Benet setter Ellie Stiernagle won’t be able to play volleyball forever.
But the 6-foot-1 junior thinks she has figured out a way to stay involved in the game after she stops playing. She plans to pursue a career in sports broadcasting.
“I have always loved sports, and I just don’t think I ever want to leave that part of my life, just because it has played such a big role,” Stiernagle said. “I think broadcasting is going to be a great balance of that as well as work in general.
“Being able to interview some really cool people and to be around sports for the rest of my life, I feel like that would be a great fit for me and my future career.”
That’s why Stiernagle didn’t hesitate when Northwestern offered her a scholarship on June 18. She had offers from Clemson and Ole Miss but immediately committed to the Wildcats.
Volleyball is only part of the reason Stiernagle chose Northwestern. It has a highly regarded journalism program, and her father, Chris, was a linebacker for the football team.
“I’ve always wanted to get a great education in college to set me up for my career, so that was definitely a big thing just talking to schools,” Ellie Stiernagle said. “Northwestern had that whole package with playing in the Big Ten, and then being able to get a top degree in the major that I want to pursue was definitely a really big game-changer compared to a lot of other schools.”
Stiernagle was a game-changer in her first season as a varsity starter for Benet last year. The Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association academic all-stater racked up 887 assists, 158 digs, 74 kills, 33 blocks and 31 aces as the Redwings reached the Class 4A state championship match for the second consecutive season.
Benet coach Brad Baker moved Audrey Asleson from setter to outside hitter to make room for Stiernagle, who impressed with her maturity.
“Setting is difficult,” Baker said. “It’s not an easy role, especially at Benet, where we expect a lot out of you. It’s like being a quarterback and expecting to win a national championship. There’s a lot that goes into it and more than people realize.”
Yet Stiernagle didn’t hesitate.
“She was really mature, and she took to it quickly,” Baker said. “She is a student of the game and wants to understand it. She was really willing to accept coaching at a high level. It led to us being successful.”
Baker believes some of the same traits that make Stiernagle successful on the court will translate to success in her chosen field.
“I’m glad she wants to do that because Northwestern is a great school,” Baker said. “A lot of great people have come out of their journalism school.
“She communicates extremely well, and it is hard as a young kid to be able to do that. That makes me think she’s going to be successful in that role. Then with the things that Northwestern is going to teach her, that’s going to be great.”
Stiernagle is comfortable speaking with reporters. She credits her parents, Chris and Ashley, for that.
“They definitely have taught my brother (14-year-old Weston) and I how to treat people with respect, and that is making eye contact with people, making sure you shake their hand,” Ellie Stiernagle said. “If we don’t make eye contact, they will make sure we don’t do it again, so they definitely have played a big part in how I interact with people.”
Stiernagle is the seventh player on Benet’s roster to commit to a Division I school. She joins Audrey Asleson (Colorado), Morgan Asleson (Dayton), Aniya Warren (Indiana), Lynney Tarnow (Wisconsin), Gabby Stasys (Yale) and Sophia Pursley (Army).
“It’s super cool, and it’s not something you see with a lot of teams, especially in high school, so we use that to our advantage,” Tarnow said. “But having a big shiny school that you’re going to isn’t something we focus on. It’s just working together.”
Toward one goal.
“We’re ready to win,” Stiernagle said. “We want to win a state championship.”
Looking further out, where does Stiernagle see herself in 10 years?
“I really want to work for either ESPN or the Big Ten Network,” she said. “Especially living in Big Ten country, there’s nothing really like it.
“Football and volleyball have always been a really big part of my life, so it would be really cool to cover those. But I would be interested in learning more about basketball and other sports like that.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
