Boe, a 6-foot outside hitter/middle blocker, is another in Minnesota's exceptional junior class of volleyball players. She is the ninth player to commit to a Division I program (the University of Denver). "I really had a good feeling for the program," she said. "It was like every possible problem I could bring up, they had a solution." Staff writer Jim Paulsen talked with Boe about the wealth of talent in the Class of 2017.
Q: There are so many good players who are juniors. Why?
A: That's a tough question. I think we started out really early in clubs like [Minnesota] Select and Northern Lights and got a lot of experience. We all know each other and we thrive on competition between us individually. We push each other.
Q: Which club do you play for?
A: Minnesota Select. I was on the 16-1s team. We had a pretty successful season. We participated in the AAU national tournament and we took fifth place overall in the open division, which is the top tier of play.
Q: In club volleyball, you play with girls from other high schools. How strange is that when you play against them?
A: It adds another element of competitiveness. When you play against girls from your club, it's fun to catch up, but when I step on the court, I want to beat them.
Q: Talk about your game. What are you working on?
A: Right now, I'm playing middle blocker, but I've been getting a lot of reps in the back row, playing six rotations quite a bit. That's pretty rare for middle blockers. Typically, middles are not good back-row defenders, but I'm working hard to build a stronger game.
Q: What is the biggest rush on the volleyball court?
A: When I help a teammate by giving them a tip and they buy in and do it. It's a bigger thrill for me to celebrate my teammates' success.
JIM PAULSEN
