Blaze-r of glory
Lindley signs with
University of Alabama-Birmingham
The talented girl from the little
town is going big-time.
Wood River High School senior
Charli Lindley signed an athletic scholarship with the University of
Alabama-Birmingham at the high school on Wednesday.
Sign on the dotted line. Charli
Lindley at her signing of a full-ride athletic scholarship with the
University of Alabama-Birmingham at the high school Wednesday.
Lindley, a 5-10 outside hitter,
earned first-team All-State honors and three varsity letters for Wood
River. She was a member of the two district championship teams (2001 and
2002) and made two state tournament appearances with the Wolverines in
2002 and 2003 (2nd place).
Lindley, who has slogged countless
miles playing for the elite Boise River Volleyball Club since December,
caught the eye of UAB head coach Melinda Claiborne at the National
Qualifier Colorado Crossroads tournament in Kansas City.
Charli remembers the tournament
for being very sick with the flu.
"I was so ill they didn’t even let
me go the day before. She was there watching a player on the other team.
I guess I dove over another player to get the ball up and I did and then
she started looking at me," Lindley said.
Claiborne emailed Lindley to
express her interest and Lindley said she "almost had a heart attack."
"I have wanted to go to a Division
I school since the seventh grade. This past year I thought I was going
to have to somewhere smaller first and then transfer. It is a big shock
to actually be going. I am really excited," Lindley said.
Lindley is set to join a very
young squad. In 2003, the Blazers 12-member team consisted of two
seniors, three sophomores and seven freshmen.
"It’s great because it will be two
years we’ll get to play together before anyone graduates," Lindley said.
Under Coach Claiborne, an All
America at the University of Washington, UAB compiled a 14-20 overall
record last season and a 5-7 mark in Conference USA play.
"Charli is a well-rounded player
and individual with outstanding character, work ethic and attitude,"
Coach Claiborne said. "She will bring a high level of skill and
competitiveness to an already talented team."
Lindley is as accomplished off the
court as she is on. The daughter of Ed and Jackie Lindley and Jodie and
Ed Fuller, Lindley is a National Honor Roll student, a member of the
Interact Club and Junior Rotary. She currently maintains a 3.4 GPA at
the high school.
Lindley said she would not be
going to a Division I school without the tremendous help from those
close to her.
"There have been lots of
sacrifices on my social time, but I get lots of support from my family
and friends. Lots of hounding from my mom to get my homework done and
take care of stuff. But it paid off," Lindley remarked. "Definitely."
According to UAB, Lindley will
pursue a science-based degree to prepare her for a career as a physical
therapist and certified athletic trainer.
Coincidentally, Wood River
volleyball coach Tim Richards is a UAB alumnus where he was a standout
player with the basketball team during the Gene Bartow era.