Many memories will surely flash through the mind of Northern Arizona University fifth-year senior Millie O’Ketter on Aug. 24.
O’Ketter will return to Durango High School where she played countless games for the Demons and allowed her to play at the Division I level.
Northern Arizona University is coming to Durango to scrimmage Fort Lewis before both seasons begin on Saturday, Aug. 24 at noon.
The Skyhawks are coming off a 13-13 overall record and a 6-8 record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2023. Led by head coach Giedre Tarnauskaite, FLC will look to improve with a strong group of returners and a small group of newcomers. A scrimmage against NAU can go a long way for the roster to bond and mesh together before the games start to count.
Northern Arizona went 7-20 overall and 4-12 in the Big Sky Conference last season. Northern Arizona has most of its roster returning so it will look to improve beginning with the scrimmage against the Skyhawks.
“I am so excited and grateful that our coaches put that into our schedule,” O’Ketter said. “I know that was planned by them so that I could have the opportunity to play in Durango one last time and just gather the community.”
O’Ketter thinks this scrimmage will bring back the love and joy for volleyball. She knows it’s a competitive moment and it’ll be a good test for her team to see how poised they can stay.
She also wants to bring the community together and inspire the younger players in Durango and in the Four Corners area.
“It'll be a really emotional moment for me prior to the game starting,” O’Ketter said. “I don't know whether that be the practice before or the warm-up. I spent so much time in that gym growing up and I had so many fond memories. To experience that with my teammates now and have them get a glimpse into what it looks like growing up in a small town with a smaller volleyball program will be really fun.”
O’Ketter said she doesn’t have many connections to the current FLC volleyball roster and coaching staff. She knows FLC fifth-year player JJ Curry who played at Farmington High School. Growing up, O’Ketter would go to all the FLC volleyball camps. She has a ton of respect for the program, the players and coaches.
Heading into her fifth season at Northern Arizona as a libero, O’Ketter is ranked fifth in team history with 1,430 career digs and third in program history with a career average of 4.13 digs per set.
Last season, she was ranked second in the Big Sky with 4.29 digs per set. She was also ranked seventh in the conference last season with 416 digs.
Admission is free to see the scrimmage at Durango High School.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
