Ayden Petroff stumbled upon Southwestern College on a recruiting service website and was intrigued.

It did not take long for her to deem this private school out of Winfield, Kansas as the perfect place to fulfill her athletic and academic aspirations.

On Friday, the Lathrop High junior signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for Southwestern College, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. She was joined by her family, LHS coaches and administrators at the career center.

“I was on this program called NCSA (Next College Student Athlete), and I remember seeing a girl going to Southwestern College,” Petroff said. “I was really curious, so I did my own research and I just really enjoyed how well (the players) are brought up in their program.”

The Moundbuilders are getting a versatile setter who has experience as an opposite hitter. Petroff, who transferred from small-school power Ripon High after her sophomore year, made an immediate impact for Lathrop this past fall. She helped the Spartans (14-0, 20-9 overall) capture their first Western Athletic Conference championship in five years and was named to the All-WAC first team. For the season, she accumulated 529 assists (6.9 per set), 75 service aces, 21 blocks and 76 digs.

Following the high school season, Petroff reached out to Southwestern College coaches and set up a visit.

“The coaching staff was amazing — they were all really nice,” Petroff said. “I got to know the coaches and some of the players, and the school is beautiful. I just fell in love with the campus, the staff, the players, so overall, it was a really great atmosphere. It just looked like an environment I wanted to surround myself in.”

The Moundbuilders are coached by Ken Brokaw. They went 2-11 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference this season, and 6-11 overall.

Petroff wants to pursue a career in nursing with a concentration on rehabilitation and physical therapy. She is glad to have already mapped out this important chapter of her future.

“This is something that I talk a lot about with my parents,” she said. “Now that I have signed and committed, it does relieve a lot of stress. I know a lot of friends I have are still going through that, so me being able to get this stress off, I am able to focus on finishing high school and growing as a player before going into college. Now, I can fully enjoy my senior year.”