Wave's Haggenjos chooses Loyola

St. Edward girls volleyball player Kristen Haggenjos knew what she wanted when it came to picking the right college.

Because Loyola University satisfied every item on her personal checklist, the junior outside hitter committed to play for the Ramblers over the weekend.

"Loyola definitely was my No. 1 school, which is why I'm really, really excited," the 16-year-old West Dundee resident said Monday. "It was one of the first schools I visited and it was someplace I really wanted to consider because it had everything I wanted.

"I wanted to stay close to home so my family and friends could come see me play. Loyola is perfect. It's right on the lake. It's got a great nursing program, which is what I want to study. The coaches are great. The team is great. Overall, it was just a great fit."

Haggenjos has been a member of the St. Edward varsity team for three seasons, playing outside hitter. She was named to the 2007 Daily Herald all-area team last fall after posting a team-best 319 kills and a kill efficiency of .315

"She's a very good all-around athlete, a great leader, very competitive," St. Edward coach Jaime Walton said.

Haggenjos (5-foot-9), who possesses one of the area's most ferocious arm swings, is also playing outside hitter this spring for Club Fusion's U-17 Black squad. However, she was recruited by Loyola to play libero.

The switch to a defensive position shouldn't be much of a stretch for Haggenjos, who led the Green Wave in digs last season with 330.

"I fully embrace (playing libero) because I love defense, which is also a big part of being an outside as well," she said. "I really like defense, so I'm open-minded to anything because it's my No. 1 school. It's something new, but I'm excited about it. I'll have to practice that."

Though she visited several more colleges, her visit to Loyola early in the recruiting process left an indelible impression.

"Kristen had looked at a number of schools in the area and a little further out, but she really wanted to go to school close to home," said Club Fusion recruiting coordinator Jim Mohr. "She went on a visit to Loyola, loved it, fell in love with the team and the coaches.

"She looked at other schools through the process, but it always came back to Loyola."