Family, friends and teammates were on hand to watch East Ridge senior Destiny Willbanks sign a letter of intent to play at Georgia Northwestern for the 2018-2019 season. Also attending the ceremony was Georgia Northwestern head volleyball coach Amber Weaver (seated, left) and East Ridge High volleyball coach Kerilyn Mongar (seated, right).
There has been a bit of a multi-tasking trend for Georgia Northwestern women's athletics the past few years.
Some players are playing both volleyball and basketball for the Lady Bobcats, while at least one volleyballer also moonlights with the GNTC Cheer Cat competition squad in the off-season.
The school's newest recruit will fall into the former category.
East Ridge (Tenn.) senior Destiny Willbanks signed her letter of intent with the Lady Bobcats during a ceremony at the high school on Wednesday.
She will play volleyball for head coach Amber Weaver this fall and plans on playing basketball for the Lady Bobcats this upcoming winter. Weaver also serves an assistant coach with the women's basketball program.
Two more current GNTC multi-sport athletes, Mia Clark and Jamese Miller, were on hand Wednesday to welcome Willbanks into the fold.
"She reached out to us and she has been to two open gyms for volleyball, along with one for basketball," Weaver explained. "She always has a good attitude and we're very excited to have her.
For volleyball, Weaver said Willbanks will likely be a front-row player and hit weak side, but possesses a solid serve and could also see time in the back row.
"I'm actually from East Ridge, so she was just five minutes down the road," Weaver said. "That's two volleyball players for us out of Tennessee right now and that's exciting."
Willbanks said Signing Day meant a lot to her because it meant an opportunity to continue playing the two sports she loves.
"I've always played volleyball and basketball and I just want to keep playing them and keep getting better," she said.
Willbanks added that she will bring her sense of humor to the programs, adding that the she feels there is already some good chemistry between her and the ladies already in the Lady Bobcats' program.
"It's a lot like my high school team," she said. "We are all getting along very well. It just felt like a second home even from the first moment I walked in there. I just felt like I belonged there. I've been to some other colleges and I didn't feel the way I felt when I was at Georgia Northwestern."
"I've known Destiny her whole life," said East Ridge volleyball coach Kerilyn Mongar. "I've had the pleasure of coaching her in volleyball for three years here in East Ridge and she is just a wonderful player. She'll do whatever it takes to be successful, whether that means staying late or coming early for practice. She's a great leader and very vocal and she just wants to be the best she can be. I think she'll be a great fit for the school."
Willbanks plans to study physical therapy at GNTC.