Gentry Wolfe poses in front of a Union University volleyball sign. The rising senior at Athens High School recently committed to play volleyball at Union beginning in the fall of 2019.

Athens High School volleyball player Gentry Wolfe had several options when it came to choosing a place to play in college. But her heart kept pulling her toward Union University, where her family already has a large presence, and that is ultimately what made the decision for her.

Wolfe, a rising senior at Athens, committed to play volleyball at Union, a Division II school located in Jackson, Tennessee, a place that already feels like family to her, partly because of the large role the school has played in her family.

“Being there just felt like home,” Wolfe said. “There was a lot of prayer involved, and I woke up one day thinking there was nowhere else I could think about going.”

Wolfe’s family is no stranger to Union, as both her of parents and grandparents are alumni of the school, as are some aunts and uncles. Her father is also on the Union sports Wall of Fame for his golf career.

But while the family connection helped with her decision, it wasn’t the overarching factor, Wolfe said.

“I would go there and even in the sixth grade, when I really didn’t even know what college was about, I

felt like that was somewhere I wanted to go,” she said. “My parents didn’t have a big impact on me, it was more of an instinct, that this was what I wanted to do. Even if they didn’t go there, I still would want to go.”

Wolfe said she has already developed relationships with the current players and coaches at Union, and looks forward to getting on campus where she already feels at home.

“I’m close with pretty much all of the players now, and there’s one I talk to just about every day,” Wolfe said. “It feels like they are my teammates even though I have a full year before I’m there. I already feel like I am a part of their family.”

Wolfe said she wasn’t originally planning on committing before her senior year at Athens, but once she was firm on her decision of where she wanted to go, she decided not to wait any longer.

“I feel like it’s a God thing,” Wolfe said. “With my senior year coming up, I need to focus on one thing at a time, and having this off my back and knowing I’m going to be part of Union in the fall of 2019 is really relieving.”