PSHS Dani Gehringer on verge of volleyball assist milestone
There’s a good chance Philip Simmons High School volleyball standout Dani Gehringer will reach a major milestone this weekend when the Iron Horses compete in the Wando Invitational Tournament.
The talented senior had a school-record 2,408 assists heading into this week’s schedule, which included a Region 5-AA match against Academic Magnet and the Wando tourney, which showcases the top teams and players, including Dehringer, who should record her 2,500th career assist.
Ask her what one, single assist stood out in her mind, and she will respond, “I can’t think of an assist that stands out. But the most memorable are from the state championship last year when everyone worked incredibly hard to put the ball down.”
Coach Jay Watterworth’s team won its first state championship last fall when the Iron Horses topped Landrum High School to put the exclamation point on a 38-5 season. Gehringer had a major role in the team’s success. She earned all-state honors for the second straight year, recording 92 aces, 187 digs, and 582 assists.
She’s posting big numbers this fall for the Iron Horses, who, ranked by MaxPreps, are the No. 1 Class AA team in the Palmetto State and No. 7 regardless of classification. They began the week with a 28-3 record, including 9-0 in Region 5-AA.
Dehringer also shows up in the state report. Her 631 assists place her fifth in the Palmetto State, regardless of classification. She also has 51 aces, which is good for 56th in the state.
But Dehringer would trade the numbers for another state title. She says it seems like it was just yesterday that she was a freshman member of the program, playing with all “the older people” in reference to the upperclassmen.
“I think what’s harder to believe is that this is my last season playing with my best friends,” she said.
Dehringer is talented and is a team player. But what makes Dehringer great is her awareness and presence on the court.
“Dani is the most athletic player I coached,” Watterworth said. “She could play volleyball, soccer, or any other sport she picked. But what makes her different is her volleyball IQ is off the charts. I am lucky that I coach her because I can sit back and watch her run the offense. I marvel at what she does.”
Dehringer is contemplating playing at the next level. But for now, she’s focused on winning another state championship. This year’s championships are slated for Nov. 5-7 at Dreher High School.
She said reaching 2,500 career assists was “pretty crazy” to even think about.
“I’ll be really proud when I reach 2,500 assists,” Dehringer said. ”But it’s definitely not something I could have done without my teammates.
“It’s very important to try our best to hopefully bring another state championship home,” she added. “We’ve worked really hard, and we’re determined to give it everything we have.”
This weekend’s Wando tourney will be a good tune-up as the playoffs near. Some of the best Lowcountry teams are joined by squads from Hilton Head, Greenville, and North Myrtle Beach. The tourney also has an out-of-state entry.