Illness doesn't keep Urbelis from D-I ride

Rachel Urbelis, a senior middle/outside hitter on the Geneva girls volleyball team, missed the first 17 matches of the 2007 season with mono.

Not only did it put a damper on her fourth and final year with the Vikings, but there was a chance her absence scared off several Division I colleges.

It may have, but not all of them.

In late October, Urbelis signed with Mercer University, which is located in Georgia.

"(Mercer) kept in touch with me," Urbelis said. "It's the perfect fit."

Urbelis said schools like DePaul, Loyola, Wake Forest and Cincinnati were in the mix, but Mercer was her choice because of the combination of academics, the coaches and players.

Urbelis plans on majoring in advertising/ communications, which Geneva coach KC Johnsen said is perfect for her.

"She has the ability to fit in with a wide range of people," Johnsen said.

Urbelis was Geneva's first freshman on varsity under Johnsen. She showed signs of greatness in her first season, but really came through her sophomore and junior seasons, when she was team co-MVP with Kim Nemcek.

"Even as a freshman, in 3 or 4 matches, she really put the ball down," Johnsen said.

Urbelis is also one of three players in school history to post a 300-plus kill season. She is a two-time all-area selection.

Geneva won 109 matches while Urbelis was on varsity.

"This year threw me for a loop with getting mono -- it kind of put a damper on the season," Urbelis said. "But when I think about it, it's been a great four years."