Plano East libero Dakota Huynh remains undecided on college commitment

Dakota Huynh, a libero and defensive specialist for Plano East High School, has not yet made a verbal commitment to a college volleyball program. While many of her senior peers in the area have already signed on with universities, Huynh is taking a deliberate approach to selecting her next school.

According to prepdig.com, she is ranked as the top libero recruit in Texas, holding the No. 6 national ranking among liberos and the No. 36 overall ranking among recruits in any position.

Huynh, who stands 5-foot-2, said she is considering approximately 10 colleges that are recruiting her, including Florida International. She explained that her decision-making process focuses on finding a program that aligns with her standards for team environment, community, and academics.

She plans to major in either business or a medical field and noted that Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities are also part of her evaluation. "I didn't want to commit just to commit. I really wanted to like the school," Huynh said.

On the court, Huynh continues to post strong numbers for Plano East this season. She leads the team with 545 digs and is second in serve receptions with 377, trailing Addison Tucker’s 442.

In a recent match against Plano, which was then ranked No. 9 in The Dallas Morning News Class 6A area poll, Huynh recorded 17 digs as Plano East won 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-15. Following the victory, Plano East moved into the No. 9 spot in the poll with a record of 22-8 overall and 4-1 in District 7-6A.

The team is scheduled to face Plano West, which holds a 20-4 record, on Friday.

Huynh acknowledged that watching her peers commit has been a mixed experience. "It's both been fun and kind of frustrating at the same point because I can see everybody else commit," she said. She emphasized that she is following her own path and is not rushing the process.

She noted that she has spoken with college players who took their time with decisions, and all of them remained at their initial schools without transferring.

Verbal commitments are non-binding, and the first day high school seniors can sign a written offer of athletic aid is November 11. Huynh is uncertain if she will wait until the end of the season to make a final decision.

She stated that she is prepared to walk on to a team if necessary, emphasizing that her passion for the sport is more important than securing a scholarship. "I play volleyball because I'm passionate about it and not just because I want a scholarship," Huynh said.

Source: sports.yahoo.com.