Wasilla High spiker Illinois bound

JEREMIAH BARTZ/Frontiersman sports editor

WASILLA - Wasilla High School senior Carlie Douglas has started to make the design of her future. Douglas' first draft has her going to college to study architecture and play volleyball.

Douglas recently signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the Illinois Institute of Technology, and compete for the Scarlett Hawk volleyball program.

Involved in the sport since the fifth grade, Douglas has had the desire to take her career past the prep level since her sister Josie was part of the University of Alaska Anchorage program. Knowing not many high school volleyball players in the state of Alaska get that opportunity, Douglas continued to strive toward her goal. And when the time came to begin the recruiting process, Douglas found a way to combine her academic and athletic interests.

Douglas knew finding a school with a quality architecture program would be harder than finding a program that would give her the opportunity to play volleyball. She began her search by researching a number of universities with an architecture school.

"I knew that I could play on any level I wanted to," Douglas said. "That was kind of an afterthought."

Douglas looked at schools with NCAA level programs, but finally settled on IIT, a NAIA school. IIT provided both a quality architecture school and volleyball program. The university also awarded Douglas both academic and athletic scholarships.

Before committing to the school, Douglas corresponded with the coaching staff and had the opportunity to visit the university, which lies in the heart of Chicago.

"I'm really excited to be getting a change of scenery," Douglas said. "I wasn't sure, because Chicago is so big and Wasilla is such a small town. But I got used to the idea and it became really, really exciting."

Douglas said the Scarlet Hawk coaches have already said she has the ability to find a spot in the starting lineup, as early as her freshman season. During her high school career Douglas played virtually every position for the Warriors. She started on the outside, moved to the middle and ended her prep career as a setter for the Warriors.

Also a standout on the Warrior softball squad, Douglas was named first-team all-region during her senior season, and her team's most valuable player.