Bayshore Christian's Whiteside to continue indoor, beach volleyball careers at Spring Hill

Third Eagle volleyball signee set to join former teammate in college ranks

By Cole McNanna
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 12/7/22

FAIRHOPE – For Bayshore Christian’s Ashlyn Whiteside, Spring Hill College checked a couple of big boxes she had been looking to fill in her college search.

Not only was she staying …

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Bayshore Christian's Whiteside to continue indoor, beach volleyball careers at Spring Hill

Third Eagle volleyball signee set to join former teammate in college ranks

Posted

FAIRHOPE – For Bayshore Christian’s Ashlyn Whiteside, Spring Hill College checked a couple of big boxes she had been looking to fill in her college search.

Not only was she staying relatively close to home, but she was also going to continue her volleyball career with a former Eagle teammate.

“A big bonus is that it's very close to home, which I wanted. I wanted somewhere local and it’s only 30 minutes away from here,” Whiteside said at the Nov. 30 signing ceremony. “I can come back and see my teammates still play and one of my former teammates is already over there at Spring Hill.”

Whiteside became just the third volleyball player from Bayshore Christian to sign an athletic scholarship with a college team and first to do so since Cassidy Granger did so with Spring Hill in 2020.

Granger holds roster spots on both the Badgers’ indoor and beach volleyball squads, and Whiteside will be looked upon to do the same.

“They also they wanted to have me play both beach and indoor, which is good,” Whiteside said. “It's a beautiful campus and that's what I wanted.”

Nina Messinger was the first Eagle volleyball player to sign with a college team and she similarly played both indoor and beach volleyball for the William Carey Crusaders after her signing in 2019.

Whiteside signed as part of Bayshore Christian’s largest athletic signing ceremony in school history Nov. 30 where she was joined by a trio of baseball players – John Malone, Streed Crooms and Mikael Bryant – in cementing their commitments.

“It was a great experience. I'm so glad that this many people came out. It really means a lot. It means a lot to have Coach Dave (Omtvedt, head coach) here and he gave his speech which was really cool, it made me tear up a little bit. And my family, they're always supporting me,” Whiteside said. “I'm just really glad that this many people from our school came out. I know this is a really special event because this is the most we've ever had sign at one time at our school so I'm just excited to be a part of that.”

After the Eagles fell short of another state championship match, Whiteside said the ceremony was a good pick-me-up after a bitter end to the volleyball postseason in the state semifinal.

“Especially after such a devastating loss at state, we really thought that we were going to win,” Whiteside said. “I'm really glad that it's not over, that I can keep continuing to play the sport that I love and this is still a good way to end senior year.”

Whiteside was part of Bayshore Christian’s 2020 state championship squad and was twice named an all-state honoree. She also represented the Eagles at the AHSAA North-South All-Star game this past summer.