VOLLEYBALL: Svalland signs with Briar Cliff

WORTHINGTON — Tara Svalland has decided to continue her academic and athletic careers next fall at Briar Cliff University.

Svalland, a senior right-side hitter from Worthington, helped the Trojans complete a 22-11 volleyball campaign in 2012. On Friday in the WHS Media Center, she signed a letter of intent to attend the Sioux City, Iowa-based Briar Cliff.

“I really liked the girls on (Briar Cliff’s) volleyball team and the school seemed to really fit well for me,” Svalland said. “The teachers seemed to really give me a lot of help and attention. I liked that a lot.”

A three-year letterwinner, Svalland was an All-Southwest Conference honorable mention pick in 2011. She posted 142 kills and 70 blocks as a junior and followed that with 154 kills and 49 blocks as senior.

Svalland recorded 327 kills and 133 blocks during her prep career.

The 2012 All-Southwest Conference selections will be made later this season.

“The first time I saw (Tara) was probably when she was playing Junior Olympic volleyball in seventh grade,” Worthington coach Melissa Schutz said. “When I was watching the team, I said to myself, ‘who is that girl right there?’ I could see right away that she was going to be quite an athlete for us. Besides being athletic, she is very smart and very willing to learn. She is just the all-around athlete that you want.”

Svalland accepts the challenge of playing volleyball with a tougher, faster pace.

“I’m excited to play college volleyball because it’s a chance to learn new things and get to a higher level,” she said.

Svalland, who said she intends to study sports science at Briar Cliff, is a three-time state qualifier in gymnastics, including a sixth-place finish in the vault in 2012. In track and field, Svalland qualified for the 2010 and 2012 state meets in the high jump.

With springs for legs, Svalland uses a 21-inch vertical leap to succeed athletically.

“Her vertical jump … it’s amazing, it’s huge,” Schutz said. “She has a powerful swing and great blocking ability to go along with that.”

Svalland overcame an ankle injury last June and aided the Trojans this fall, despite having a fractured foot.

Third-year Briar Cliff coach Jill Muhe said she was impressed with Svalland on and off the volleyball court.

“We’re very excited to have Tara as a member of the Charger family,”Muhe said. “She brings a great work ethic and solid fundamentals from her experiences with Junior Olympic and high school volleyball. I am really looking forward to working with her for the next four years.”

Briar Cliff, which is 19-14 overall this season heading into the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tournament today as the sixth seed, is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Tags: sports, prep, volleyball, trojans