Hatboro-Horsham senior Lauren Schmickle signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Millersville University at special signing ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 17. To view additional photos, visit the Photo Gallery.
Lauren Schmickle – Millersville University (Volleyball)
Major: Special Education with a minor in math
Final list of colleges: Millersville, East Stroudsburg, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg
Reasons for choosing Millersville: “I visited Millersville, and when you go to college and you feel like you fit in, you feel like that’s the right college for you. I knew that. I decided I wanted to go to Millersville, volleyball or not, so when I was offered (a scholarship) to play volleyball, I was extremely excited because it was my first choice, and I got the best of both worlds.”When did the idea of playing volleyball in college become a reality? “It’s been such a long journey, but I loved every minute of it. I decided I wanted to play at the end of my junior year when I realized – this is it. I only have one more year of high school, and I didn’t want my volleyball career to end yet.
“I also played club volleyball, and I knew I would have one more year of that, but once that was over what was going to happen. I didn’t want it to end. That’s when I went to look at colleges where I could play and talked to the coaches.
“The second I started getting e-mails from coaches, I was extremely excited, and when I got one from Millersville, I was just ecstatic. It hit me all at once – this is my last year, I am going to college, and I am going to play.”
How important was playing club volleyball? “I played club since I was 13. Club volleyball is all tournaments, so it definitely helps you improve your skills, and high school fine tunes your skills. It’s a combination of both, and you’re playing all year round.”
What will you remember most about your high school volleyball experience? “In my freshman year, we made it to states, so I was able to go and watch the varsity play. This year we had a chance to make it to states. The best part about it was working so hard during my first three years and my fourth year being able to make it to states.
“This year was so special. We became so close with all the girls on the team, so the bus rides to games were so much fun. There was never a dull moment on our team, never.”
Coach Diane Lucas says: “It’s hard to find the right words for Lauren. She’s spirited, she’s enthusiastic, and she’s very determined. Lauren is one of those players you see a lot of growth over the four-year span from her freshman to her senior year with her maturity and her leadership ability. This is a crowning achievement for her.
“Lauren was our setter, and any setter needs to be able to run an effective fast offense, especially when you’re playing against higher caliber of terms in states and also the district playoffs. Without that setter who can anticipate the hit and pass and key on proper fast setting for our hitters – the volleyball isn’t going to be competitive against those top teams. Our team worked so well together, and Lauren was an integral part of our success this season.”
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