Setter Dilean Bounds and outside hitter Allison Miller signed national letters of intent to continue their volleyball careers at the next level during a small gathering with their teammates, coaches, friends and supporters last week at the Cahoon Armory.
Bounds will take her talents to Texas A&M International University in Laredo, TX, where she will play for Tammie Jimenez and head coach for the Dustdevils.
"I'm just thankful for every aspect here at NMM. To all my teammates and coaches I want to thank them for helping me get to this spot now and for all the memories. These past two years have been an awesome experience and we got to win a lot." Bounds said.
"I think she has grown as a leader form her freshman year until now. She had it early on but didn't really show it. I think a whole year of that role allowed her to be that leader for us this year. She's always been a really good setter and able to put the ball anywhere form anywhere on the court. She's just had a lot of growth in that area and it's evident," Bronco Volleyball Head Coach Shelby Forchtner said.
Bounds helped lead the broncos to a perfect 28-0 conference record over the last two years and a spot in the 2024 NJCAA National Tournament. In 69 total matches for NMMI, Bounds tallied 77 kills with over 1,500 assist. The setter also notched over 500 career digs.
Miller will take her talents to Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina, where she will play for Lauren Baufield-Edwards – 8th year head coach for the Patriots.
"I truly enjoyed the entire team dynamic of the program that Shelby and Mila have built here. It's not just about volleyball. They've shown us that's it's about connecting with people and learning how to become better people and that helped us a lot on the court. That team dynamic allowed us to be successful on the court because we all believed in each other and wanted to succeed. I hope that team dynamic can continue at the next level." Miller said.
In her two years, Miller started almost every game for the Broncos and played in over 65 matches for NMMI. In her first season, Miller tallied 129 kills and followed that up with a 318-kill sophomore campaign. The outside hitter also notched 594 digs and helped produce an outstanding overall record of 60-10 over the last two seasons.
"Ally has just be consistent. From the moment she arrived she's been a person that been consistent in all aspects. Not just in volleyball but of the school. She's had excellent grades every semester and has been great in the Corps of Cadets. She was a six-rotation kid for us as a freshmen and a sophomore she always showed consistency. We're losing that consistent component of someone who is level-headed and composed. She's an aggressive volleyball player even if you can't see it in her demeanor, she's keeps all that to herself, so that's hard to replace. When you have an individual that is balanced overall and does everything you need her to do on a daily basis it's not easily to replace that," Forchtner said.
Forchtner said she's confident her players will be crucial pieces to the success of their new programs.
From El Paso to the NMMI barracks to big-time college sports, Bounds and Miller have demonstrated how dedicated athletes of all skill levels can achieve their goals, on or off the court.