Veritas Prep Athlete Signs to Play Collegiate Beach Volleyball

Veritas Prep senior McKenzie Perrault has signed her commitment letter to play beach volleyball at Concordia University Irvine in California.

“She has been a three-year varsity player for us and a two-year captain for both our indoor and beach volleyball teams,” said Veritas Prep Athletic Director Chase Beebe. “She’s helped lead our volleyball team to three state tournament appearances and has been a standout student in the classroom as well.”

Perrault was featured last November for qualifying as a National Merit Semifinalist, and has since moved to the next round as a finalist, a notable academic feat that she shares with only about 15,000 students nationwide who scored in the top 1% on the PSAT.

According to her parents, Perrault’s love for sports was practically ingrained from birth. She was just two weeks old when she attended her first minor league baseball game, traveling with her parents as her father pursued his professional baseball career. Her first word was not “Mom” or “Dad” but “Ball!” From toddling up and down stadium steps to collecting peanut shells under the bleachers, she embraced the world of athletics from the very beginning.

As soon as she was old enough, she picked up a ball herself. drawn to baseball but was willing to try any sport. By middle school, she was a four-sport athlete with aspirations of playing softball in college.

Her mother signed her up for a summer volleyball camp at Veritas Prep. She protested because she had a frustrating experience playing on a volleyball team when she was eight. But her mother insisted she give it another shot. That decision proved to be pivotal.

Perrault began her high school volleyball career on the freshman indoor team before quickly moving up to junior varsity. By winter, she made the varsity basketball team, where she learned valuable lessons about teamwork and leadership. By sophomore year, she was on the varsity volleyball team, where she remained for three years, serving as captain for two. Under Coach Brooks’ mentorship, she refined her skills, learned to trust her teammates, and embraced the discipline required to excel.

By junior year, Perrault decided to pursue volleyball in college. However, standing at a height of 5’7” was a challenge for indoor volleyball. This led her to explore beach volleyball, where agility and strategy play a greater role.

Veritas Prep has proven to be a special place for volleyball players, as the alma mater to Sarah Sponcil, who went on to play college volleyball, with a successful career as an Olympic beach volleyball athlete, and most recently playing on a professional indoor volleyball league, signing with the Grand Rapids Rise, part of the Professional Volleyball Federation (PVF). Read more at https://www.greatheartsamerica.org/sarah-sponcils-journey-from-great-hearts-to-the-grand-rapids-rise/. We look forward to seeing where Perrault’s talents take her.

Of all the schools she considered, Concordia University Irvine stood out with its strong academics and competitive beach volleyball program. With only one spot left on Concordia’s team, Perrault’s chances were challenging for sure, but after seeing her play in person, the head coach offered her the final spot.

As Perrault prepares to take the next step at Concordia Irvine, Veritas Prep celebrates her achievements and the bright future ahead.

The athletic program at Veritas Prep, along with other qualified extra-curricular enrichment programs are supported by Public School Tax Credit contributions. Learn more about Tax Credits at https://give.veritasprepacademy.org/give/591614/#!/donation/checkout.

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