By By GREG KATSKI, Staff Writer
CHOCOWINITY — The beast from Beaufort County will soon be spiking the competition at Pitt Community College.
Daneilya Whitney, who just finished up here senior season with the Southside Seahawks volleyball team, announced on Thursday her decision to play for and attend PCC.
The decision came after Whitney competed in a tryout held by PCC Volleyball Head Coach Tom Marsh in February.
Marsh said he noticed Whitney among the 12 to 15 players vying for a spot on the team because of her athleticism.
Whitney also took a liking to coach Marsh, who is in his second stint in charge of the PCC volleyball program after coaching the squad from 2000-02.
Marsh, a lanky, middle-aged man measuring about 7 feet in height, played basketball at East Carolina. Whitney feels her coach’s knowledge of slam dunks and blocks translates well to the game of volleyball, with its serves, spikes and timely blocks.
Whitney began looking at colleges her sophomore year at Southside. She wanted a college close to her home in Chocowinity and parents, Sharon and James Whitley. Her first two choices were North Carolina Wesleyan and ECU. Then PCC and coach Marsh came calling.
Whitney intends to major in nursing, although she hasn’t decided between pursuing a two-year associate’s degree or four-year bachelor’s degree. PCC offers streamlined curriculums for both nursing degrees.
Whether it’s going for her bachelor’s in nursing, or in another concentration, Whitney said she intends to enroll at a four-year college after graduating from PCC, and play volleyball there as well.
Whitney’s love for the game began at a young age. She started playing competitively in 7th grade when she made Chocowinity Middle School’s squad.
At Southside, Whitney was a three-sport honor roll athlete for three years. She played volleyball and basketball, and ran track.
Whitney joined the Seahawks’ varsity volleyball club her sophomore year, and has been serving up spikes on unwilling opponents since.
Whitney helped the Seahawks place second in the Atlantic Conference regular season, win the conference tournament and reach the second round of the NCHSAA 1-A playoffs. Southside swept Williamston in the conference championship and West Columbus in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Perquimans.
Pruden described her former player as a “beast.”
The past two seasons under Pruden, Whitney manned the center position for the Seahawks every match.
Marsh expects the imposing Whitney to play middle front or right front for his PCC squad. Whitney’s new coach couldn’t say how much playing time she will get because of his crowded front line.
The PCC squad begins practice for the fall season in August.
Whitney said she will concentrate on being a stronger hitter, making better bumps, and, of course, getting good grades at PCC.