PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles’ Lily Halberg is taking a huge step forward in her athletic career, signing to play volleyball at one of the top NAIA programs in the entire nation.

Halberg received an athletic scholarship to attend Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Ore. The Mountaineers went 34-3 this year in volleyball, were ranked No. 1 for much of the season, won its conference championship and finished third at the NAIA national championships.

“We are so excited that Lily has chosen Eastern Oregon volleyball,” said EOU coach Kai McLean Morehood. “We think that she is the type of player and person that will embrace the growth process, will be a great teammate and will do the hard things when it isn’t always easy. I can’t wait to see what her future brings and can’t wait to have her be a part of our Mountie volleyball family.”

Halberg said she isn’t intimidated about joining such a successful team, but has a lot of admiration and even awe for the program.

“I really liked how intense and fast-paced the practices are,” Halberg said. “I know I will have to earn my playing time.”

Halberg also liked the friendly atmosphere at Eastern Oregon and all the outdoor and wilderness opportunities at the school located in the Blue Mountains.

“It was a family environment. Everyone there is super nice and welcoming,” she said.

Halberg is also very versatile as a player. During her junior year, she made all-state for the Riders as a libero/defensive specialist, averaging 17.1 digs a game and tallying 289 service receives with only 24 errors.

Her senior year, she moved to outside hitter and made first-team all-Olympic League at the new position. She said it helps her career to have as broad of a set of skills as she can.

“Lily is an amazing libero, which is what she was recognized for by the state last year,” said Roughriders volleyball coach Jennifer Reynolds.

“However, she is also a tremendous attacker at the net. This year, we needed her skills all the way around. Lily never questioned, or hesitated. She rose to the occasion and ended the year with 199 kills, 43 service aces, 290 digs and a pass rating of 2.2. She scored almost 29 percent of our team’s points.”

Halberg also wrestled for the Riders in the winter, though her senior year, she took a break from wrestling.

As good as she is in volleyball, Halberg is just as good in softball. Halberg said it was somewhat of a hard choice between moving on with volleyball or softball. The scholarship offer helped with that decision.

In softball, she was the co-All Peninsula MVP with her teammate Zoe Smithson. She set a school record with 13 home runs during the season. She also batted .582 with 35 runs batted in. On top of all her athletic success, she was recently one of two students among the Port Angeles High School Class of 2023 to receive the Port Angeles Education Foundation’s Academic Achievement Award.

“Lily is an amazing athlete and person in general. She puts time into her craft on and off the court year round, to strengthen her game,” Reynolds said.

“She loves the game and it shows as she celebrates every play, point and player. Others know this about Lily, too,” Reynolds said.

“Eastern [Oregon] is lucky to have such an amazing athlete and teammate. She will do well,” she said.

Randy Steinman, who recently retired as the Riders’ softball coach, coached Halberg for three years and said she might break her own records her senior year. He conceded that volleyball is her first sport, though she is an outstanding softball player.

“Volleyball is her passion, but she’s such an outstanding athlete that no matter what she does, she’s good at it,” Steinman said.

Steinman said that Halberg has a lot of natural athletic ability, but what sets her apart is “she works harder than everyone. She’s doesn’t just rely on her talent. She’s a very special athlete. Her attitude and her work ethic … kids like her just don’t come around that often.”

When asked if she’s aiming to break her own school record for home runs this spring, Halberg said “when you try and focus on hitting home runs, then you don’t.

“My main goal is to have fun, make it to state and grow as a team,” she said.