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It’s a pretty safe guess that new George Fox University head volleyball coach Emily Palkert is feeling pretty good after receiving a verbal commitment from National Scouting Report 2017 prospect Anna Gallagher. Yes, that would be an NCAA Division III school getting a commitment from a very talented junior.
A 5-foot-10 middle blocker from Freeman High School in Spokane, Wash., Gallagher is quite a catch for the Bruins, a member of the Northwest Conference.
Gallagher made her decision to play for the small Christian school in Newberg, Ore., nine months before the NCAA signing period for her class. She could have held out for more offers, but there was no doubt in her mind that she made the right choice.
Her NSR scout, Kari Chavez, was ecstatic about the decision.
“I feel very privileged to have worked with Anna,” said Chavez, national volleyball co-director for NSR. “She plays on the volleyball club I coach, and I’ve gotten to know her and her family in a very short time. I am so happy our paths have crossed. She comes from a very loving, spiritual, supportive family that will do anything for their daughter. Anna is one of the most organized, hard working, positive young ladies I’ve ever met and has really started doing what it takes to be a better volleyball player to make it to the next level. Her desire to play for a Christian school that has a well-rounded student-body with opportunities to grow as a human being were met with George Fox University. They will be a great fit.”
Gallagher went through the recruiting process with the Bruins’ former coach, Chavez said.
“She did an unofficial visit last summer then went to a match of theirs this fall,” said Chavez, Area Director for Eastern Washington. “She just knew deep down this would be home. Volleyball came second to her decision. The college experience she wants is George Fox. To play volleyball is just a cherry on top. I couldn’t be happier for her. This school is extremely lucky to get the kind of person that Anna is in there. The volleyball program is gaining an amazing teammate, a hard worker, a positive and competitive athlete, and an inspiration to be better. She will make the world a better place.”
Academics are still Gallagher’s top priority.
“While athletics are a huge part of my life, grades still hold top priority,” she wrote in her personal message to college coaches. “I have held a 3.75 GPA. I am a member of National Honor Society and earned first-team Academic All-Conference for both varsity volleyball and track and field. I am also highly involved in my school’s FFA chapter. FFA is a great thing to be involved in and has given me a place with a strong sense of community, leadership, competition, leadership and public speaking skills. I love being involved in many different activities and learning through them. My passion for learning shows up not only in the classroom but also on the court by my desire to improve.”
Gallagher’s high school coach, Eva Windlin-Jansen, is the former head volleyball coach at Gonzaga University. In his evaluation of Gallagher to college coaches, he wrote: “Anna is a fierce competitor and has an outstanding work ethic. She expects a lot from herself and therefore demands the same from her teammates. You can tell she loves what she is doing and serves as a great example. The quality I have been most impressed with is her leadership. Even as a freshman on the varsity part-time, she exhibited great leadership skills and was not afraid to speak up and step up to challenges I think Anna has found a healthy balance between volleyball, academics and her other priorities (family, church and friends) and is able to integrate all in her busy life.”
Gallagher’s faith was an important factor in her college choice.
“One of my greatest characteristics is my faith in Christ,” she wrote. “Through my life I have been blessed in many different ways while playing volleyball and being involved in other activities. Every time I step onto the court, track, or into the classroom I work my hardest to give glory to God. A quote from FCA’s competitors creed has stuck with me since I read it four years ago. I have lived by it since: ‘I give my all all the time. I do not give up. I do not give in. I do not give out.'”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.