Completing a “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” essay assigment next month when high school resumes should be a breeze for St. Charles North junior Haley Burgdorf.
The hardest part for the volleyball standout?
Fitting it all in.
The 6-foot outside hitter for the North Stars may need a vacation from her vacation before classes begin later in August.
“It has been crazy,” she said.
Club ball and a recruiting whirlwind featuring Burgdorf’s announcement Monday that she had committed to a scholarship offer from Big Ten powerhouse Penn State was only the beginning.
She caps her “break” this week with a trip to California to participate in a summer training series with USA Volleyball’s indoor national team development program.
“I’m really excited for the NTDP,” said Burgdorf, the 2023 Beacon-News/Courier-News Player of the Year. “It’s always been a dream of mine, and I’m stoked that I’ll get the opportunity.”
St. Charles North’s Haley Burgdorf (23) celebrates with teammates after defeating Geneva in a DuKane Conference match in St. Charles on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
After playing up a level in previous years, Burgdorf played with her own age group this summer and co-captained the Sports Performance 16-Elite team.
“We had not been a solid team for three years,” she said. “But they figured let’s put it all together and see what we can do.”
The team, which features three other Big Ten recruits, finished ninth in the gold division of the AAU Nationals. Benet setter Ellie Stiernagle (Northwestern), Marist libero Elayna Davidson (Maryland) and Minooka outside hitter Brooklynne Brass (Maryland) teamed up with Burgdorf.
Burgdorf, who had “70 something” coaches write to her early in recruiting, could talk to them this summer. She said she spoke with about half.
“It was overwhelming at some point, but I had help from volleyball friends, older players I had played with who helped me out,” Burgdorf said. “Many had been through it and would give me advice and questions I should be asking.”
She attended camps in June at Wisconsin, Indiana and Penn State. Louisville, which she visited last year, was also in her final four.
St. Charles North’s Haley Burgdorf (23) goes for a kill past Geneva’s Lillian Hallahan (8) during a DuKane Conference match in St. Charles on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Before those visits, St. Charles North coach Lindsey Hawkins also was contacted many times.
“When they talk to a player’s high school coach, they’re often actually trying to find out more of what kind of people the kids are outside of volleyball,” Hawkins said. “They have a pretty good idea volleyball-wise from scouting and talking with their club coaches.
“Even when we’re out of season, Haley comes by to visit me in my (English) class every day. She lives and breathes volleyball, is super nurturing, very mature and level-headed. She knows where she wants to go.”
It’s hard to argue with Burgdorf’s decision.
Katie Schumacher-Cawley, a Mother McAuley product who played for legendary Nittany Lions coach Russ Rose, is only the third coach in program history at Penn State.
Rose, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history after 43 years at the school, took teams to the NCAA Tournament the last 41 years on the job. He won seven national titles, second only to Stanford’s nine. Schumacher-Cawley has extended the NCAA appearance streak to 43.
“Playing in the Big Ten has always been a goal,” Burgdorf said. “It’s a whole nother level. That streak is amazing.”
St. Charles North’s Haley Burgdorf (23) serves against Batavia during a DuKane Conference match in Batavia on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022. (H. Rick Bamman / The Beacon-News)
Burgdorf has had an impressive start in high school, finishing second on the team with 261 kills as a freshman. Last season, she led St. Charles North with 344 kills and 190 digs.
She also had to step up into a bigger leadership role after Maryland recruit Katherine Scherer and two other senior starters were all lost for the season to injuries during a one-week span.
Burgdorf, Scherer and 2016 graduate Daley Krage (USC) are now three Power Five recruits in Hawkins’ 15 seasons guiding the North Stars.
“It’s loads of fun to see how the top 5% get recruited,” Hawkins said. “It was quite a month of marketing and talking.
“It’s always fun to turn on the TV and see players you’ve coached or coached against, and it will be fun to watch Katie and Haley playing each other.”
