BAY BEGINNINGS: Volleyball Team Signs 1st Seven

Click the thumbails to see photos and videos from Thursday's signing, and listen to radio interviews.

ESCANABA---The Bay College Norse women’s volleyball team is off and running after signing its first seven ladies to be a part of the first Norse season this fall.

The college is adding volleyball to its list of sports offerings, and will begin play as a member of the Michigan Community Colleges Athletic Association under Coach Dan Porath.

Signing on the dotted line at an event on campus Thursday night were Emma Andrews of Kingsford, Riley Johnson and Emma Rutter of Superior Central, Alissa Sanville of Gladstone, and three northern Wisconsin girls: Leah Allan of Oconto, Amber Caylor of Wausaukee, and Kylee Tadisch from Coleman.

“I think it’s a great start for our program,” said Porath, an Escanaba native. “I’m really excited to bring volleyball to Bay College. I was excited for the amount of great athletes who wanted to come here. I coached three of them at the Northwoods Volleyball Club (in Marinette). That’s going to make the transition a little bit easier, a little bit quicker.”

Porath says more girls interested in playing can E-Mail him or fill out the form on the Bay College web site at www.baynorse.com/recruits/Recruiting_Form

The ladies on hand at Thursday’s event were excited, including two best friends from Superior Central High School in Alger County.

“It’s very exciting and I think we’re going to have great team chemistry,” Riley Johnson said. “We’re going to build and grow into the kind of team our coach wants us to be. It is definitely a warm-welcoming facility and especially since Emma was also coming here, it encouraged me to join also.”

Emma Rutter plans to play both volleyball and basketball for the Norse.

“I’m super-excited to do both sports,” Rutter said. “It really sealed the deal that Ry was coming here for volleyball, too. That (being part of a ‘first-ever” team) was one of my most favorite parts about coming here to do volleyball. I think it will be really exciting.”

Another Yooper, hometown girl Alissa Sanville of Gladstone, is ready for the challenge of stepping up her game to compete at the college level.

“I think we’re really going to surprise ourselves and show up,” Sanville said, “because we all have great skills individually, and I think we can really pull together our chemistry.”
Flivver senior Emma Andrews is also excited for the first-ever season this fall.

“I know Coach Porath wanted to grab strong players (in recruiting) and people who are passionate about the sport,” Andrews said. “This sport isn’t for everyone. You have to love it, and love what you do, in order to go to this level.”

Porath will have familiarity on the sidelines with three girls he coached in northern Wisconsin club team, and they are happy to be playing for someone they, too, are familiar with.

“I just really love the opportunity to play volleyball two more years,” Kylee Tadisch of Coleman, Wis., said. “He really wants to see the best out of us.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to go well because all of these girls look like they’re good, they have hard work, and they’re here for a reason,” said Leah Allan of Oconto, Wis. “He runs pretty much a fast tempo, and I really don’t see anything changing. I feel that he’s going to keep pushing us.”

“I think I can bring the leadership role, especially with being a setter and team captain for many years,” Amber Caylor of Wausaukee, Wis. “That’s some experience I can bring to the team. I think it’s going to be really exciting this first year and we’re going to have to build up some trust with each other.”

Bay College President Laura Coleman and Athletic Director Matt Johnson also attended the event, which included several dozen family members and friends, as well as Bay College Board of Trustees members.