Poly’s Alexis Genske Penns new chapter

All that was missing from a wonderful resumé was a current address.

That was until earlier this month, when reigning All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year Alexis Genske of Pasadena Poly signed her letter of intent and was officially accepted into the Ivy League’s University of Pennsylvania.

“I committed in March, but it wasn’t solidified until this month because of the rigorous academic standards,” Genske said. “It feels like the right fit and I’m happy to be going to the Ivy League and happy to be going to Penn.”

Genske initially verbally committed to Princeton in the summer of 2011 only to de-commit in December due to a “paperwork snafu,” according to Genske.

“I know it wasn’t the coach’s fault, it was admissions, but there’s no regrets,” Genske said. “The Princeton coach actually helped me and was in contact with the Penn coach. Penn called me up and it’s definitely a nice feeling to know I was wanted.”

Genske hopes to add to a growing list of accomplishments when she travels to Philadelphia next month.

The 6-foot outside hitter led the Panthers with 364 kills through 23 matches this season, while also contributing a team-best 62 blocks and 36 aces and was named the CIF Southern Section Division III-AA Player of the Year along with being lauded as the Prep League Most Valuable Player.

Genske’s Panthers finished with a 24-4 record, were runner-up in the hyper-competitive Prep League and reached the Division III-AA finals for a second consecutive year before falling to league rival Chadwick, 3-1, despite 26 kills and four blocks from Genske.

Poly bounced back from the championship setback with a 3-0 win in the first round of the CIF State Division III playoffs before falling to Cathedral Catholic in the second round.

Maybe the highlight of Genske’s season came on Oct. 11, when the Panthers ended the 18-match league winning streak of Chadwick in a 3-0 victory in which Genske tallied a match-high 23 kills.

“We are excited to have Alexis join the Penn Volleyball family,” Penn Coach Kerry Carr stated in a press release.”A true team player at heart, she has dominated the outside hitting position at the high school level and is a go-to hitter for her national club team.

“I expect she will be a true competitor on our young team next year, challenging and pushing our team to the next level.”

What may have sold Genske most on Penn was the school’s pursuit of her.

“I’ve known about Penn for a while and the volleyball program is pretty good,” Genske said. “I already have a friend up there and I look forward to working with Kerry and [assistant coaches] Seth Rochlin and Kristen Roth. They believed in me and I want to show them what I can do.”