Charland charged up about UA-Huntsville
One of the most decorated and versatile players to ever suit up for the LaFayette Lady Ramblers will be continuing her volleyball career in college.
Colby Charland, a threetime All-State first team selection and a two-time Player of the Year in Region 6-AAA, officially signed with the University of AlabamaHuntsville last Wednesday after verbal committing to the Chargers in early August.
“It means that all the hard work and effort that me and my team have put in all these past few years is finally coming to light,” she said of Signing Day. “It’s a big deal and it’s huge.”
A four-year starter at setter, Charland was a member of three region championship teams and was a four-time All-Region selection. LaFayette went 173-30 over the last four years with one Final Four appearance, two trips to the Eight Eight and one appearance in the Sweet 16.
She is the program’s career leader in both digs (1,081) and assists (3,525) and has the three highest single-season assist totals in LaFayette history, including back-toback seasons of over 1,000 (1,010 in 2019 and 1,027 in 2020).
In addition, she graduated with 525 kills, 316 aces, 175 blocks and a serving percentage of 91.5 in 440 career sets.
“One thing you talk about every year is trying to raise the standards,” LaFayette head coach Chris Logan began. “And then one person came in and kind of changed the standards for everybody as far as work ethic goes. A lot of players come in their freshman year and they’re good, but to just keep getting better and better every year, you just don’t see that a lot. What she brought to our program was something very special.”
Charland said she felt she had found the place for her once she took a campus visit.
“Their head coach, Jon (Moseley), and the assistant coach, CeCe (Wilson), made me feel like I was at home,” said the 5-foot-11 senior. “I got to practice with the team. It was such high energy and high intensity and they really compete. I want to go (there) and I want to win championships.
“I’ll bring them some more height, along with hard work and dedication because that’s two of my biggest things.”
Logan said Charland was more than ready for the college game.
“With her size and her work ethic, I feel like she’s already there.” he explained. “She’s
kind of been at one of those points where she’s been so far ahead for so long. She’s going to get challenged at the next level, but she’s just going to eat it up and love it.”
He added that Charland’s work ethic and leadership would be missed next season, in addition to everything else that she brought to the court.
“The players know we have weight training in the summer, but yet she was up at 4:30 every morning headed to the gym on her own before
coming to work out with us,” he added. “Even during the season, she was getting up at 4:30 in the morning to hit the gym.
“We’re going to miss that extra edge that she put in, but we’re also going to miss having a setter that’s almost six-foot tall on that right side that also can block. There haven’t been many (opposing) outside hitters on that right side that have hurt us over the last four years because she’s been there to block.”
Charland added that it was “crazy” to look back at all she and her teammates were able to accomplish over the last four seasons.
“You don’t realize that it’s happening when it’s happening because you’re just so focused on playing,” she said. “But we won three region championships in a row. People don’t just do that. It’s taken a lot of practice time, playing AAU ball nearly year-round and just getting better every single day. Then you look back and
it feels like a sigh of relief because you were all there together for something.”
Charland is considering biology as a major and business as a minor and she said would one day like to become a physician’s assistant.
UAH, a member of the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference, went 21-10 overall this past season and was the league runner-up (13-3), advancing to the NCAA South Region tournament.