Huron All-Ohio setter Georgi Moody headed to Cleveland State

HURON — Georgi Moody became the second member of Huron's 2020 state championship volleyball team to choose an NCAA Division I program when she committed to Cleveland State University earlier this month. Moody, a senior setter and second-team All-Ohio pick in Division III, decommitted from Wheeling (W.Va.) University after the Tigers' state tournament run due in part to personal reasons. Her grandfather Ray Moody died at age 91 on Oct. 15. She visited her grandpa in a nursing home that day before helping Huron to a victory over Willard. "He was everything to me. He was my biggest fan," Moody said. "The realism hit me that I wasn't going to be close to home if anything else happened. It would be hard to drive 3 1/2 hours (from Wheeling) to see my family. "I wanted to play in college, but I told my parents I need to be somewhere close to home." Moody learned that one of Cleveland State's setters opted to leave the program, leaving the Vikings with one player at the key position. Moody plays on the 18U Nationals team for Southwest Volleyball Club based in Elyria. Coaches at that club are familiar with the CSU staff and helped Moody connect with Vikings coach Chuck Voss in late December. Voss had seen Moody play in the state tournament and also liked her film. Moody made a virtual visit to CSU and met the team. She received an offer and accepted a week later. "He likes how aggressive I am at the net," Moody said. "He said my first year I have to prove I'm ready to play, so that's what I'm going to do." Moody wants to be an occupational therapist and cited the possibility of quality internships in the Cleveland area as a major perk in accepting CSU's offer. She will sign her letter of intent to play for the Horizon League program once she is officially admitted to CSU. "There's a connection there between Cleveland (club) volleyball and Cleveland State. There should be a comfort level for her," Huron coach Don Wood said. "It's a totally different level and an exciting time for her. "Seeing how much she's grown and matured, I think she handled (the recruiting process) well." Moody thanked Wood for his guidance the past four years. "Without him pushing me when I was a freshman, I don't think I'd be where I'm at," she said. "I was so happy we could go to state my last year as a Huron Tiger." Moody is one of three Huron seniors who will play at the college level. First-team All-Ohio outside hitter Makenna Schafer has signed with NCAA Division I Ohio University while Claire Solberg (Ohio Wesleyan) and Alizia Lagando (Southern Maine) will play for Division III programs. Huron grad Kirsta (Solberg) Cobb is the head coach at Ohio Wesleyan. The Tigers' 2020 team — which won Huron's fifth state championship — was Wood's second team to produce two Division I players. The other was the 2007 squad that featured Sarah Sage (UCLA) and Susie Isphording (Bowlng Green). "They have to remember they're going in as freshmen," Wood said of the four Huron seniors. "Sometimes it can be a shock to have people around them who are as good or better. I think Georgi and the rest of those kids are strong enough to handle this."