Skutt Standout McCormick Commits to Omaha
OMAHA – Omaha landed one of the most coveted players in the Class of 2021 when Skutt Catholic sophomore Shayla McCormick committed to the Mavericks earlier this month. McCormick, an athletic 6-foot outside hitter that is also a defensive standout,…
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Continue ReadingOMAHA – Omaha landed one of the most coveted players in the Class of 2021 when Skutt Catholic sophomore Shayla McCormick committed to the Mavericks earlier this month.
McCormick, an athletic 6-foot outside hitter that is also a defensive standout, is ranked as the #6 overall prospect in Nebraska in the Class of 2021 and was the best available player. The five players ranked ahead of her – Lindsay Krause (Nebraska), Elle Glock (USC), Rylee Gray (Nebraska), Norah Sis (Creighton) and Allie Gray (Arizona State) – are all committed.
McCormick’s recruitment to Omaha began under the previous coaching staff of Rose Shires, Elena Pietro and Micah Rhodes, But, when Shires retired in March and a new staff came in under new head coach Matt Buttermore, McCormick said she really started over when considering Omaha, but it didn’t take long for her to realize Omaha was still her top choice.
“Omaha was my first choice during my whole recruiting process because I saw potential there, and the idea of playing close to home was appealing,” McCormick said. “I was close to making my decision when Rose retired. I didn’t know who the coach would be, so I had to consider myself back at square one. I had four other schools in mind, and all were within a few hours from home. After I talked to Coach Buttermore on the phone, I told him I needed to meet him and learn about him before committing. So, I went to the clinic and read about his success, and I committed.”
McCormick said she ultimately decided on the Mavericks over South Dakota and Northern Iowa.
“I really appreciated Rose, Elena and Micah and all the encouragement they gave me. Coach Shires was honest with me and explained that she could not say for sure she would be at UNO all four years of my college experience. I was sad when she retired, but happy for her,” McCormick said. “I was just waiting to see who they would hire. I asked my coaches at (Nebraska) Elite, (Andrew Wehrli and Tony Carrow) as well as my Skutt coach (Renee Sainders) what I should do since I had been offered a spot already, and if they thought I would still be considered. When they hired Coach Buttermore and I saw that he had been successful, I was excited. I tried to learn as much about him as I could, but it was illegal for me to go meet him, so I had to wait for him to call. I finally got to meet him at a UNO clinic; I thought he was awesome and I knew I was going to commit.”
McCormick finished her sophomore year at Skutt Catholic with 195 kills and 265 digs while hitting .280. She also had a serve percentage of 96.4% with 23 aces and just 12 errors.
The ability to play close to home was also important in her decision-making process, McCormick said.
“My family watching me play was a really important factor I have seven siblings and three nieces, and it would be hard for my family to travel anywhere and watch me play, even close schools, because I still have siblings in school and sports activities,” she said. “But if I would have chosen another school, they would have been supportive. This is just a bonus that I get to go to a school close to home and have great volleyball!
“I am hoping that I can contribute..that’s one reason I chose UNO is that I hope I can make a difference. I hope to play OH, but I will go wherever coach needs me. I know there are other awesome girls headed to UNO, so I hope I can just be a good teammate and support the Mavs however they might need me. I also love to win and I hope I can bring that desire with me in college. I just want to thank my teammates, both at Nebraska Elite and at Skutt Catholic. Without good teammates to pass and set the ball, i can’t hit. If we didn’t play as a team and win, no one would be watching and none of us would get recruited! It is a team sport and we need each other, and I really appreciate how hard my teammates work!
“I also want to thank the coaches at UNO…especially Coach Buttermore. I am truly grateful and excited for what the future brings! Go Mavs!!!”