Kamiak’s Keller commits to Seattle University
Published 11:57 pm Friday, July 20, 2007
The first offer was the only one Jordan Keller needed.
Keller, a senior-to-be volleyball player from Kamiak High School of Mukilteo, has the height (6 feet 2 inches) and athletic ability that college coaches crave. Here’s proof: Recruiters started showing interest in the tall middle blocker when she was just 15.
Earlier this month, Keller received her first official volleyball scholarship offer. It came from Seattle University. Despite previously considering several other schools, Keller quickly made a verbal commitment to SU.
“I knew right away after touring the school and seeing the community that I wanted to go there,” said Keller, who committed July 9. She plans to join the Redhawks in the fall of 2008.
Keller’s college career could coincide with an exciting change at Seattle U. The Redhawks are in the process of bumping up from NCAA Division II membership to Division I.
Verbal commitments are non-binding. Class of 2008 volleyball recruits can’t submit a binding NCAA National Letter of Intent until November.
Keller, who last year helped Kamiak advance to the Class 4A state tournament and win a state match for the first time in team history, received interest from several other college teams. She cancelled recruiting trips to Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University and Gonzaga University after committing to Seattle U.
It’s been an eventful summer for Keller, who returned Thursday from a three-day USA Volleyball High Performance camp at Fife High near Tacoma. Out of 50 girls who tried out, Keller was one of 10 chosen to compete in a prestigious tournament – the 2007 USA Volleyball Global Challenge – next week in Salt Lake City.
Keller said she’s excited about the opportunity. She’ll get to share it with three of her Kamiak teammates: Julia Church (outside hitter), Bailey Jones (middle blocker) and Devin Larson (setter) also made the top-10 cut at the regional tryouts in Fife.
Snohomish pool still closed: Hal Moe Memorial Pool, where Snohomish High’s boys and girls swim teams practice and have home meets, has been closed since April and will remain that way indefinitely. During an annual maintenance check in April, one of the building’s ceiling tiles fell, leading to a more thorough inspection.
A structural engineer later estimated that $690,000 is needed for safety-related repairs and even more money is needed to fix other long-term problems, such as providing adequate ventilation and heating the pool, which was built in 1970 and enclosed in 1991.
A citizens group is considering several options, including a rebuild on the same site or at a new location, and will make a recommendation this fall, Snohomish School District communications specialist Shannon Parthemer said.
In the meantime, Snohomish High’s swim teams are scheduled to practice at the Gold’s Gym pool in Woodinville and its divers will work out at Mariner High. It’s unclear where Snohomish’s home meets will take place in the upcoming season, Parthemer said.
Girls swimming is a fall sport in Washington. Boys swim in the winter. The Snohomish boys have won two straight 4A state titles.
Former M-P keeper picks SPU: Kaleb Kuehn, an All-Wesco North First Team goalkeeper, will play college soccer at Seattle Pacific University. Kuehn, a 2007 graduate of Marysville-Pilchuck High, considered opportunities to play for the University of Dayton (Dayton, Ohio) and Barry University (Miami Shores, Fla.) but said he likes Seattle Pacific’s intimate, private-school atmosphere. Kuehn received an offer of athletic financial aid from SPU but chose to use a large academic scholarship for his freshman year. Kuehn said he might get athletic financial aid his second year. He begins training camp the first week of August.
