Beyond Bounds: 8 Reasons To Follow Devin Lehman, 1 Of MN's Best Setters

Devin Lehman is good at making her teammates look good.

The Belle Plaine senior's accumulated so many set assists this fall – 813 to be exact – for her No. 4-ranked Tigers that only two girls in the state do it better.

Thursday night marks the start of the postseason for high school volleyball.

But before Belle Plaine (21-8) aims for a return trip to the state tournament, here are eight reasons Lehman should be your favorite player to follow for the fall playoffs.

She's royalty
During Belle Plaine's German Days this summer, the volleyball standout was named Second Princess.
"German heritage is a big thing in Belle Plaine, and being part of that, to share my heritage is nice," she said.

Her achievements didn't come without sweat equity
Years of playing off-season volleyball for elite programs, having an older sibling (Ashley) to help push her, and parents (Dan and Connie) who shuttled Lehman to and from the Twin Cities multiple times a week, molded the set assist queen who boosted Tigers to a 10-0 conference mark this fall.
Even when she could, or should, relax and just be lazy during the summer, she still plays volleyball -- beach volleyball.
"My sister helped make me better for sure – there's always that competitiveness as sisters," she said.

She's the coolest babysitter on the block
"I have a bunch of neighbors by me who have little kids," she said. "They're the ones who come up to me before volleyball games and give me the biggest hugs. I love that."

Don't mess with Devin
Come spring, she's a thrower on the track and field team.
"I'm a muscular one ... In the winter I use the Belle Plaine weight room," she said. "I absolutely love squatting – I can do 215 pounds."

Can't find her? Head to the Motocross races
A self-proclaimed "county girl," she never passes up a chance to be on nearby Lake Waconia.
But Lehman also loves hitting the Scott County Fairgrounds, camera in hand, to watch her friend Cameron Klehr compete.
"I went to every single one of his races this year – I have a small hobby of photography," she said. "I'm on the visual arts team at school. I almost made it to sections with a photo I took of him."

You won't catch her gawking at her stats
"I have my parents who keep track of that for me," she said. "They love to see how I'm doing, but I'm more focused on how my team is doing."

For some reason she has no college scholarship offers
She's accepted to South Dakota State University, and is in the midst of contacting the volleyball program. But she also has her eye on Bemidji State University, University of Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State University.
The goal is an exercise science degree, and then onto PT school.
"I'm not the type of girl who wants to sit at a desk for the rest of my life," she said. "I want to be involved with sports and physical therapy allows me to do all of those things."

Her postseason perception is grounded
Though the Tigers went 11-0 against Section opponents during the regular season, Lehman and her No. 1-seeded Tigers have a wary eye out for the other top seed – Kenyon-Wanamingo.
Should the two teams win out in the 16-team section, they'd meet in the title game on Nov. 2 at Gustavus with a trip to state on the line.
"We're feeling good, but we need to keep in mind teams like Kenyon-Wanamingo beat Kasson-Mantorville, who is ranked above us in state," she said.