Stellar Senior: L-C’s Alexis Dorner

Photo courtesy of Ron LeCloux/Perfect Image Photography

Alexis Dorner is an ace on the volleyball court.

The Luxemburg-Casco senior surpassed 1,000 career kills last weekend in leading her team to a first-place finish at the UW-Oshkosh Showdown.

You have until 4 p.m. today to vote for Dorner as Wissports.net’s athlete of the week.

The 6-foot middle blocker has totaled 231 kills, 86 blocks and 43 aces this season for the Spartans, who are ranked No. 7 in Division 2 of the Wisconsin Volleyball Coaches Association state rankings.

Dorner made a verbal commitment to UW-Green Bay after earning first-team all-North Eastern Conference honors as a junior and setting L-C single-season records for blocks (169) and aces (97).

In addition to being a four-year varsity player in volleyball, “Al” also knows her way around the basketball court. She received honorable mention all-NEC accolades as a junior in helping the Spartans tie for second in the conference.

In advance of the L-C volleyball team’s big NEC showdown against No. 2 Little Chute tonight, Dorner discusses her team’s unique home-court advantage, staying on her toes and cartwheels as AP’s Stellar Senior this week.

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Needless to say, you have a big match against Little Chute on Thursday. Is this one you had circled on the schedule?

This is something we’ve been talking about since the start of the season, the “Pink Out” versus Little Chute. This is what we’re going for because they’re one of the top teams in our conference and Division 2. It would definitely mean a lot to our team to win and give us a good push.

Your gym has the stage on one end where your student section sits for volleyball matches and basketball games. How big of a home-court advantage does that setting give you?

I love it because other teams hate it so much. It’s great because normally fans are in the stands so far away, but ours are right there. You can hear everything they are saying. It kind of gives us the home-court advantage having our fans sitting right there and just hounding on the other team.

How tough is it for L-C’s student section to maintain its dominance at football games when the volleyball team has a two-day tournament?

We’re normally not able to go if we have Friday-Saturday tournaments. The boys actually like it when we’re there because our team has some really loud girls on it. Our senior girls are big contributors for that.

You reached 1,000 career kills last Friday. Were you aware that you were that close to the milestone?

I knew I was getting close. I didn’t think I was going to get it this soon or this early in the year. I actually was surprised. Our setter and I figured it out that day because we saw (Coach) Frey bring the volleyball with nothing on it. I was so in shock because I thought maybe I was going to get it towards the end of the season.

You have a chance to join Mikaela Gunderson and Maggie Liebeck on the school’s record board in a few career statistics. What does that mean to you?

I actually never thought of being up there with them. They were great volleyball players, and they proved it by leaving a legacy behind. It’s cool to think that I could leave something behind for Luxemburg as well.

How did it feel to make the verbal commitment to UW-Green Bay in June?

It means a lot. It’s kind of crazy to think at this time last year I was hoping to get a couple DIII schools, but then I just started getting more and more DII schools. I was really hoping for one super close, and I got the school I was really hoping for.

What do you want to major in at UWGB?

I’m undecided. I have some interest in psychology. I’ve taken two psychology classes this past year and this year I’m taking AP. I think it’s super cool to learn about why humans do what they do and think about things. I think it’s cool to learn about it.

You committed to UWGB for volleyball about a month after teammate Cassie Schiltz committed to UWGB for basketball. Did you two plan it that way?

Her and I have been so close since we were really young. The last couple of years we were like, ‘You were talking to a school?’ and ‘Well, I just got an email from them to go to the same school,’ When she committed to GB, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m talking to them right now.’ We were so banking on going to the same school because we’ve been so close.

Did you like volleyball or basketball more entering high school?

As a freshman, I would have said basketball. Freshman and sophomore year, I was dead set on playing basketball. Then, towards the end of my sophomore year, I played club for WVA and I realized how much I love the fast pace and competing against girls that were more advanced. It drew me away from the basketball spectrum and helped me fall in love with volleyball even more.

What’s one of your earliest sports memories?

I think I was 6 or 7 when I played flag football for a year. When I would get a touchdown, or someone on my team would, I would do a cartwheel. I thought it was the coolest thing ever because I could do a cartwheel and none of the guys could.

What’s an embarrassing sports memory you have?

My freshman year during softball, I ran all the way to home plate, and was probably a foot away, and ran all the way back and got myself in a pickle. I ended up sliding into third and was safe, but completed took out the third baseman.

What’s your favorite sports memory?

My freshman year when we beat Green Bay Notre Dame to get to the sectional finals. We weren’t expected to and the fans were just crazy. They dressed like (preppies) and it was just a great memory because nobody thought we were going to win.

What’s something most people might not know about you?

I can spread my toes like fingers and move my toes separate from each other. I don’t know if that’s weird.

Who on your team is scared of spiders?

I’m deathly afraid of them. Megan Cannon is also pretty afraid of stuff like that.

Which teammate has the best penmanship?

Molly Wotruba. I actually really don’t know, but I’m pretty sure Molly has the best penmanship.

Who on your team should have their own reality TV show?

Brianna Prevost. She always has the funniest comments. We always tell her that she would be such a good comedian. She’s just a funny person and always herself.

Which teammate would you want with you if you were trapped on a deserted island?

Amanda Miceli. She is a really outdoorsy and traveling type of person, so I feel like she would know her stuff. She would help me not starve to death.

What are you going to miss most about high school?

I’m going to missing being so close and talking to everybody every day and not being able to see them as often as I would want to.

Favorites

Class: Art.

Food: Tacos.

TV show: “Friends.”

Movie: “Twilight.”

Musician: Nicki Minaj.

Athlete: Steph Curry.

App: Twitter.

Coach’s comment

“She’s a great kid. She came into high school as kind of a basketball-first player and has just really worked hard to get to where she is. She surprised us as a freshman to get on that varsity team. That was Maggie’s senior year when we got to the sectional final. She really played well there and just kind of blossomed as a player. She works hard and stays after to work on every aspect of her game. I think that’s one of the things that has really benefitted her over the years. She wants to improve, and she wants to put the time in. She just continues to get better as a result.” – Luxemburg-Casco volleyball coach Jeff Frey

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