Sacrifice didn’t stop senior Anne Bachmann inthejourneytowardsbeingaNCAADivision1setter.TheThunderbolt accepted a scholarship to play volleyball atTennessee-Chattanoogabeginninginthefallof2013.

Bachmann, just like most volleyball playersgrowing up in Nebraska, dreamed of playing for theHuskers.Butsheisveryhappywithhoweverythingturnedout.

“IkindofknewmyentirecareerthatIhadthetalenttoplaycollegevolleyball,”Bachmannsaid.“ButIdidgothroughaperiodofdoubt,debatingwhetherIreallywantedtocommitthenexteightyearsofmylifetovolleyball.Butafter much consideration, I couldn’t imagine my life anyotherway.”

Bachmannspentmuchofherrecruitmentprocesscommunicating with former Pius volleyball player, ElleRoss,whonowplaysforFurmanUniversity.SheadvisedBachmann to go for it. Ross told Bachmann that duringcollege,sportswouldkeepherontherightpath,inlineandoutoftrouble.

People always told Bachmann that when sheset foot on the campus shewas supposed togo to, she’dknow.

“Tennessee-Chattanooga justhad the right feel,” Bachmann said. “I

knewIwantedtogofaraway.Therecruitingclassof2013isjustlikeme.Theyareprettyeasy-goingpeople,butareall

focusedon the commongoalon comingback toOmaha,NebraskaandcompetingintheNCAAtournament.”

The senior chose to set for the Mocs (short forMockingbirds)overLoyola,Maryland,NorthDakotaandAirForce.

Bachmannwasrecruitedasasetterandservedasoneof thesettersfor theThunderbolts in2010,butmade

thetransitiontoadefensivespecialistduringthe 2011 season.This transition was really

difficult at first, but made Bachmann a better all-aroundplayerandimprovedherdefensealot.

“ItwashardbecauseIwentfromapositionwhereI touched theballeveryplay, to theback rowwhereyoumaybe touch the ball every other play,” Bachmann said.“Suddenly,Ibecametheeyesandvoiceoftheteam.”

BachmannadmittedthatherNebraskaJuniors17ssquadhelpedgreatlyinherrecruitingprocess.Thisprocesstook about two years. She started sending emails withvideosandhervolleyballresumeattachedandencouragedcoachestocometotournamentsandwatch.

“Wetravelalloverthecountrysomanydifferentcoaches got the chance to look at me,” Bachmann said.“Butobviously,Iwasthesetterforthatteam,sothat’sthepositionthatthecollegiatecoacheswatchedmeplay.“ “Anneisuniquebeyondbelief,”PiusXvolleyballcoachJakeMooresaid.“Shealwayshashighenergyandwants to please everyone. She is dedicated to the gameandputstheteambeforetheindividualwhichistheperfectcharacteristicofasetter.Sheisa4yearletterwinner,whichisrareatPius.Anneisdisciplineandisalsothecaptainofoursquadthisseason.” ThededicationandsacrificesparkedthedreamofbeinganNCAADivision1collegesetterandthePiusfam-ily looks forward to watchAnne Bachmann compete forTennessee-Chattanoogabeginninginthefallof2013.

Sports10 September 21, 2012

Fall Sports Brief

Girls GolfLincoln Pius X can only

expect more after a fourth-placefinish in the girls’ state Class Agolf tournament last year. Withthetopfourplayersreturning,anotherplayerwhowas on and off the varsity, and three newcomers,the Thunderbolts have good reason to expect thehighestfinishpossiblethisyear.

SeniorMarisaPribnowandjuniorMaddieKoenigwere fifth and14th, respectively last fall.Seniors Miranda Paul, Kelsey Benes and RoseMedillhaveplentyoftournamentexperience,too.

Already, the Thunderbolts have wonthe Southeast Invitational beating the defendingstate champions, Grand Island, won the NorfolkInvitational, and the Kearney Invitational, andfinishedsecondattheElkhornSouthInvitational.

“Thisseasonhasbeengreat,”seniorMarisaPribnow said. “We have won every tournamentexcept for two and the overall bond of this teamisamazing.Iwouldn’ttradeitfortheworld.AndI can’t wait to see how we perform once Octoberrollsaround.”

Boys TennisTennisisofftoahotstart,recentlywinning

thetenteamSkuttInvitational.SeniorTreyMcGillisworkingattheNo.1SinglespositionandseniorJackOlssonandsophomoreLandonWarnerareteamingupatNo.2Doubles.

JuniorJohnCecavais14-5atNo.2singlesandseniorDavisWarnerandsophomoreAdamOlsonaredevelopingquicklyatNo.2doubles.

TheBoltsplacedthirdattheCapitalCityClassicandSpartanInviteandhostthe16-teamPiusXInvitethiscomingweekend.

“Theguyshavebeenworkinghard,”CoachNolanDeWispelaresaid.“Theyhavebeendevelopingmoreconfidencealongtheway.”

TheBoltsareworkingtowardbeinginpeakformwhentheStateTournamentcomesaroundonOct11and12.

Softball The number of returning

members the Thunderbolts have thisseasonisastounding.Withsixseniorswhohavestartedmostof theircareer,this squad continues to be strong

contenders in every game thus far, this season. One ofthe seniors beingArkansas recruit, Kat Woolman whohit.467lastseason.

Their season opened with the annual fightbetween Pius and Lincoln Southeast. Unfortunately,defeat fell into the hands of the Bolts that evening, asthey were swept by the Knights. While the Bolts losttheirfirsttwogamesoftheseason,andhavereboundedsincethentotaketo#3spotintheClassBrankingsandtakingsecondplace in theannualHastingsTournamentonSept15.ThisteamhaschalkedupwinsagainstBlair,Norris,andLincolnNorthStar.

“Theteamisontherightpathtoreachingstatethisyear,”seniorShelbyChapellesaid.“Wehavemanychallenges ahead and can only hope we can overcomethemasateam.”

Pius X, under the leadership of second yearCoach Don Rempe, will look to advance to the StateTournament as they compete in the district tournamentonOct4andOct5.

Volleyball leads senior to true destinationcoRinne simpson

Editor-in-Chief

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coRinne simpsonEditor-in-Chief

School: Lincoln Pius X High School

Student: Corinne Simpson