SALEM, Ore. – First-year head coach
Nels Norquist wasted no time in preparing for the 2010 season with the signing of current West Valley High School senior
Bailey Wold (Spokane, Wash.) to a Letter of Intent Thursday.
"We are very excited to have Bailey," said Norquist. "She is a perfect fit with Corban and will be a huge asset to the school and the athletic program. She is an amazing athlete and will push the rest of the team both on the court and during the off season. Her devastating jump serve will be a great contrast to our tough float servers and her jumping ability will be a true crowd pleaser."
Wold, a 5-foot-9 outside hitter, has helped lead the Eagles to a 12-2 win-loss record this season that includes an 8-2 record in Great Northern League play. Wold and West Valley advanced to this season's 2A state playoffs and will open tournament play tomorrow – Friday, November 13th – against R.A. Long High School beginning at 9:00 a.m. inside the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Washington.
A two-time All-Great Northern League honoree, Wold helped lead the Eagles to three straight state playoff appearances with West Valley finishing 8th in 2007 and 5th in 2008. Following her junior season, Wold was named 1st team all-league before earning 2nd team all-league honors as a senior.
"When I visited Corban for the very first time over the summer, I felt a strong bond to the people as well as the school" said Wold. "Something really seemed to be pulling my heart to go there. When I returned again this fall, that is when God really spoke to me and I knew Corban is where I am supposed to be."
Along with her high school accolades, Wold has played the last eight years with the VIP Juniors Volleyball Club in Spokane under the guidance of her dad, Darin, who is the head coach of U18 team. Wold is also helping coach the U14 team this year.
Besides her accomplishments on the court, Wold has also excelled at track & field in the triple jump and pole vault events. A three-time Jumper of the Year, Wold was named 2nd team all-league following her freshman and sophomore seasons to go along with three straight appearances at the state meet in the triple jump.
Wold holds the school record in the triple jump with a leap of 36 feet-1 inch and finished sixth in the state as a junior, while placing eighth in the pole vault at the state meet last season.
A two-sport athlete in high school, Wold will continue that trend when she arrives in the Capital City next fall both on the court with the Warriors' volleyball team and on the track with Corban's track & field program.
Wold will join her oldest sister, Alyssa, among the college ranks next season as the two will be competing in the Northwest. The elder Wold sister is currently a member of Lewis-Clark State College's volleyball team that is preparing for the Frontier Conference Tournament this weekend in Lewiston, Idaho.
Corban finished its 2009 volleyball season last weekend at 10-17 overall and 8-10 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play. The Warriors' track & field program will begin its second full-fledged season of competition this spring with a schedule that is still to be announced.