While most seniors are stressing about completing their college applications, senior Abby Kanakry already committed to Northern Kentucky University last April for volleyball. Kanakry said it was a relief because she only had to deal with filling out scholarship forms.

Kanakry committed to the university over the phone during seventh hour with her mom in the car. That is when she found out they wanted her to redshirt meaning she received a full scholarship for five years instead of four.

On November 8, Kanakry made it official and signed with Northern Kentucky University.

“I thought when I was signing it was going to make me feel a different (way), Kanakry said. “But it’s just a piece of paper, like as soon as I committed there was just one full week of a high and I just felt so happy.”

After Kanakry committed she felt excited and had no doubts about her decision because she loves the campus and the people. She can’t wait to work with her coaches because they will push her to do her best.

Kanakry didn’t follow the path of most athletes. She wanted to play division one and sometimes it is harder to commit after sophomore year because division one players commit earlier but Kanakry was still able to make it official.

Kanakry sent out emails, recruitment videos and called them. Northern Kentucky University wanted her on campus so she visited a few weeks later. When she visited, they told her they had one redshirt spot left and that all she had to do was wait for a phone call.

“I got the call and they were like ‘we wanna commit you’ and when normally people get that call they wait to talk to their parents (and) wait to commit,” Kanakry said. “But I knew I wanted to commit so bad. So I talked to my parents before the phone call and we were like okay. As soon as they asked me I was like ‘I want to commit, like I’m committing.’”