Haldi making immediate impact on Vanguard volleyball team

Kendall Haldi was a Fallbrook High School senior in February 2011 when she signed a letter of intent to play collegiate volleyball at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa. The transition to the college level has gone smoothly for Haldi, who made her collegiate debut in the Aug. 18-19 Cougar Classic tournament at Azusa Pacific University.

“It’s exciting. Kendall has stepped into her college role really well,” said Vanguard coach Eryn Leja. “She has a certain confidence about her when she walks on the court.”

Leja also cited Haldi’s demeanor, which was worth inserting Haldi into the lineup during the Lions’ first match Aug. 18 against 19th-ranked Oklahoma Baptist. “I put her in. We needed a little spark of energy and that’s exactly what she brought,” Leja said.

After the Lions lost the first game against Oklahoma Baptist, Haldi started the next four games of the five-game match and Vanguard won the second and third games before falling to the Bison. Haldi, a middle blocker, had four kills along with two hitting errors in 11 attempts and also had three assisted blocks during the match against the Bison.

“Not only was she enthusiastic, but she performed incredibly well and she had a great match,” Leja said. “As a freshman that’s incredible for someone to come in and do that.”

The Lions’ second Aug. 18 match was a five-game win over Eastern Oregon. Haldi again played in four of the five games and had six kills in nine attempts with one hitting error while also contributing two digs and three assisted blocks.

The Lions’ final tournament match Aug. 19 was a three-game loss to Concordia of Oregon. Haldi only had two kills but had her first collegiate solo block and her first Vanguard set assist.

Haldi gave Vanguard a verbal commitment in December 2010 before signing her letter of intent approximately two months later.

“I am just very thankful and just excited,” Haldi said of her college scholarship. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”

Haldi had also been considering Texas A&M, Concordia in Irvine, Hawaii Pacific, and Point Loma Nazarene before choosing Vanguard for the people, the small classroom size, and the competitive atmosphere in the gymnasium. “Everybody was hungry to play,” Haldi said of her college team.

“I’m really happy for her,” said her Fallbrook High School coach, Peter Peng. “I have a feeling that she’ll excel there.”

Haldi moved from Rancho Bernardo to Fallbrook when she was three. She attended Fallbrook Elementary School, Live Oak Elementary School, and Potter Junior High School before her four years at Fallbrook High School.

Haldi had played basketball since second grade and participated in that sport with the Boys and Girls Club and at Potter Junior High. She tried out for Fallbrook High School’s volleyball team as she was entering ninth grade.

“My freshman year was the first time I ever picked up a ball,” she said.

Haldi was on the Warriors’ freshman volleyball team in 2007 before spending the next three years on Fallbrook’s varsity. She played no other sports at Fallbrook High School, although in 2011 she was an assistant coach for the Warriors’ boys volleyball team. In that capacity she coached her brother, Hayden, who made the varsity as a freshman.

Haldi was in ninth grade when she began playing club volleyball. She started with the San Diego Volleyball Club and also played for Cali and Coast. In addition to her athletic activity, Haldi was also active in the National Charity League for six years prior to graduating from high school.

Haldi’s favorite Fallbrook High School volleyball memory was defeating Mission Hills on Senior Night.

“It was a great game,” she said.

Haldi earned second-team Avocado League honors as a junior and first-team Avocado East League recognition in her senior year.

“She’ll do fine at the next level,” Peng said. “I feel that she’s a Division I level player.”

Vanguard is a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school. Haldi will likely major in sports science and is hoping for a physical therapy career.

“I want to coach in the future, too,” she said.

Haldi also noted the possibility of a career as a personal trainer or a nutritionist.

“I’m just really excited to learn more and more and compete at a high level,” Haldi said.

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