Girls volleyball notes: Wheaton North, led by a world traveler and exchange student, thinking big

If there’s anything Wheaton North senior middle Olivia Zamis enjoys as much as volleyball, it’s seeing the world.

Just before the season, the 6-foot-3 Zamis returned from Ireland Aug. 10.

“I’m very fortunate. My parents love to travel so they bring me along,” Zamis said. “I really love if I can experience the culture for other countries. I just think it’s so cool when there are different things. And I love food.”

Her other journeys include Iceland, the Dominican Republic – and Italy. This season, the Falcons’ varsity newcomers include junior setter Aurora Zingales, a foreign exchange student from Italy.

“I think it’s a great experience for growth and I like to improve my English but it’s also a great way to learn other things of life,” said Zingales, who visited the U.S. west coast with her family four years ago. “It was my dream to come here a period of my life in an American high school.”

Zingales is leaving after the first semester. While Zamis has been to Italy, she hasn’t seen Milan, Zingales’ hometown.

“It’s been kind of fun to see her mesh with the girls,” Wheaton North coach Justin Hineman said.

“I feel like as she’s learned more English and can speak it better, it’s fun to see her personality shone through,” Zamis said. “She’s really, really funny and everyone just loves talking to her. She can get more jokes and understand references so it’s really fun and cool to see the progression.”

On the court, the Falcons (7-7) expect to progress behind nine returning starters. The result should be their second 20-win season in three seasons and since 2017.

Zamis was all-area and All-DuKane Conference in 2023 as a third-year starter with senior outside hitter Halina Istanbouli, a co-captain with senior defensive specialist Emilia Lee. Zamis will play at the University of Chicago and study political science. Other college commits are seniors Mackenzie Nettles (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) and Izzy Gibbons (Cleveland State).

After Saturday’s New Trier Invitational, Zamis increased her documented school record to 174 career total blocks (39 solos) with 277 career kills. Her 15 solos are just one shy of 2023.

“Certainly her blocking (is a strength),” Hineman said. “I think it’s really her ability to read the setter and close and block and press and really use her height to her advantage. This year, she’s become more of an offensive threat, which is good to see.”

Zamis said improved aggressiveness and a better mindset has helped. Her goal is to exceed last year’s 80 total blocks, No. 10 among 4A players. The hope of playing against her sister Delaney, a junior at St. Francis, probably won’t happen.

“I think that I’ve gotten a lot more physical as a player. When I was younger, it was kind of like I was almost scared, timid, but now I feel like I get more in the hitter’s face,” Zamis said. “I definitely need to make some changes for my blocking to be as good as I want it to be.”

Other stat leaders include Nettles (54 kills), Lee (53 digs), Gibbons (71 assists) and sophomore Emily Rochford (58 assists) and junior Mary Kay Whittington and Koliopoulos (11 aces). Zingales has nine assists, seven aces and five digs primarily playing back row.

She’s excited to wear No. 8, the uniform number of Italian national team setter and role model Alessio Orro. Italy captured its first gold medal at the Paris Olympics by beating the United States.

Zamis said seeing Venice “felt like being in a movie.”

Zingales needs no translation.

“I feel like I’m in a movie now here,” Zingales said. “There’s part of the culture shock, the homesick part and you learn how to be here and learn the culture. It’s a roller coaster.”

All-tournament picks

St. Francis seniors Addy Horner and Emma Delaney received all-tournament honors at the Fremd/Conant Tournament Saturday. Hinsdale South junior Kotryna Melstrad was all-tournament at Richard County’s Tiger Invite. In the first weekend of action, Benet won Wheaton North’s Blue and Gold Tournament Aug. 28 and 31 behind all-tournament senior Aniya Warren and junior Lynney Tarnow. Also all-tournament were Glenbard West junior Kayla Street and sophomore Cara Herbert, Montini senior Izzie Evenson, Wheaton North senior Olivia Zamis and York junior Amalia Toliopoulos.

At Plainfield North’s Mizuno Crimson Classic, all-tournament honors went to Hinsdale Central senior Ava Young and junior Caitlin Leddy, Wheaton Warrenville South senior Lauren Coyne and Downers Grove South senior Alex Barcenas. Lemont seniors April Rice and Izabella Kowalczyk and junior Nora Miller and Hinsdale South senior Lexi Fedinec were all-tournament at Metea Valley.