Andrean’s Rising Star: Aleece Ehler’s Impactful Freshman Season

Andrean outside hitter Aleece Ehler made a remarkable impression during her freshman volleyball season. Coach Grant Bell expressed that it was a challenging yet formative experience for her.

“It was trial by fire,” Bell said. “She was thrown to the wolves a little bit. That helps any young player grow a tough shell. They tend to roll with the punches. That was what we saw last year.”

In her debut season, Ehler accumulated 298 digs, 196 kills, and 57 aces for Andrean, a performance that earned her All-Northwest Crossroads Conference and all-district honors. As the team faces a new season without any seniors after four key players graduated, the pressure on Ehler to lead is greater than ever.

Ehler, however, embraces the challenge. She maintains that personal growth will not detract from her enjoyment of the game.

“Every year, you want to improve your jumps or swings or whatever,” she said. “But I feel every year, the biggest thing I want to improve is my mentality.”

Her focus on a positive mindset has been crucial for her adaptation to a program that requires fast-paced development. Andrean consistently excels in the NCC and postseason, demanding quick learning from its players. Ehler is no stranger to the sport’s speed, having been introduced to volleyball at a young age.

“Two of my cousins played,” she shared. “Seeing them be so passionate for it and getting to share that love of the sport and the environment was amazing. I wanted to try it out, and I fell in love with it.” Her cousins, Molly and Trevor Prisby, also played at Andrean, with Trevor achieving notable success.

If Ehler maintains her current trajectory, she might surpass Trevor Prisby’s impressive career statistics of 1,686 assists, 494 digs, 346 kills, and 132 aces.

“She’s for sure going to be a collegiate athlete in volleyball if that’s what she wants to do,” Bell stated. “Where she ends up, these next two years are a big tell for that.”

Ehler’s athletic abilities are matched by her intelligence on the court.

“I have a lot of trust in her on the court to make decisions on offense,” Andrean junior middle hitter Maya Mastalski said. “She’s very intelligent. She knows what to do in game scenarios pretty much all the time.”

The Andrean team will rely on Ehler’s skills to compete against rivals like Hanover Central and Illiana Christian in the NCC. Achieving her long-term goals in volleyball remains a priority.

“If it’s in college, if it’s past that, if it’s just high school, I want to finish on a good note, being proud of what I’ve done, knowing that I put all the work in and having that feeling of ‘I still love the sport,'” Ehler expressed.

The journey for Ehler continues, with her dedication to growth and love for volleyball steering her towards future successes.