near a strong medical community that aligned with Dsamou’s aspirations for a future in medicine. Rhodes offered Yzziane a rare opportunity to pursue excellence on the volleyball court, challenge herself in the classroom, and take meaningful steps towards a future career in medicine, all in one place.
For Dsamou, success has never been defined by what happens on the volleyball court alone. A biology major with a minor is psychology, she has built her academic path around a clear purpose, understanding both the human body and mind to better treat her future patients. That ambition requires a demanding schedule between classes, labs, volleyball practices, film sessions, and other college commitments, requiring her to balance a full life on and off the court.
Through her time at Rhodes, she had the opportunity to spend time at both St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Le Bonheur Children’s, reinforcing that medicine is more than just a career goal for her, but her calling. As a senior, Dsamou is actively prepping for the MCAT and beginning to explore medical schools. Playing volleyball at Rhodes prepared her for this next chapter by teaching her how to manage pressure, commit to a process, and remain focused on her long-term goals.
As graduation approaches, Yzziane is preparing to leave behind an important and defining chapter of her life. When asked what she will miss most, her answers come back to the people who have shared her journey with her. She will miss her teammates and the friendships built through countless practices, competitions, and road trips, the professors who challenged her to grow beyond the classroom, and the coaches who guided her over the last four years. She will miss the familiar rhythms of life as a student-athlete, like the early morning, days spent moving between practice and class, time with her friends, and all the moments in between that made Rhodes feel like home.
During her collegiate journey, she has learned that growth can come not only from within but also through building a strong support system. “The best thing you can do in those hard moments is to pour into others around you.” She has discovered the value of surrounding herself with people who uplift and encourage her, reminding her that some of the greatest growth can stem from the connections built along the way.
Yzziane arrived at Rhodes with an ambition to excel on the volleyball court and in the classroom. She leaves with something more valuable:
the confidence to define herself beyond either one. Volleyball may have helped shape her journey, but it has never been the whole story. As she prepares to trade the court for the next stage of her education, she does so knowing the qualities that made her a successful student-athlete will continue to guide her long after the final whistle.
And this is what makes Yzziane Dsmaou
more than an athlete.
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