Palmer High standout to play college volleyball in Kansas - Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman: Sports

Palmer High standout to play college volleyball in Kansas - Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman: Sports:

PALMER — John Harding spent nine seasons as the head coach of the Cordova Wolverines before taking over the volleyball program at Sterling College in Kansas.

Heading into his third season as the Warriors’ head coach, Harding has lured one of Alaska’s top talents to Sterling.

Palmer senior Jenna Arlow signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball for the Warriors next season.

“We actually knew him when we lived in Cordova,” Arlow said.

Arlow, a three-year varsity player and 2011 Northern Lights Conference Player of the Year who helped lead Palmer to three straight Northern Lights Conference titles, said knowing the head coach was not the primary reason she chose Sterling, but it’s an added bonus.

“I really like the small size. I’ve never really lived in a big city before,” Arlow said. “It was really nice having the small campus, a really nice atmosphere.”

Arlow said she considered both Sterling — which is located in central Kansas, west of Kansas City and northwest of Wichita — and UAA. But Sterling proved to be a better overall fit. She liked the atmosphere and opportunity to pursue her academic goals, including a degree in athletic training.

Palmer head coach Steve Reynolds agreed.

“I think it will be good for her,” Reynolds said. “I think it’ll be good.”

Reynolds said he believes Arlow has the ability to have success for the NAIA program, which finished 19-14 overall and 11-7 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference last season.

“She’s got all the skills she needs, I think,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said Arlow possesses a number of attributes that allow her to have success.

“The first thing that comes to me, we’ve commented on her court awareness since she was in junior high,” Reynolds said. “She’s always had a good sense of the game, good feel for the game. She knew where the ball was going to be or where it was going to end up. In volleyball, that’s just a big part of it.”

Reynolds said coaches saw her talent early.

“Her setting and serving were probably the two things that stood out early on,” Reynolds said. “Setting is one of those things that gets overlooked a lot. I think a lot of people focus on the big hitters.”

The Warriors have an incoming senior at setter, but Arlow hopes to see time on the floor.

“Right now, I’m open to anything as long as I can play,” Arlow said.

In addition to playing for the Moose, Arlow is also a member of the Midnight Sun Volleyball Club.

During his nine years at Cordova High, Harding led the Wolverines to the state tournament eight times. Cordova won three state titles and finished second three times.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.