St. Charles North's Giesler, Hackbarth find their college homes

Last Friday turned into an eventful day for a pair of senior athletes at St. Charles North who both earned Division I scholarships in their sport.

Girls volleyball player Karlie Giesler committed to the University of Central Arkansas. Kiley Hackbarth, the point guard on the North Stars' basketball team, gave a verbal commitment to the University of Rhode Island.

Giesler helped the North Stars win 25 matches this year for first-year coach Lindsey Hawkins. She sent Central Arkansas, a member of the Southland Conference, her skills video this summer.

"I really liked their campus, and really liked their team," Giesler said.

Giesler has been on varsity since her sophomore year. She has been named to the Minooka Invitational all-tournament team twice and has been unanimously voted an Upstate Eight all-conference player.

Giesler led the North Stars in kills this year and was one of the team's best servers while playing right side and setter.

"Karlie is a true all-around player," Hawkins said.

Giesler will play outside in college. She said she wants to major in something related with biology and has fond memories of her final season with the North Stars.

"I enjoyed it," Giesler said. "My senior year was my favorite season because I really liked my coach and our team was successful."

Hackbarth is just about to begin her senior season for a new coach, Colleen Brennan. She visited Rhode Island last Tuesday and Wednesday before making her decision Friday.

"It's super exciting," Hackbarth said. "They have a good basketball program, the girls work really hard. It was a great opportunity. I had to take it."

Hackbarth, who wants to major in broadcast journalism, had been considering going to college as a student at Missouri, Iowa and Kansas or possibly playing basketball at Fairfield before Rhode Island offered.

Rhode Island coaches saw Hackbarth play this summer with her AAU team, the Illinois Hustle. She's a big fan of the campus location, just 15 minutes from the beach.

"I'm a beach person," Hackbarth said. "The campus is beautiful. It's not small, it's not overwhelming."

Last season Hackbarth averaged 9.9 points, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals a game for the North Stars, who went 20-9.

She gives much of the credit to her trainer Jeff Pagliocca from Evolution Athletics, who has been working with Hackbarth the past year and a half.

Rhode Island is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.