Johnson chooses to attend Belmont
By Dave Miller
dmiller@dailyherald.com
Posted Thursday, July 19, 2007
Wheaton Academy girls volleyball player Maggie Johnson’s recruiting visit hit all the right notes in Music City, U.S.A.
A couple days after checking out Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., Johnson verbally committed to play for the Bruins beginning in 2008.
“I just loved it,” said Johnson, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter who will be a senior at Wheaton Academy. “I knew it was the right place.”
Johnson said Belmont saw her play for the Sports Performance Volleyball Club in the Power League at the Great Lakes Center in Aurora before watching her again in a March tournament in Indianapolis.
The high-flying hitter visited Belmont with her mom, Lynne, during a weekend break in Sports Performance’s schedule. Johnson waited to return home so she could talk with her dad, Walter, about her decision.
But Johnson knew Belmont was the school for her during her visit. She liked the coaching staff, the Christian school’s size of nearly 4,500 students, the campus and its location.
“The campus is gorgeous,” said Johnson, who is the first Wheaton Academy girls volleyball player to receive a full ride from a Division I school. “It’s right in Nashville, which is great. I love that it’s in a big city, but when you’re on campus you can’t tell you’re in a city.”
Johnson is considering majoring in sociology and heard good things about the school’s department.
“I’m thinking about going to law school and a sociology major would help me with that,” she said. “And even if I choose not to major in that, they have a bunch of great majors I can choose.”
Belmont is coming off the best volleyball season in school history. The Bruins went 24-7 and earned their first NCAA Tournament berth.
“I’m really excited to go and help out there,” Johnson said.
As a junior, Johnson was a Daily Herald all-area selection after leading Wheaton Academy to the Private School League title and a 31-4 record. She totaled 363 kills, 289 digs, 56 aces and 42 blocks.