Genna Gauthier, senior setter for the Westfield girls volleyball team, announced her commitment to Oberlin College on Oct. 29 via Instagram.
Gauthier is the fourth member of the team to announce their commitment to play in college.
On the court, she brings a dominant presence. As a setter, she controls the majority of the offense and brings her team together. These traits were a major influence within her team which helped them win the Group 4 Championship in the 2022-23 season against Old Bridge.
“She has really stepped up and taken on a huge role this year as one of our main setters. She has such a bright personality and is always there to provide encouragement and is someone I can talk to if I’m down,” explained senior co-captain and outside hitter Caitlin Cabrales.
So far this season, Gauthier has recorded 107 digs, 187 assists and 102 service points, which is among the top five on the team. She also plays for a club team, Top Tier, in Livingston, NJ.
Gauthier will join Oberlin next fall, competing for their Division III volleyball team. Oberlin College is a part of the North Coast Athletic Conference and finished last season with a 7-16 record, who has so far advanced their record to 13-7 this season.
Oberlin is a private liberal arts college founded in 1833 and is a conservatory in music located in Oberlin, OH. With an acceptance rate of 34 percent, it is seen as a selective institution.
Despite interest from the University of Dallas, Wheaton College, Sarah Lawrence College and Mount Holyoke College, Gauthier ultimately decided on Oberlin because “it has a really good biology field and pre-med which is what I want to go into. They also have a really great volleyball program for being a DIII school and the coach and the girls are very nice to me.”
“The team is all really welcoming and has a really great community. They were really honest with me and explained how they are growing to become a better team. They go apple picking, have movie nights and go to team dinners. The coach herself does not go by coach, it’s Erica [Rau] to everyone [on the team] and her door is always open,” said Gauthier.
Before she joins the Yeoman, Gauthier will have one final season as a Blue Devil looking to advance her way through sectionals in hopes of gaining another state title.
