(Courtesy of the Columbus Telegram)
Jordee Korte has played a big role for the Lakeview girls basketball team this season.
The 5-foot-10 senior is averaging a team-leading 12 points per game, including 17.2 per contest over the previous five outings, when the Vikings went 4-1 to turn their season around after an 0-4 start.
"Jordee is a very special player. She is our emotional leader," Lakeview head girls basketball coach Curt Softley said. "High school girls can often be emotional roller coasters. Jordee is steady, she is the same girl every day, which makes her an absolute blessing to coach and a great asset."
"It also helps that she's about 6-foot, athletic and extremely intelligent," Softley added.
The attributes that make Korte a solid basketball player also translate to volleyball, which happens to be her sport of choice.
She proved that Friday morning by signing her letter of intent to play volleyball at Central Community College.
"I've always loved volleyball and I always knew that if I was going to play a sport in college it would probably be volleyball," said Korte, who also has some impressive statistics in that sport.
A three-year letter winner for Lakeview, Korte was third on the team last season with 174 kills to go along with 318 digs, 39 assists, 37 blocks and 20 aces. She played in every match as a sophomore, junior and senior, helping the Vikings to a 21-12 record last year and their first district final appearance since 1981.
"Jordee is as fine an all-around volleyball player as you will ever see. She was one of the team leaders in every statistical category," said Lakeview head volleyball coach K.C. Belitz. "For a right-side hitter to be second on the team in serve receives and third in digs is almost unheard of."
Belitz used some of the same adjectives as Softley when describing the calmness and confidence that make Korte a strong leader.
"When we needed a big play, we wanted the ball in Jordee's hands, because she was always steady regardless of how big the moment," he said. "It's very appropriate that it was her kill that won the match in our subdistrict final."
Korte was a first-team All-Central Conference and Nebraska Prep Volleyball all-state honorable mention selection as a senior, wrapping up a career that puts her at fourth on Lakeview's all-time list for matches played, sixth in games played, second in attack percentage and top-15 in digs.
Central head volleyball coach Mary Young has had her eyes on Korte for a while.
"I just think Jordee has so much potential," Young said. "I've been watching her for the last couple of years and I've always been impressed with her."
The Raider coach expects Korte's work ethic and willingness to learn to make her an even better player during her two years at Central.
"We've built our program around players like Jordee," Young said.
The Lakeview senior said the local college's proximity to home and size played a part in her decision to become a Raider.
"I'm kind of a homebody so Central was kind of a perfect fit for me," she said.
"The coaches there are just so great and I'm just super-excited to go there," Korte added.
Central's history of success on the volleyball court didn't hurt either. The Raiders went 30-11 last season and reached their sixth straight NJCAA Division II national tournament.
"They've had great teams over the years so just to be a part of that is going to be awesome," said Korte, who will use her time at Central to figure out her future career plans.