Columbus East’s Chloe Gilley passes the ball during a sectional volleyball match against Whiteland at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.
The Republic file photo
With her two older siblings already on campus at Indiana State, Chloe Gilley felt right at home when she took a visit to the Terre Haute school on Monday morning.
By the end of her visit, the Columbus East junior was ready to call ISU her college home.
Gilley committed early afternoon to play volleyball for the Sycamores beginning in 2024.
“I was very familiar with the athletic standpoint of Indiana State, but not so much the academic,” Gilley said. “Seeing the academic part of it today, it feels like home. It’s small enough to where I’m not going to get lost on campus, but it’s big enough to get that college experience.”
Gilley’s brother Cole is in his third year as a member of the baseball team at ISU. He redshirted his freshman year and took a medical redshirt after having Tommy John Surgery last year, so he has four years of eligibility remaining.
Chloe’s sister Cadence is a freshman defensive specialist on this year’s Sycamore volleyball team.
“Being so familiar with the athletic portion of it, it was really great to feel a part of that culture,” Chloe said. “Because I’ve been there so often, it felt normal to me. I think that also is another key thing that went into it.”
Chloe, who also is a defensive specialist, was able to travel with her parents to see several of Cadence’s games this fall. She liked what she saw.
“The coaches are amazing,” Chloe said. “I thought that the coaches really taught the game well, and I thought that they were very vocal with the team. I like how they engaged during the game and didn’t just let the players figure it out and made corrections to the team whenever it needed. They’re going to expand my volleyball IQ, and they’re going to help me become a better player and a better person. I think I can learn a lot under their coaching, and I’m really excited for it.
“They really honor and care about competitiveness, and that’s what I’ve been about my entire life,” she added. “Obviously, watching my sister and seeing how competitive she is is something that I loved seeing, and I wanted to be a part of that. Being able to play again with her is something that I’ve always dreamed of, and now, I’m thankful that I will get that opportunity again.”
Chloe is getting ready to begin her travel volleyball season for Circle City, where she will be on the 17-1s team this year. She has led East to sectional titles the past two high school seasons and hopes to lead it to a third next year.
“I’m really excited to finally go into my senior year,” Chloe said. “I’m excited to finish out the year strong and be with a good team that is just full of energy and competitors.”
