On Campus: Huntley’s Josie Schmitendorf looks for another big year with Eastern Kentucky volleyball

Along with sharpening her volleyball skills, Josie Schmitendorf’s college career has included practicing another valuable trait.

“Patience is something I definitely had to work on,” the Huntley graduate said. “I think a lot of college athletes struggle with the fact that your time will come, eventually.”

When an opportunity arose last season for Schmitendorf to play libero at Eastern Kentucky, after two seasons as the team’s defensive specialist, she was more than ready.

A starter in all 30 matches a year ago, Schmitendorf led the team in digs (441) and helped the Colonels (15-15) to their most wins in a season since 2017.

“I waited for my time,” she said. “When I got it, I knew that I had to be confident in myself and things would work out. For me, things did work out and I’m hoping to expand on that this year.”

Schmitendorf, a senior, was among nine nominees for the ASUN Conference preseason Defensive Player of the Year award, and she was chosen a captain by her teammates for the second consecutive year.

“I definitely lead by example a lot of times,” she said. “I’m always going after every ball on the court. Communication is a big way that I lead, as well.”

Schmitendorf said her growth as a player had a lot to do with “finding my voice and being a leader when things aren’t going our way. I’m usually the person that people turn to. I’m glad my teammates are confident in me.”

She earned that confidence by ranking eighth in the ASUN in digs – including a whopping 32 in a match against Bellarmine – and playing in every set last season. She also said it is important to show leadership skills in practice, the weight room and the classroom to set an example for teammates.

Libero wasn’t exactly new for Schmitendorf. She played the position in club ball and during her senior season at Huntley and embraces the aggressive mindset of the job.

“I’m constantly throwing my body on the floor,” she said. “I tell people all the time that I feel old. My position is physically exhausting.”

She ranked ninth in the conference last season with 3.89 digs per set and helped EKU rank third as a team (16.01). Schmitendorf’s contributions also included strengthening the team’s serve receive and passing.

With a bigger role, Schmitendorf faces a big decision. She has one more season of eligibility after she graduates in the spring with a degree in child and family services and a minor in sales. A career in medical sales is enticing, she said, but so is another year on the court.

As conference memberships change drastically, the ASUN lost Liberty University and Jacksonville (Alabama) State, which finished first and third, respectively, last season.

“That puts us further up,” Schmitendorf said. “I want everyone to have the same goal as me. … We want to be top three in the ASUN.” An even bigger goal, she said, would be an ASUN title.

Tarazi swims on world stage: Auburn University swimmer Valerie Tarazi (Prairie Ridge) competed in two events at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in July in Fukuoka, Japan.

Competing for Palestine, Tarazi placed 30th in the 200-meter breaststroke at the international event with a time of 2 minutes, 38.88 seconds. In the 100-meter breaststroke, Tarazi placed 49th in 1:13.95.

A fifth-year student at Auburn, Tarazi posted season-best times last year for the Tigers of 29.24 in the 50 breaststroke, 1:02.06 in the 100 and 2:12.63 in the 200.

PR’s Weil makes watch list: Reanne Weil, a senior midfielder at D-II Winona (Minnesota) State, was named one of 30 Women’s Soccer Players to Watch this season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Weil (Prairie Ridge) collected three goals and an assist last season for the Warriors (9-6-4), who finished sixth in the league in 2022. Winona opens the 2023 regular season Sept. 1 against McKendree University.

Bannerman heads west: Hampshire grad Kelby Bannerman transferred this offseason and will play women’s basketball next season at D-I University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Bannerman spent the past two seasons at Davidson College in North Carolina. Over two seasons with the Wildcats, Bannerman played in 12 games. The 6-foot-1 forward was a third-team All-State player at Hampshire.

UMKC finished 9-23 last season, but won two games in the Summit League postseason tournament, advancing to the semifinals.

• Barry Bottino writes about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at barryoncampus@hotmail.com and follow @BarryOnCampus on Twitter.