Lakeville North Junior Getting National Volleyball Attention

LAKEVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) -- Fridays aren't always about football games. At Lakeville North, the volleyball team is heating up with a 9-0 record this season. They're also ranked No. 1 in Class AAA.

They're clearly a standout team, and they have a standout player. Alyssa Goehner is a remarkable athlete who's been recognized both locally and nationally for her skills on the court, and she's just a junior.

"When you watch her play, she just knows what to do," said her aunt, a former volleyball star.

Her sport is volleyball. But what makes her so good at what she does?

"She has a dynamic ability to play probably any sport, she's a great athlete," Weaver said.

And her stat sheet says that, loud and clear. She's a seven-time high school All-American who has also earned all-state honors twice and three all-conference selections.

Goehner's Lakeville North Panthers won a state volleyball title when she was a freshman in 2010 and took second last year. Weaver said she was selected the top sophomore in the country after last season.

And her Northern Lights junior Olympic 17-and-under volleyball team finished this summer with a national championship.

"She has accolades in her career as a volleyball player that are well beyond normal," Weaver said.

She first started playing volleyball under Weaver's direction when she was in seventh grade.

"It was clear on the very first day I saw her touch a ball that she was not average. She was going to be something special," Weaver said.

She said Weaver is the reason she is still playing volleyball and has gotten to where she is now.

Weaver has helped Goehner become one of the top players in the state, and it's not the first time he has done that in her family. He coached both Goehner's mom and aunt who are twins, and played volleyball in high school and college.

"Our goal is to get the next point. That's what he always talks about," said Goehner's mother.

"He coached my mom and aunt I don't even know how long ago. It was a long time. Sorry mom," Goehner said.

Weaver said Goehner's mom and aunt were major players on the first state championship team at Apple Valley. He said they were exceptional.

Goehner's mother played volleyball at St. Cloud State, while her aunt played at River Falls for two years before going to play in leagues in the Army.

After college, they returned home to coach with Weaver.

"Volleyball is like our life. My husband understands it. Volleyball is just a passion," Goehner's mother said.

And they have clearly passed that on to Alyssa.

"I put every breath, every ounce of energy into this sport. It's my life," Alyssa said.

Alyssa has secured a four-year scholarship at Marquette University. After college, she hopes to play professionally in Europe and maybe even train for the Olympics.