It isn’t every day that a local high school student-athlete signs to play at the Division I level.
Students at Golden Valley High School saw just that on Monday as senior Nick Waldron commemorated his commitment to play volleyball at the University of Southern California during a special ceremony.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Waldron said. “Obviously, the recruiting process is a very long and daunting, but it’s a pleasure to go through it. And I think just finally putting the pen to paper is just like the big exclamation mark on it, and it feels great to, you know, finally know where I’m going and have a home.”
Sitting at a table in the middle of the campus, Waldron was joined by family and friends before a large group of students made their way over at the beginning of their lunch break.
Standing at 6 feet, 7 inches, Waldron wasn’t always a volleyball player. Saying he always wanted to play sports in college, he was introduced to the sport by his mom, Kristina, and mutual friends.
“I’d always dabbled in sports,” Waldron said. “I’d always wanted to be a DI athlete, but I never really knew my path … I decided to give it a try, and I just fell in love and it took off.”
A second-team all-Foothill League selection as a junior, Waldron said starting late meant he knew he had to work hard to get to where he wanted to be and catch up to those who had been playing far longer than him.
He said he’s looking forward to finishing off his high school career in the spring, without any worries about where he may end up in the fall.
“A big weight off the shoulders just being able to be done with it,” Waldron said, “know where my home is going to be, and it just kind of helps me focus on this last year, this last season where I can just play with my guys and have fun and put the best foot forward.”
Waldron, set to major in business, will be joining a USC team that went 13-15 in the 2024 season, its last in the Pac-12 Conference as the Trojans are now competing in the Big Ten Conference. The 2025 men’s volleyball season for USC is set to begin Jan. 9.
