How West Ottawa's Magali Lemus rose to become a Division I volleyball player

A force in the net and in the paint, West Ottawa's Magalie Lemus knew she had two choices when considering schools: which school and which sport she would play.

A junior multi-sport star, Lemus attended Cleveland State University for volleyball and qualified for the NCAA Division I ranks.

“When considering colleges, there were things that were very important to me, such as distance from home and the size of the school,” Lemus said. “CSU checked both of the boxes that I wanted. What made me choose CSU was the great coaching staff and the girls on the team. Relationships are really important to me, and that's what made me choose CSU. When I arrived, I felt very welcome. I thought I'd fit in perfectly.”

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Lemus, who has been OK Red's leading rebounder in basketball for the past two years, has transformed into a blocking agent on the volleyball court.

She aims to continue improving her all-around game.

“This opportunity is huge, not just for me, but for my family,” Lemus said. “My mom is a single mom and she always supported me and dreamed of playing at a higher level, so it means a lot to know that we achieved it together. I too I'm a first-generation American, so I'm the first to go to college.''I feel like the sacrifices my family has made have been worth it. ”