Avonworth’s Youngest Athlete Commits to Division I Volleyball
![photo of Julia in a Rice tshirt]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1761671660/avonworthk12paus/cgroja592ua8s592yl4o/volleyballASD.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1761671660/avonworthk12paus/cgroja592ua8s592yl4o/volleyballASD.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1761671660/avonworthk12paus/cgroja592ua8s592yl4o/volleyballASD.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1761671660/avonworthk12paus/cgroja592ua8s592yl4o/volleyballASD.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1761671660/avonworthk12paus/cgroja592ua8s592yl4o/volleyballASD.png","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1761671660/avonworthk12paus/cgroja592ua8s592yl4o/volleyballASD.png","width":1800}])
Earlier this summer, Avonworth’s own Julia Cernich made school history as the youngest athlete to verbally commit to play a Division I sport. The rising junior announced her commitment to Rice University for volleyball, joining an elite group of athletes who receive offers soon after NCAA recruiting opened for juniors on June 15.
Only the nation’s top players receive Division I offers that early in the recruiting cycle—before the NCAA Dead Period begins on July 31—and Julia’s achievement places her among the best of the best.
In addition to her athletic talent, Julia’s academic excellence attracted strong interest from several Ivy League universities, including Princeton, Yale, and Brown. She now becomes just the fourth Division I volleyball player in Avonworth Volleyball program history.
Congratulations to Julia on this incredible accomplishment! Avonworth Athletics is proud to celebrate her success and looks forward to watching her continued growth on and off the court.