A former local high school volleyball standout is a key member of a Lindenwood University squad set to play in a national tournament this week. 

Jessie Seidel, a fifth-year senior libero for Lindenwood, previously excelled in volleyball for Valmeyer and Waterloo high schools.

She was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team this season after being Lindenwood’s leader on defense. Seidel recorded a team-high 567 digs for an average of 5.20 per set. She also ranks second on the team in assists (124) and fourth in serving aces with 26.

Over the course of her five seasons at Lindenwood, Seidel holds the all-time record for digs with 2,276. She is the only Lion in program history to record over 2,000 in a career. 

Lindenwood recently won the OVC Tournament with a 3-0 sweep over Morehead State, but the Lions aren’t yet eligible to compete in the NCAA Division I Tournament due to the school’s transition period to that level of athletics. 

Instead, Lindenwood will compete in the 29-team National Invitational Volleyball Championship which begins this Thursday with a match against Nebraska-Omaha in Chicago. 

The NIVC championship is scheduled between Dec. 15-18.

 Lindenwood enters the tourney with a 23-10 overall record, its most wins since 2011 and most in the NCAA era.