By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
Union Grove senior volleyball player Savannah Kohlhagen has benefitted from the experiences of her older sisters, coaches, and club volleyball players.
Now Kohlhagen is looking to cash in her knowledge and experience at the Division 1 college level after committing to Western Carolina (NC).
The Broncos’ co-captain chose Western Carolina over Boston College, George Washington, and UW-Milwaukee after falling in love with the campus.
“I’m really excited,” Kohlhagen said. “Western Carolina is absolutely in a gorgeous area and is literally in middle of the Smoky Mountains. Many of the athletic facilities on campus have been renovated and the gym is really nice as well.”
Kohlhagen added, “I got to meet lots of the girls from the program in camp and got to bond with them and scrimmage.”
Kohlhagen is the second Bronco player to commit to a NCAA Division 1 college to play volleyball after junior Kylie Wilks committed to UW-Milwaukee back in July.
The talented duo is looking to lead the Broncos to their first-ever trip to the state tournament this fall.
Kohlhagen, however, isn’t ready to celebrate her accomplishments. The senior standout credits her older sisters, who both were volleyball standouts, for being instrumental in her successes. In fact, Kohlhagen proudly wears the No. 1 jersey for the Broncos, the same jersey worn by Kohlhagen’s sisters at Union Grove.
“My sisters have always been there for me to help get my focus on in a game or relax and hang out and play basketball to get other workouts in,” Kohlhagen said. “They’ve been a huge support system for me and I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Kohlhagen most likely wouldn’t be committed to play volleyball in college without her sisters’ influence.
Kohlhagen, who plans to go to medical school, doubted whether she could fit volleyball into a daunting college course load.
“I just wasn’t sure about playing volleyball in college with academics being a top priority,” Kohlhagen said. “But my sisters helped me realize that I need volleyball in my life as a release.”
Volleyball has been the ideal release for Kohlhagen, who started club volleyball at the age of 10. Her club experience helped mold her high school volleyball, where the talented player earned second-team all-conference honors her freshman and sophomore seasons and first-team all conference last year as a junior.
“Savannah will be my first athlete that I have had all 4 years as coach,” Broncos’ coach Sarah Busalacchi said. “We had an awesome run and success these past four seasons, and it wouldn’t have been possible without her and I feel as though we are graduating together this year and she will be greatly missed by me next year as well as the program.”
Kohlhagen said the feeling is mutual.
“Coach has been a second mom to me,” Kohlhagen said. “She is just so fun and we get along so well she has been there to help me through highs and lows of high school because she has been there.”
Kohlhagen and Busalacchi have one more run this year with volleyball season commencing.
“I’m extremely excited for this year,” Kohlhagen said. “I definitely think this could be the year we put it all together as a team and make a run to state.”
The Broncos certainly hope so.
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