By Reuben Dourte
Schoolcraft graduate Jayci Suseland plays college volleyball for Millersville University in Millersville, Pa. She recently transferred from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Allendale, to play Division II volleyball as a right side hitter for the Marauders.
Suseland played high school volleyball under the direction of Coach Erin Onken at Schoolcraft High School. During her junior and senior seasons at Schoolcraft, she was a stand-out two-time All State, All Conference and All Region selection. During her years in high school, the Eagles made playoff runs in 2014 and 2015, including an appearance in the state championship game in 2014 when Jayci played alongside her older sister, Shelby, who just completed 4 years of volleyball at Kalamazoo College under coach Jeanne Hess.
Jayci, considering a pre-vet study, declared a biology major this summer at the start of play in the competitive 16-team, NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Playing in the PSAC, Suseland experienced her best year of collegiate volleyball, amassing 385 kills on the season and leading the entire conference in kills per set while maintaining a .330 hitting percentage through the regular season (2nd in the conference through the regular season), and sustaining those numbers while swinging over 200 more attempts than any player in the top 9 placings in the conference.
She overcame significant obstacles – moving 600 miles, playing in and learning a new team system, and overcoming a significant injury, to go on and represent her hometown very well outside of the region and reach personal and team goals during an impressive season. She is the daughter of John and Debra Suseland of Schoolcraft.
On November 8th, the results of the PSAC coaches’ All-Conference voting were released and Jayci was named 1st Team All-Conference by the league’s head coaches. She is the first Millersville 1st Team selection since 2006.