Lamberti, Nobilio off to Ohio U.

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The college commitment derby came to a close for volleyball standouts Kelly Lamberti and Kelsey Nobilio on Friday.

The two accepted scholarship offers from Division I Ohio University, ending a whirlwind commitment process for both players.

Lamberti, a Cary-Grove junior outside hitter and the 2009 Northwest Herald Player of the Year, was sifting through offers from Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Ball State and Illinois-Chicago before committing to the Bobcats.

Nobilio, a three-year starting libero for Johnsburg and a Northwest Herald honorable mention selection, was deciding between Northern Illinois and Winthrop (S.C.) before committing to Ohio, which competes in the Mid-American Conference.

“It feels nice to get it done,” Lamberti said. “Things will be a lot less stressful now. There’s a huge weight off my shoulders.”

Both recruits pointed to Ohio’s campus, the current players and the coaching staff as a few of their deciding factors.

“When I got there, I just had a feeling I would like it,” Nobilio said. “The players and the coaches were really welcoming, and I felt like it was the perfect fit for me.”

Nobilio said she was fairly confident she can contribute immediately. Lamberti said she felt as though she had a good shot as well, although she quickly pointed out that she has a lot of hard work in front of her.

“It’s a great recruiting class that’s coming in,” Lamberti said. “I know I can do it, though, if I work really hard and try my best.”

The hard work shouldn’t be a problem, C-G coach Patty Langanis said. Lamberti might be the hardest- working and most volleyball-savvy player ever to come through Langanis’ system.

“She sees the court so well and she has incredible instincts,” Langanis said. “She has all these different shots that she uses that you just can’t teach players to do. She’s the hardest worker on my team and she truly loves the game. She’s the first one to every practice and you can tell that playing the game really brings her joy.”