Volleyball: Mitchell signs with Lees-McRae

After the letter of intent was signed, the pictures with the family taken care of and the interviews done with, Douglas senior volleyball standout Megan Mitchell looked plenty relieved.

"It's so nice to have this done," she said. "My friends are complaining about starting their college applications and I get to be done with it."

Mitchell, who signed with Lees-McRae College in North Carolina Wednesday afternoon just six days after her high school season ended, said she was looking forward to taking a deep breath and relaxing after having to narrow down her college search from a list of over 100 schools that had shown interest.

"Lees-McRae was my No. 1, but I tried to keep an open mind, just in case a scholarship didn't come through," she said. "When they offered me a scholarship, I just had a big smile on my face."

That deep breath is about all she's going to get as club volleyball tryouts start the last week of November and the club season runs until early summer. From there, she'll begin preparation for college and leave a couple weeks early for the opening of camp at Lees-McRae.

"I'm just hoping to compete as best I can at my position and see how it works out," Mitchell said.

Mitchell was the Tigers' starting setter for the past three seasons, leading Douglas to two Sierra League Championships and an appearance in the 2007 regional championship match. She is a candidate for the Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year.

Her ability as a setter has her future coach excited.

"Megan has a solid chance to walk into the gym next fall and make an impact," Lees-McRae coach Jamie Petrik said. "She will not only bring an excellent skill set with her, but also the experience of playing for a championship team.

"We recruit strong players who understand college is not just about sports " it is about academics. Megan is prepared for college. She knows how to take care of the books and understands volleyball is an added bonus to the overall college experience."

Mitchell carries a 4.28 GPA and ranks eighth in a class of 452. She said academics played a large role in her decision.

"The school is great," she said. "The campus really reminded me of home. It's in the mountains, the weather is very similar to here. There are 900 students total, so it's a very small campus. The other sports really support each other. It's a good environment."