Shepard senior Leah Bylut considers herself lucky. In February, she visited Ferris State.
Shortly thereafter, the coronavirus pandemic shut down colleges across the country, and recruiting visits for girls volleyball players — and for all sports — were at a standstill.
“I was lucky to get to go there before everything shut down,” she said. “It was perfect timing.”
Perhaps, but Bylut also made her own luck with some initiative.
The 5-foot-5 libero said she reached out to Ferris State and liked the fact the NCAA Division II school offered a pharmacy major, was close to home and had a competitive women’s volleyball team.
Before the February visit, Bylut was on the phone with someone from Ferris State’s program every Tuesday for three months.
The Bulldogs’ coaches also saw her play for the Aurora-based Sports Performance club, and then she took the trip to Big Rapids, Michigan.
Previously, Bylut visited South Dakota State, but when she left the Ferris State campus, she said she had found her school and did not plan to look anywhere else.
Bylut made a verbal commitment in March and officially signed in November.
A three-time South Suburban Red all-conference selection, Bylut has totaled 1,090 digs and 174 aces. The Illinois High School Association switched the fall season to the spring, when she could add to those numbers.
“Leah is a fantastic addition to the Bulldog family,” Ferris State coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm said. “She is a tremendous student, a hard-working athlete and a dedicated leader.
“Leah is the player you will find in the gym training on her own before practice or on an off day. That has made her into a consistent ball-control player and a confident court leader — everything you are looking for in a libero.”
Not too many players grow up wanting to be a libero, considering outside hitters get a huge chunk of the glory.
Bylut started playing libero at age 12, however, and has embraced the role.
“I’ve always been pretty short,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be tall, so I focused on passing because I was real young. I love getting digs and my favorite part is serve receive. It’s very important to the game.
“A libero is supposed to be loud and a leader. I like playing that role on my team.”
Ferris State has a roster filled with Michigan talent but also contains a few gems from Illinois, including Marist graduate Maddie Arundel and former Mother McAuley standout Katie O’Connell.
The Bulldogs, the six-time defending Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champions, are preparing to play a spring schedule.
In 2019, Ferris State finished with a 25-6 record while making a ninth straight and 24th all-time appearance in the Division II national tournament.
In a crazy time for recruiting, Bylut is happy with her choice. She hopes some of her unsigned club teammates will find what they are looking for, too.
“I know a lot of girls are not committed and most of the seniors are usually committed by now,” she said. “It’s crunch time. They are having pressure with recruiting and we’re not playing tournaments.
“It’s hard to get that video out, but my club does a really good job helping us with recruiting. I don’t think they will fall through the cracks. I think they will find a place. It’s just a lot harder process for them.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
