Ali Waldon made her mark as a standout volleyball player, leading her high school team in kills her senior year and guiding them to a state championship, where she was named Player of the Match. A top-150 national recruit and No. 6 in Florida, she collected numerous accolades including AVCA All-Region, AVCA Phenom List, and multiple all-tournament team honors. She continued her success at Mercer University, starting as a six-rotation player her freshman season and earning Freshman All-Tournament Team recognition.
 
At the beginning of her sophomore year, Waldon was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, which required major leg and hip reconstruction and ultimately led to her medical retirement from playing. Despite this, her love for the sport never faded. She credited coach Chad Sutton and coach Val Sutton with making a tremendous impact on her life, inspiring her to follow the Suttons to App State and begin pursuing her own path in coaching.
 
Waldon served as an assistant coach at Clearwater Central Catholic High School and was passionate about mentoring and developing the next generation of athletes. Her resilience, leadership, and dedication to the game continued to shape her vision of a long-term career in coaching and player development.

The Mountaineers were deeply saddened to hear of Waldon's passing on Sept. 29, 2025 and celebrated her memory with Ali's Game on Oct. 10, 2025.