The Recruiting Trail: Belmont checked all the boxes for K-W’s Peterson – PostBulletin.com

That is, high academics, a Division I volleyball program, warm weather, a more distant location and located in the vibrant city of Nashville.

There were other colleges that 2020 Kenyon-Wanamingo graduate Ally an academic and volleyball standout considered. But the University of Tampa (Fla.) felt too hot, and Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State are Division II in volleyball, not Allys long-pined for Division I.

But Belmont, that checked all of her boxes.

Ive wanted to play Division I volleyball my whole life, said the 5-feet-9 Peterson, a first-team All-State player for the Knights the last two years at outside hitter. I knew I wanted a Division I program. In the process of looking at Belmont, I loved the campus and the coaches and all the girls there. It felt like home to me.

So, on July 30, Peterson made the pledge that it would officially be her home for the next four years, committing to Belmont. That came six months after having taken an official visit to the school.

The tour she went on and the time spent with her coaches and future teammates won her over. It also didnt hurt that she was dazzled by Nashville, with its famed music scene and many shops.

But it was the face-to-face time with Belmont coaches and players that impacted her most.

Being on campus, that really helped me, Peterson said. The players were with me all the time. They made me feel really welcome there, and it was nice meeting them one on one, so it wasnt so overwhelming. And I was able to ask them what they thought of the coaches. Then, in the morning, the coaches and multiple players went out to breakfast with me. It was nice to have some chill time with them.

It had been a long process before Peterson committed to Belmont. First came an email from them, followed by lots of texting and phone calls as Peterson got closer to making her decision.

Belmont offered her in late April of 2019, then Peterson said yes to the Bruins three months later.

It ended a stressful process for Peterson with her having been courted by a number of schools and her often having tried to impress the many college coaches whod show up to watch her and others during the spring and summer Junior Olympic seasons.

Id see the shirts of these college coaches (indicating which schools they represented), and it could be nerve wracking. It had been like that since I was 15 years old.

Peterson and her father are both glad that the process of making a decision is over. And like her daughter, Paul is pleased with Allys pick.

It felt like home out there, he said. The people felt really warm and caring. And I felt good about their volleyball and academic programs. Ally wanted the complete package.

He thinks she got it.