SHELBY – Navea Gauthier is officially headed to Ohio State University to continue her volleyball career after the Shelby senior signed her national letter of intent, Friday, Nov. 15.
In front of friends, family, coaches and teammates, Gauthier declared herself a Buckeye with the swift motion of a pen. The move has been in the works for some time, with Gauthier verbally committing months ago.
“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Gauthier said. “It’s special to be here doing it with everyone around me. I enjoyed all four teams I was on (at Shelby) and they supported me along the way. I wouldn’t be here without them.”
Transitioning from high school to college figures to provide challenges for Gauthier. Standing at 6-foot-1-inch, Gauthier is undersized for a hitter at the D1 level. Ohio State houses several athletes at the same position, with several standing taller than 6-foot-3-inches.
“I’m considered an undersized pin hitter when I get to the B1G (Big Ten Conference), so working on being able to jump and stay consistent throughout the conference schedule (is key),” said Gauthier.
Ohio State’s volleyball program has experienced plenty of recent success. The Buckeyes made back-to-back appearances in the Sweet 16 in 2020 and 2021, finishing with a combined record of 43-10 over that span. In 2022, Ohio State advanced to the Elite 8, finishing their season at 22-10.
The Buckeyes have struggled to return to that form in 2023 and 2024. Last year, Ohio State failed to make the postseason after posting an 11-18 overall record. Standing at 12-14 this year, the Buckeyes will finish their season next week, with their last regular season game being played Friday, Nov. 29.
Gauthier will depart for Ohio State in January and is aware that nothing is guaranteed going forward.
“Nothing’s guaranteed obviously. Everyone’s good,” Gauthier said. “(I’m going to focus on) figuring out what I need to work on for the next two months before I leave.
