IU commit Katie Hurta caps off senior season with state title, Gatorade POTY award
LA GRANGE PARK, Ill. (BVM) 鈥� Katie Hurta has always been a special talent on the volleyball court. But as she came to Nazareth Academy as a high school sophomore, she was tasked with taking the program to new heights.
Hurta immediately did so. During her sophomore season in 2019, Nazareth Academy made it all the way to state, the furthest postseason run in program history. Although they fell short of the title, the tone was set for the program going forward, in large part thanks to Hurta鈥檚 volleyball past.
Athletic genes run in Hurta鈥檚 family. Her mom is a former basketball player who competed collegiately at Loyola Chicago. However, it is Hurta鈥檚 sister, Camille, that became her main sports role model.
鈥淪he started playing volleyball around 9 or 10, and just always going to her tournaments and being around that environment super young sort of planted that in my mind,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淚 would just always play with her and I just loved it.鈥�
Starting with the sport around the same time as her sister did, Katie not only enjoyed playing alongside Camille, but also grew fond of the team aspect of the sport as she continued to make many great friendships. However, not many grew stronger than the bond between her and Camille, who now plays collegiately at Grand Valley State University.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been so nice growing up and always having a partner to play volleyball with all the time,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淚 just always looked up to her and always tried to follow in her footsteps. At Grand Valley, she loves it 鈥� She鈥檚 really happy where she鈥檚 at and I鈥檓 really, really proud of her. She鈥檚 just always been there for me in my volleyball career and has supported me no matter what.鈥�
While Katie has primarily become a setter, she showed versatility being able to play all over the court early on in her career. She has gained high-level experience through the club level playing with 1st Alliance Volleyball Club and Adversity Volleyball. Recently, Katie has also been able to compete with USA Volleyball, becoming a member of the U18 USA Volleyball National Development Program Summer and Fall training series last year.
鈥淕oing against other really good teams from other states has always been a really good opportunity,鈥� Katie mentioned. 鈥淚 also think USA is probably the biggest for me national recognition wise. There, the coaches are most often current college coaches. Working with them and other really good players in the nation allowed me to kind of get the best coaching and exposure.鈥�
At 14 years old, Katie鈥檚 team finished third at nationals. She was also named to the all-tournament team at nationals, further proving her potential in the sport.聽
鈥淭hat was sort of the first award I鈥檝e ever gotten,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淚t sort of gave me a whole bunch of confidence.鈥�
Weeks later, Katie received her first college offer. Her confidence was sky high as she entered her freshman season of high school volleyball at Lyons Township, her only high school season getting to play alongside Camille.
鈥淧laying wise, it definitely was an adjustment just because the game is a lot faster and I had never really played with girls four years older than me,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淥bviously, I had my sister to help support me through that 鈥� It was really fun to play with my sister and overall it was a great experience.鈥�
Katie received very little playing time early on in her freshman season. However, as her time on the court increased, so did the team鈥檚 success, as Lyons Township would make it to the regional finals.
But with Camille heading off to college, Katie sought out a new opportunity. Having familiarity with the coaching staff, one of her best friends on the team, and the chance to add to an already talented roster, Katie transferred to Nazareth Academy where her sophomore season went much better than her first.
鈥淭hat season was super, super special,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淥nce I got adjusted, I just had the best time of my life. We had an amazing bond that I鈥檝e never had on a team before. That really showed in our game. To just be on that team making history was a super cool experience.鈥�
Plenty of momentum was with the Roadrunners coming off their first trip to state. However, as the pandemic came about and changed the sports landscape, Katie and her teammates were stopped in their tracks.
鈥淚t was super devastating to hear that playing and all the tournaments were getting canceled or shut down,鈥� Katie added. 鈥淲e only lost two girls that were part of the state team, so we were set up to do really well again.鈥�
Having the season pushed back from fall 2020 to the spring of 2021, Katie admits Nazareth suffered through a tough campaign due to many of the unique circumstances they were presented with.
As things began to improve last summer, Nazareth Academy was ready for a normal season once again, but also to recapture the magic they had in 2019, hoping to make a return trip to Redbird Arena.
鈥淥ur main focus from the start was to go down to state and do what those seniors last season couldn鈥檛 do,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淲e knew we just needed to take every opportunity that we got and take it to the best of our advantage. Those girls didn鈥檛 get these opportunities and we鈥檙e extremely lucky to have what we have right now.鈥�
Throughout the season, Katie and her Roadrunner teammates shined. Although they started off slow in the first month, a team meeting turned Nazareth鈥檚 season around.
The team鈥檚 strong play continued down the stretch of the season as Katie and her team were determined to get to state again. They indeed did so, rolling through many of their postseason opponents.聽
However, state would bring a tougher challenge. In the championship game against Belvidere North, Nazareth won the first two sets, but found itself down 13-7 in the third. That鈥檚 when Katie led her team on a 9-1 run. They would go on to win the third set and earn the program鈥檚 first state title.
鈥淚t was amazing,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淭o just be down there and in that huge gym with that crowd, it鈥檚 really just an amazing experience. Knowing all of our hard work that we鈥檝e done had paid off 鈥� I really don鈥檛 have any words for it, it was just amazing.鈥�
Katie tallied 15 kills in the state title game, giving her an impressive 415 on the season, and over 1,000 for her career. She also added 360 assists, 198 digs and 30 blocks with a .531 kill percentage and a .450 hitting percentage. Playing alongside several other DI recruits that helped lead Nazareth to a title, Katie hopes her class has left a lasting impression on the program.
鈥淚 just hope that me and the other seniors have left a legacy of working hard and a family atmosphere,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what really helped us this year.鈥�
The outstanding individual statistics also led Katie to earn some impressive honors after the season, including being named a first team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, and winning the Gatorade Illinois Volleyball Player of the Year award.
Katie Hurta
鈫� 饾檪饾櫀饾櫓饾櫎饾櫑饾櫀饾櫃饾櫄 饾檮饾櫋饾櫋饾櫈饾櫍饾櫎饾櫈饾櫒 饾檵饾櫋饾櫀饾櫘饾櫄饾櫑 饾櫎饾櫅 饾櫓饾櫇饾櫄 饾檾饾櫄饾櫀饾櫑Congratulations, Katie! 馃憤
— Indiana Volleyball (@IndianaVB)
鈥淭hat honor means the world to me,鈥� Katie said about winning Gatorade Player of the Year. 鈥淎ll of my role models have gotten it. It just showed me and gave me a lot of confidence that I鈥檝e been successful and all of my hard work has paid off.
鈥淏eing called an All-American is absolutely amazing. Knowing all of that hard work and that all of that motivation has gotten me somewhere just keeps me going forward and confident.鈥�
Katie maintains a weighted GPA of 4.35 and has taken advantage of several service opportunities offered by her school 鈥� additional factors in her winning the Gatorade award.
As the , Katie predictably had a lot of options when it came to playing in college. Her final list was down to the likes of Iowa, Dayton, West Virginia and Indiana. But she made her recruiting process a quick one, committing to become a Hoosier as just a freshman.
鈥淚 had goals going into it because having my sister and starting so early, I sort of went with her to all those camps when she was being recruited,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淭hat made me realize what I want in my college. I wanted to play in the Big Ten, be close to home and then have a really pretty campus and good school. Talking to the coaches, I really fell in love with them. It checked all the boxes 鈥� At the end of the day, I decided it was the best school for me.鈥�
While someday playing overseas or at the Olympic level are future goals for Katie, she is also focused on what she can accomplish in Bloomington. Playing at the next level will be a unique experience, but one that she hopes creates another successful impact, just as her time at Nazareth Academy has.
鈥淚鈥檓 super excited, especially just to play against and play with all of the people I鈥檝e seen on TV,鈥� Katie said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 super crazy to be going against some of the best people in the nation. Obviously, I want to win a national championship and hopefully be an All-American. I know it鈥檚 going to take some work and adjustment, but it鈥檚 super exciting.鈥�
