Allison Wilbert (volleyball) signed with Roanoke College in Virginia, Joy Liu (volleyball) signed with Bowdoin College, Devon Vopni (cross country) signed with Baylor, and Kaitlyn Vess (soccer) signed with the University of Dallas.

Since she was 11 years old, Allison Wilbert ’21 has been playing volleyball.

A Defensive Specialist and libero, Allison most enjoys making new friendships throughout the seasons as well as watching her teammates grow. She’s also very thankful to her teammates, coaches, and family for always being there for her.

“Coach PC is the coach I look up to the most. He has helped me become the player I am today, and I am very thankful for him,” she said. “My family are also my biggest supporters and I will miss my pre-game handshake with my dad when I go on to college.”

“I look forward to meeting the girls on the team at Roanoke and having a team and coaches who will support me throughout my college experience,” she said.

She will study Pre-Physical Therapy.

Joy Liu ’21 began her volleyball career at the age of 12. She plays Setter and enjoys it because of the big role the position has.

“I love the lessons that volleyball has taught me and over the years, have seen how much my character has grown starting the sport,” she said. “I am so excited to meet my new team and am happy to be given the chance to play my favorite sport at the collegiate level.”

The best advice she’s ever received? “To better the ball,” from her 13s Coach.

“No matter what, my job as the setter is to provide a perfect set to my hitters so they have the best chance of scoring a point,” she said. “I always remember this so I can work my hardest and walk off the court after every game knowing I put my heart out on the court.”

Joy will study Economics and/or Government and Politics.

During her junior year of high school, Devon Vopni ’21 picked up cross country. She ran track and cross country in middle school but was mainly playing soccer her freshman and sophomore years.

“I ran middle distance track the spring of my sophomore year,” she said. “And I converted over off season during the summer into a distance runner.”

She loves the individuality of the sport. And while she misses true team sports, she really enjoys being fully responsible for how she runs.

“I love the escape and outlet that running has provided for me and all the friends that I have made in the past years,” she said. “There is truly something special about getting to run with and push each other every day at practice and see each other at our bests and worsts.”

She looks forward to competing at the collegiate level at Baylor and can’t wait to meet her teammates and to keep doing what she loves while improving along the way.

She will major in Health Science Studies on the Pre-Physical Therapy track.

Kaitlyn Vess ’21 began playing soccer at the young age of four and her first team was the Shooting Stars.

Around the age of eight, she began to focus her attention and training to goalkeeping and her soccer journey continued as she played Juniors and Select level soccer for the club, FC Dallas.

As a select goalkeeper for FC Dallas, Kaitlyn appeared in 382 games over nine years, compiling 102 shutouts while missing only six games in that time span.

“I look forward to playing at the college level,” she said. “And I’m excited about starting a new chapter at the University of Dallas.”

She will major in Biology on a Pre-Veterinarian track.

View photos.

Go Bears!