Were deep into the 2013 women’s college and high school seasons but players all around the country continue to plan the next step in their careers. See who’s going pro overseas, where the top juniors players are committing to college, and which schools will be welcoming transfers to their rosters.
Annika Albrecht couldnt fight the ties pulling her to the University of Nebraska. The 6’0″ North Aurora, Ill., senior outside has decided to be a Husker, following in the footsteps of her parents, who met playing intramural volleyball at Nebraska. She will begin her career as a walk-on with hopes of eventually earning a scholarship.
Ohio State University has collected a commitment from Jackson High School’s Brooke Bailey, a 6’2″ sophomore all-around player. Bailey has a 4.0 GPA and plays club for Academy Volleyball Cleveland. Last year, Bailey helped lead her high school team to the Ohio Division I state championship match where they were runners-up.
Born and raised in California, high school junior Lauren Fuller cant wait to return to the West Coast for college. The Pasadena native verbally committed to San Diego. She is currently finishing her last two years at Hinsdale Central High School in Illinois where her mother is a professor at the University of Chicago.
Sumeet Gill, a junior middle blocker from Wilton, Calif., will be traveling up north to the University of Oregon following her graduation from Pleasant Grove High School in 2015. Gill’s SynergyForce Volleyball Club team took fifth at Girls Junior Nationals in Dallas, Texas, this summer where she was named to the All-Tournament team.
Mike Iandolo, a graduate of Lewis University where he was a standout setter, has signed to play professionally for club Abiant Lycurgus in the Netherlands. Following his 2010 graduation from Lewis, Iandolo assistant coached high school volleyball in Florida from 2010-2012 and then at Lewis during the 2013 season. This summer he played for Team Florida WAVE in the inaugural season of the men’s Premier Volleyball League (PVL). At the USAV Open Nationals, he earned Tournament MVP honors after leading the team to the championship.
Gert Lisha left Naperville North High School in Illinois just before the state tournament this spring to play with the Albanian national team. The 6’6″ setter’s father was also a national team player in Albania, and Lisha has dual citizenship. This fall, after completing his time with the Albanian team, Lisha headed to hometown powerhouse Lewis University where hell play his freshman season in the spring.
Sophomore outside hitter Andie Malloy‘s decision to leave Iowa Statewhere she was a key contributor on a top 20 team and where she was receiving a scholarshipto attend Baylor surprised many people, including Iowa State head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch who wasnt informed of the transfer until two weeks before the start of preseason practice. Malloy states she transferred to be closer to her home in Allen, Texas, and to attend a school with a more Christian culture. Shell have to sit out this season because she didnt get the necessary release from Iowa State.
Olivia Mohler, a Vancleave, Miss., native and University of South Alabama graduate has elected to continue her volleyball career as a professional. She signed with SVM Senica, a Slovenian team, after impressing scouts at a camp in Slovenia in August. The 62 middle blocker finished her career at USA ranked fourth in career block assists.
Courtney Vogler, a 6’2″ middle blocker at the Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa, Fla., has verbally committed to the University of North Carolina for the 2015 season. The high school junior has decided to pursue volleyball at the next level despite having to dial back her so far very successful modeling career for companies such as Kohl’s and Delia’s.
