Photo by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia Hills’ Audrey Vielguth (6) passes the ball in a match against Northridge at Braasch-Hatchett Court on Aug. 29.
Ashley Hardee hates being forced to think about the end of this season.
For the entirety of his three seasons as the Vestavia Hills High School volleyball coach, he has had Audrey Vielguth patrolling the back row for his Rebels.
But Vielguth is currently putting the final touches on a brilliant high school career as a senior.
“The legacy that she’s going to leave and things like that, I hate to talk about that,” Hardee said. “But it’s been great.”
Vielguth has been the starting libero for three years, but she remembers her first days on the varsity team as a freshman, when she estimates she served 15 straight points in her first match.
“That was cool, I must say,” she said.
Vielguth admits she is always trying to learn how to be a better leader. She understands that not everyone is as direct as she is, and everyone processes things in different manners.
As for what makes her such a strong libero? That answer can go on forever. But the numbers certainly speak for themselves. She has surpassed 1,000 career digs, and there are more round numbers in other statistical categories that are certainly within reach.
“I’m just doing my job,” she said. “If I’m doing it correctly, then the numbers will stack up. It’s a little plus on the side.”
Vielguth is committed to play indoor and beach volleyball at Southeastern Louisiana University. That’s where she reconnected with an assistant coach at one of the previous schools recruiting her. After a couple of interactions with the team and coaching staff, she received an offer and committed to play for a Lions program that made the NCAA Tournament last fall.
There are six seniors on this year’s team, and many of them have played together for several years. They understand each other and get along (most days). Along with Vielguth, Jill Davis, Braeden Krablin, Lauren Marron, Grace Mehrer and Arden Warner are looking to make the most of their final season together.
“It’s been really good,” Vielguth said. “You know how friends are mean to each other as a joke? [That’s us].”
One of Hardee’s favorite traits of this year’s team is the collective competitive nature. He said practices are more competitive than ever and really help the team prepare for actual matches.
Vestavia Hills will finish up area play in October and wrap up the regular season. The Rebels know merely advancing out of the Class 7A, Area 5 tournament, will not be an easy task with the likes of Hoover and Thompson to compete against. But if they can manage to do so, the North Regional Tournament and state tournament are within reach.
So, what is the potential of the Rebels team this fall?
Vielguth pauses before answering the question, wanting to make sure she gets her point across in a way her coach would be proud to hear.
“I think we can be really good this year,” she said.
Hardee added, “Maybe the storybook ending, but who knows? I think with the talent we have, with some consistency, if we can stay healthy, we can beat anybody that we play.”
