Editor's Note: This is the first profile in a series highlighting Little Rock Athletics Hall of Fame inductees. For more information on the February 6 ceremony, visit https://bit.ly/4q5KPV7 or email Noah Henkell at nhenkell@ualr.edu.
Few student-athletes in Little Rock history have redefined excellence the way Edina Begić did. From the moment she arrived in 2011, Begić raised the standard for Trojan Volleyball and built a legacy that continues to define the program.
Across four seasons, Begić emerged as one of the most dominant attackers in NCAA Division I volleyball, pairing elite production with consistency, toughness, and academic success. By the end of her career, she stood as the most prolific offensive player in Little Rock history and one of the most accomplished hitters of the rally-scoring era.
"Getting into the Hall of Fame is a huge honor," Begić said. "It's not just about wins, numbers, or statistics—it's about the whole journey. The good moments, the hard moments, the injuries, the lessons, and everything that led me from Bosnia to Little Rock. I'm proud of everything I went through and proud I was able to leave a mark at UALR."
Begić finished her career ranked No. 1 in program history in kills (2,189), kills per set (4.71), and attack attempts (5,418). She also ranked second all-time in digs (1,269) and service aces (163). Her 2,189 kills remain the second-most in the NCAA rally-scoring era and fourth-most in Sun Belt Conference history.
"If you have one player like her in your whole career, you're lucky," said Van Compton, the recently retired Trojans head coach who led the program for 38 seasons.
Her dominance extended well beyond the program record book. Begić became the first player in Sun Belt Conference history to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors three times (2012–14). She capped her collegiate career as the 2014 Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player and the 2014–15 Sun Belt Female Student-Athlete of the Year. During the 2014 season, she set an NCAA record with eight Offensive Player of the Week honors.
"She was the driving force behind our success," Compton said. "She was so dominant and played at a high level every night. We always knew we could depend on her."
On the national stage, Begić earned AVCA All-American Honorable Mention and All-Region honors in both 2013 and 2014, finishing among the nation's leaders in kills and points per set in each season.
Despite battling injuries throughout her career, Begić started nearly every set she played and compiled 59 double-doubles, multiple 30-kill matches, and several single-match program records.
"I'm really proud of how Little Rock prepared me for professional volleyball," Begić said. "The confidence my coaches and teammates gave me made everything after college possible."
Begić matched her on-court excellence with academic achievement, earning Academic All-District honors and multiple Sun Belt academic recognitions.
"It was an honor and a privilege for me to coach Edina for four years," Compton said. "I'm so proud of her. There is no other player I can think of who is more deserving of Hall of Fame recognition."
Her journey to Little Rock began in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where a chance encounter with a Trojan sparked her interest in the program—a moment that would change her life.
"That visit changed everything for me," Begić said. "The coaches, the athletic department, and the professors made me feel at home. Those four years were some of the best years of my life."
