Nenninger likes Racers' chemistry

"the science program."

Nenninger, a Notre Dame senior who set the school record for kills in a single season this fall, signed her letter of intent Thursday to attend Murray State.

The Kentucky school is an Ohio Valley Conference rival for Southeast Missouri State, which also was among the schools Nenninger considered.

"It was very close," she said. "Down to the wire."But Nenninger, who has a lifelong love of animals, plans to major in pre-veterinary medicine. She carries a 3.6 grade point average and currently has a class load that includes advanced chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and advanced biology.

"I was raised on a farm, and I've always liked horses and animals," Nenninger said.

And she also liked how Murray State coach David Schwepker ran his program. The Racers are ranked 12th in the Midwest by the AVCA and have an 18-7 record for coach heading into Sunday's season finale.

"I like the coach a lot," she added. "I didn't go to camps but I did go to watch a practice and I liked how everything ran."

Nenninger, who has played volleyball since sixth grade, realized during her junior season she may able to turn her athletic skills into big-time college volleyball.

"Ashley has worked very hard and steadily improved every year," Notre Dame coach Tara Stroup said. "She kept working and got a lot better. She practiced hard and earned everything she got."

Nenninger, who was injured in the first part of her junior season, set the school's kills record this season with 364. She also led the team in blocks and helped the Bulldogs win a Class 3 district title and complete a 21-11-4 record with a spot in the state quarterfinals. Nenninger had 17 kills in the district championship match after posting 15 in the semifinal.

"She got a lot of opportunities this year," Stroup said. "She was our go-to player in the front row, and there were a lot of teams that couldn't stop her."