Jacobs’ Ehrhardt headed to Toledo
Jacobs outside hitter Alyssa Ehrhardt left no stone unturned in the quest to find the college volleyball program that suited her best.
A process that included unofficial visits to 25 interested colleges over a two-year period culminated Tuesday, when the 16-year-old Algonquin resident verbally committed to a full scholarship from the University of Toledo of the Mid-American Conference.
Ehrhardt is a two-time Daily Herald All-Area selection. The 5-foot-10 junior led Jacobs last fall in kills (370), kill percentage (.289), aces (72) and passer rating (2.16/3.0). A balanced all-around player, she also picked up 220 digs for a team that finished 24-12.
Toledo made an offer to Ehrhardt in November, but she took time to weigh all options, including finalist Seton Hall.
“Toledo has been at the top of my list since then, but I waited and waited to make sure it was the right decision,” Ehrhardt said. “I know I made the right choice. It fits me academically, and it’s closer to home geographically, which is important to me because my parents (Dave and Toni) haven’t missed a game since I started playing.”
Ehrhardt has trained at Sky-High Volleyball of Crystal Lake since age 10. She was first contacted by Toledo early in the club season last winter, and the Rockets stepped up their pursuit in June after her Sky-High 16-U Black team finished fifth at nationals.
Dave and Alyssa Ehrhardt visited the Toledo campus in July, and they watched the Rockets play at Northern Illinois University on Nov. 4. They returned to Toledo later that month to watch a home match, at which time the scholarship was offered.
“I loved their coaching style; it fit me,” said Ehrhardt, who boasts a 26-inch vertical jump and can touch 9 feet, 7 inches. “And they recruited me as an outside. That was another big reason I want to play there. Some schools look only for 6-foot-5 girls, but they saw my ability and wanted me as an outside.”
Ehrhardt carries a 3.85 grade-point average and intends to study law or accounting.