Volleyball: Intermountain Christian School celebrates first scholarship athlete ever

Holladay • Youth was served, particularly that of Audrey Green, when Intermountain Christian School celebrated its first full-ride athletic scholarship recipient in 35 years of history.

Green signed a letter-of-intent to play volleyball at Westminster College after a high school career with the Lions that has landed her in several all-time Utah statistics categories.

The private school, started in 1982, celebrated the signing with remarks of praise, cake and a video of Green's highlights. That included footage of Green, then a fifth-grader in the same gym where Wednesday's event took place, serving underhand in youth games.

"I loved it so much. I helped my dad do it, but he spent a lot of time on the finished product," said Green, who had an audience including family members, her team and a good portion of the ICS student body. "It was so fun hearing the crowd's reaction. I didn't know they would do that, but that's how they were cheering at the games."

A 5-foot-10 senior, Green pounded a state-high 516 kills from her outside hitting position as Intermountain advanced to the Class 1A state quarterfinals. Green, after putting her name to the Westminster paperwork, said it was her club experience that helped her get noticed.

"I wouldn't have gotten a scholarship if I didn't start playing club," said Green who was on the Club V team with the likes of Fremont's Madi Vigil, Corner Canyon's Sydnee Peterson and Brighton's LeighAnne Taylor. "Especially at a small 1A school, we just don't get recognition."

Intermountain Christian's time in the spotlight, such as it was, ended this year when the Lions fell to Duchesne in the 1A quarters.

Green's name is in the Utah high school volleyball record book as third in career aces with 385, seventh in career digs (1,037) and fifth in career kills (1,467).

"She's just such a dominant player and she's also respected by her teammates," said Lions' coach Brenna Blackburn. "They were willing to work with her and feed her the ball — and that worked well."