By Chris Sokoloski

csokoloski@gtowntimes.com

When her senior year started at Waccamaw High School, Kacie Williams decided to give up playing basketball and concentrate on volleyball.

That decision paid off as Williams signed to play volleyball at Newberry College on Thursday afternoon.

"Kacie has good grades and she's a strong leader and it shows on and off the court," Waccamaw volleyball coach Jill Schoen said. "She was a calming influence [on the court] and really kept everybody in line. She's just a good kid."

Williams said she was better at basketball, but preferred volleyball.

"I improved faster at it and I liked the game more," she said.

She always played softball when she was younger.

Instead of playing for the Warriors basketball team in the fall, she joined a club volleyball team. It was her club coach that told her she had a shot to play at the next level.

Schoen said Williams was a leader off the court as well.

"I do service projects with the volleyball players because I think they need to give back to the community," Schoen said. "She volunteered with the J.O.Y. School and she did great with them. And she also helped us with the kids camp we do."

Williams, who plans to study biology and wants to be an orthodontist one day, said Schoen, and Robert Burdette, Waccamaw's girls basketball coach, were the two biggest influences at Waccamaw High.

Williams is the second Waccamaw volleyball player to sign a scholarship offer this school year. Loren Hill signed with Coker College in December. There is a possibility one more player could sign in the next couple of weeks.

"It's huge because it puts into perspective that not only can you participate in this program, you can further your education," Schoen said. "I tell them all the time you have to be smart to play volleyball and this just proves it. That's what coaches are looking for."

Williams is the 13th of Schoen's Georgetown and Waccamaw high volleyball players to get a college scholarship.