The Reed High volleyball team made a run to the Northern 4A championship and advanced all the way to the state final last fall. Given its success, it should not come as a surprise that the RHS spikers had some college-bound talent on the roster.

On Wednesday, a trio from Reed’s North championship squad announced their intentions to play college volleyball by signing letters of intent at an afternoon ceremony in the RHS gym. Raiders seniors Olivia Emerson, McKinley Chesley and Katie Fitzpatrick comprised that group.

Emerson is set to attend Felician College in Lodi, NJ while Chesley and Fitzpatrick will both got to Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo.

“Everything worked out really well,” Emerson said. “I visited Felician and one other. Once I got to Felician, that’s where I wanted to be. I just knew. Mercy College in NY, was the other. It was big and crowded. I didn’t love a lot about it, but I did love a lot about Felician.”

Emerson, 17, who visited Felician in mid-November, is the daughter of Kimberly and Tom Emerson. She plans to major in biology and gear up toward a master in forensics.

Chesley and Fitzpatrick took a visit to Southwest Baptist earlier this month and both came back to Reno with their decision on higher education and a college volleyball playing career decided.

“I’m excited to go out there and go away to school, to be myself,” Chesley said. “I liked it because it’s a nice school with nice people and a great campus. It’s a Division II school in a really competitive league.”

Chesley, a first-team High desert League honoree last fall, is the daughter of Karl Chesley and Deanna Berry-Chesley. The 17-year-old plans to major in environmental biology.

Fitzpatrick raved about Southwest Baptist much like Chesley. The 17-year-old also visited Montana State. However, when she returned from visiting Southwest Baptist she said her decision was a no-brainer.

“When I went to Montana State, it just didn’t feel right,” Fitzpatrick said. “When we went out there, the team was so encouraging. The coach was great. The school in general was a good fit. It just felt right in my heart.”

Fitzpatrick, who earned all HDL honorable mention honors for Reed last fall, is the daughter of Jim and Jody Fitzpatrick. She plans to major in physical therapy.