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NILES — The Valparaiso University volleyball team will have a distinct southwest Michigan flavor this coming season.

Valparaiso has signed a pair of area players to national letters of intent, including Brandywine’s Kadence Brumitt, who will join her club volleyball teammate Drew Glaser, of Edwardsburg, on the team.

“The high level of play at Valpo is what really drew me into the school,” Brumitt, a Division 3 first-team Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association All-State selection this past season, said. “Then my visit there went really good and I knew within the day that, that’s where I wanted to go to school. I loved the way the coach explained the positive culture of the team and the program while also having that killer mentality.”

Brumitt, who is also a two-time Division 3 All-State honorable mention pick, as well as a multiple-time all-conference selection, said that she looked at some other schools, but Valparaiso was her ultimate choice.

“I was in talks with some different schools, and had some really great visits, but when Valpo offered they moved to the top of my list,” she said. “It was really a no brainer. I knew I had found my home for the next chapter of my academic and athletic career.”

Like Glaser, Brumitt will major in nursing.

“That’s one of the reasons that Valpo is such a great fit,” she said. “They are supportive of student-athletes pursuing this degree. To me this shows that the staff is in it for the kids, and Valpo happens to have a really great nursing program. Being able to pursue my nursing degree and play D1 volleyball at the same time will be tough, but it’s a dream come true.”

Brumitt is the daughter of Toni and Mike Brumitt.