Pack players give colleges net gains
Greenbrier High School volleyball players Jennifer Wells (left) signed a scholarship to play
for the State University of West Georgia, and Rachel Cordier signed to play for Cottey College in Nevada, Mo.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
During their prep careers Jennifer Wells and Rachel Cordier have seen the Greenbrier High School volleyball team rise to the elite ranks in the Georgia High School Association.
Now they'll get to see how volleyball is played at the next level.
"We had four seniors on the team, and two are going to play in college, so that's nice," Lady Wolfpack coach Debbie Born said.
Cordier has signed a scholarship to compete at Cottey College, a two-year school in Nevada, Mo., while Wells secured a scholarship with the State University of West Georgia in Carrollton.
The Lady Pack program has won Area 3-AAAA titles in three of the past four seasons, and advanced to the Class AAAA state semifinals the past two seasons.
The court success led to a net gain for Wells and Cordier.
"Every year the volleyball program at Greenbrier has gotten better," Wells said. "When you have a good team, more college take notice and players can get scholarships."
Wells was selected Area 3 Player of the Year last fall, and the middle hitter has had her sites on a college scholarship since she was a sophomore.
Cordier just recently began considering a college volleyball career, and the setter thinks her experience with the Lady Pack will carry over.
"At the state (high school) tournament you really see what kind of level people can play on. They're not just messing around," Cordier said. "That kind of intensity can be intimidating at first, but that prepares you to play in college."
Cordier has set a goal to start for the Comets next season, and Born believes that dream could come true.
"I think she'll be a great asset to their team," Born said. "It's a perfect situation for her to go in and make an impact right away."
When Wells arrives at West Georgia, she'll reunite with former Greenbrier teammate Laura Schmidt, who was the 2002 Area 3 Player of the Year before signing a scholarship with the Wolverines.
Having a friend alongside on the court can't hurt, but Wells is already battling the butterflies.
"At first I wasn't as worried, but now that the time to play in college is getting closer, it can be intimidating," Wells said. "There's going to be a lot of competition, so there's a lot I need to work on."
From what her high-school coach has seen, Wells shouldn't be so worried.
"She's one of those girls that just rises to the occasion," Born said. "Jenn is very cordial and friendly, but she gets down to business. She's all about work."