10/29 volleyball: Aquinas’ Schill to walk on at Wisconsin

By KIRK BEY / La Crosse Tribune

Everything that has happened over the last two months amazes both Katie Schill and Aquinas High School volleyball coach Danielle George.

It isn’t as if George ever doubted Schill’s ability to play at the NCAA Division I level. She has the utmost confidence that Schill, who plans to walk on at the University of Wisconsin next season, will have a very fruitful four-year career with the Badgers.

It’s how Schill, a 6-foot senior outside hitter, got to this point that has stunned both player and coach. As recently as late August, Schill was focusing on playing college basketball. Understandably so, considering she had drawn interest from Division I UW-Green Bay and the University of Evansville. But when Schill had a change of heart in mid-September and decided she wanted to play volleyball in college, she approached George and Aquinas assistant coach Jessica Mascotti about helping her achieve that goal.

Everything took off at blinding speed from there. Mascotti e-mailed Wisconsin assistant coach Colleen Bayer, asking to take a look at Schill when the Blugolds were playing at a tournament in Middleton, Wis. Bayer’s husband, Dave, did so and obviously liked what he saw. George said Rod Wilde, the Badgers’ top assistant, watched Schill play when Aquinas faced Sparta.

Schill attended the Badgers’ match against Penn State on Oct. 21. She toured the campus and met with Wisconsin coach Pete Waite the next day. Before she knew it, Waite was offering her a chance to earn a spot on a team that’s ranked eighth in Division I by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, and is sitting in second place in the Big Ten Conference.

Really, could things have turned out any better?

“I definitely didn’t think I would end up in Madison, but thank God that I did,” Schill said Sunday night. “It all came together very quickly.”

Schill, the 2006 Mississippi Valley Conference Volleyball Player of the Year, is quick to thank both George and Mascotti for that.

George and Mascotti scrambled to put together videotapes of Schill for prospective colleges. George said Schill drew some interest from UW-Green Bay, but Phoenix coach Debbie Kirch told George that her roster for 2008 was full. South Dakota State University also showed some interest in Schill.

George hoped someone would pursue Schill, who had 344 kills and 358 digs as she helped the Blugolds win the MVC and reach the WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinals. She’s happy that it’s Wisconsin that’s taking a chance on Schill.

“This is simply amazing. There was about a five percent chance that all the things that needed to happen would happen the way that they did,” George said. “I sat Katie down after practice (last) week and told her that this is an incredible opportunity for her.

“Growing up in Wisconsin, you don’t want to play for any other team but the Badgers. Now Katie will get to focus solely on volleyball, and she’ll get to realize her full potential as a volleyball player. ... She has so much potential.”

Schill is happy that she’ll get to realize that potential with the Badgers.

“I’m definitely nervous, and I understand that I’ll have to work hard. But I’m willing to do it,” Schill said. “I hope that I can be as good as the girls who are there.”

Kirk Bey can be reached at (608) 791-8414 or at kbey@lacrossetribune.com.