Over the course of a year that included a number of ups and downs, Century High School senior Ann Clappier transformed herself into a Division I volleyball player.

    The 6-foot-2 right side attacker/blocker capitalized on her immense talent and hard work by accepting a five-year, full ride scholarship offer to Southern Utah University.

    “I liked that the girls were really nice. They interacted with you when we were playing,” Clappier said of her visit to SUU’s campus for a volleyball clinic during the summer. “They came down and talked to us about what we needed to improve. The coaches had a really good system and a good set up of how to work things.”

    The catalyst for Clappier’s progression was the time she spent playing for Tawna Ellis and the Pocatello Elite volleyball team, a group that finished second in the nation at the Junior Olympics.

    “I don’t think I could be where I am without Elite,” Clappier said. “It helped me progress from a good player to a great player. I could not have done that without Tawna. She put a lot of work into me and she’s what got me to Southern Utah.”

    After going through the tragedy of losing her home in the Charlotte Fire, Clappier wasn’t sure if she would be able to attend Southern Utah’s camp. Thanks to the efforts and contributions of Ellis, her Pocatello Elite teammates and the community, she made her way to Cedar City to participate.

    “My family and everyone supported me through and it was Elite that got me to the camp,” Clappier said.

    It was all worth the effort as Thunderbirds head coach Debby Baker was immediately struck by what Clappier could do on the court and envisioned how she would fit in with her team.

    “Debby called me after the first day of camp and said ‘wow, she really changes our game,’” Ellis said. “I knew at that point they were going to offer.”

    Baker did just that.

    “(She) pulled me over and said ‘hey I want you and I’m going to offer you a full ride. I want you to become part of our family and I want you to come out with us,’” Clappier said. “She tied me in right there.”

    Elite teammate and close friend Katie Elgan, a junior, has also committed to Southern Utah. Although Clappier will arrive on campus one year earlier than Elgan, she is looking forward to playing alongside her blocking partner again.

    “I think teams better watch out when Katie and I get together because that’s going to be a good combination,” she said. “We have a strong right side and a strong middle so the defense is great. Our offense together is something to watch out for as well.”

    One of the biggest attractions for Clappier was the academics of Southern Utah. Her plan is to become a doctor and SUU will be the perfect place to get started.

    “Other than a huge acceptance rate into medical school, they have lots of volunteer hours, they set up a huge system to get you the best resume into medical school and they have all these programs to help you have the best all-around outlook to go into college,” Clappier said. “So colleges look at you as a unique individual and see all that you did.”

    There were a host of other schools looking at Clappier, including Utah, Idaho and Idaho State. Southern Utah was the first to offer and locked up someone who coaches think will be a fantastic Division I volleyball player.

    “A lot of Big Sky schools missed out,” Ellis said.

    Clappier is looking forward to coming to Pocatello and taking on the Bengals as a Thunderbird.

    “I get to stay close to home, see my family and play a bunch of people that I used to see,” she said. “It will be nice to see some familiar faces when I come down.”

    Clappier looks back at who she was as a player just one year ago compared to who she has developed into. She says the transformation is incredible.

    “It was a huge change,” she said. “I think it was the difference between being a high school player and becoming ready for college. That’s how big the change was.”

    Ellis says that Clappier’s ability to play multiple positions altered her future and assured her a college scholarship.

    “She had to be patient to get where she is,” Ellis said. “She stuck with it and worked hard. We started her in one place and moved her around. But we found a home for her on the right side that ultimately, with that group of girls, got us second in the nation. Ann changed the game for us. Nobody else had a right side like we had.”

    “I was always a good athlete, but not a D-I volleyball player,” Clappier said. “I grew into one.”