By Kory CarpenterRecord Sports EditorWright City senior Amber Schulte will continue her volleyball career at Hannibal-LaGrange University.The senior setter, who plans on studying early childhood and elementary education in college, was a four-year varsity player for the Wildcats.“There have been a lot of long hours in the gym and a lot of hard work,” her father, Jeff, said before the signing. “So I’m glad to see it pay off for her.”Unlike most collegiate athletes, Schulte has only been playing volleyball for six years.A sixth-grade physical education teacher saw her in action during class and encouraged her to find a team.The following season, she began her middle-school career on a whim. Two years later, she earned a spot on the high school varsity team.“It was exciting to come in my freshman year and be offered a spot on varsity,” Schulte said. “It really taught me a lot about the expectations you need to have, no matter what team you’re playing on.”As a sophomore, a teammate asked if she was going to play in college.“I didn’t think much of it,” she said. “But then that club season came around and I saw other girls who were going to play in college and I realized I have to put everything in it.”So she did, grabbing the attention of local college coaches before deciding on Hannibal-LaGrange.“She did that on purpose so we could attend games,” Amber’s mother, Terry, said laughing.Amber credited the coaching staff, as well as the proximity to home, for making her decision easier.“I went and visited and instantly fell in love with it,” she said. “It’s small, just like Wright City, it is close to home and it felt like home.”Hannibal-LaGrange Head Coach Anthony Childers pointed to Schulte’s off-the-court intangibles as one of the reasons the program was interested in her.“She really connected with the players,” Childers said. “And as a college coach, that chemistry aspect is really important.”Hannibal-LaGrange, which competes in the NAIA American Midwest Conference, finished the season 7-19 overall.“Amber is a really special player,” Childers said. “I think we’re going to change a little bit with her techniques to make her more effective, but I think she will fit in well with the program.”In Wright City, Schulte’s old program will look to replace her 91 assists from this season. “She was always on top of her game and she was very cooperative with anything I asked of her,” Wright City Head Coach James Baker said. “She made adjustments and was very coachable.”

Wright City senior Amber Schulte signs to play volleyball for Hannibal-LaGrange University. Front row, left to right: Hannibal-LaGrange Head Coach Anthony Childers, Amber Schulte. Back row, left to right: Jeff Schulte, Terry Schulte, Wright City Assistant Coach Jennifer Werner, Wright City Head Coach James Baker, Wright City Athletic Director David Evans.         Kory Carpenter photo.