Oshkosh West's Sydnee Nelson will continue her volleyball career at NCAA Division I level
OSHKOSH – Oshkosh West’s Sydnee Nelson made her decision on where she would play collegiate volleyball on November 4, 2024. Three hundred and seventy-four days later, she put pen to paper and signed to play NCAA Division I volleyball in front of her family, friends, coaches and teammates.
“I feel like I’ve been dreaming of this moment for so long,” Nelson said. "Committing verbally is one thing, but actually singing is a whole other thing.
Nelson will continue his athletic and academic career at Belmont University in Nashville.
“I really like the atmosphere they have there. Their gym is super nice, they have really good equipment for all their athletes,” Nelson said. “The location is great, it’s right in Nashville, but you still have that feeling of home because the dorms are a little nicer and the campus is nice where you don’t feel like you’re in this big city. I built a really good relationship with the coaches and players right away.”
Outside hitter Nelson will finish her senior year at Oshkosh West before heading out in July for summer workouts.
Nelson said she made one other visit during the recruiting process, which was Bradley University, another Missouri Valley Conference school. She played club volleyball for FC Elite and relied on those close to her to decide where to play at the next level.
“My coaches and club directors had a lot to do with it because they were kind of the ones who connected me to other schools and I was able to talk to them about everything,” Nelson said. “I took my parents’ opinion very strictly because they also want what’s best for me.
“My parents and then my friends were very supportive through all of this and I had a lot of people to talk to about it.”
As a senior, Nelson had 407 kills, 185 digs, 38 aces and 23 total blocks. The four-year varsity player finished her high school career with 1,348 kills, 658 digs, 137 aces and 71 total blocks.
“She left her mark. The legacy that she leaves behind is bringing it in all phases, not just on game nights, not just for those games that are perceived to be more important, but she is the same way she is in a big game as she is in a practice space,” Oshkosh West volleyball coach William Brydon said. “That kind of work ethic and that kind of tenacious pursuit of her goals, that will be the mark she leaves on us.”
When Nelson lines up for his first swing or receives his first serve in Belmont blue and Belmont red, Brydon explained what type of player Belmont fans can expect to see.
“They will have a versatile stud,” Brydon said. “They have the complete package and someone who can do it in all phases and (she) hasn’t even started to reach her full potential yet. She’s just going to continue to get better.”
Contact or send game stats/information to Ben Schultz at BSchultz@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @benschultz52.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh West’s Nelson signs to play volleyball at Belmont University
