EDWARDSVILLE – Back in the days of vaudeville, a standard question about an up-and-coming act or routine would make the rounds?

“Will it play in Peoria?,” the question went.

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If it went well in Peoria, it was said, it likely would go well pretty much anywhere on the nationwide circuit.

It may be pretty safe to say now that Edwardsville's Rachel Pranger is going to play - and hopefully play well - in Peoria as the Tiger volleyball standout signed a letter of intent to join Bradley University's volleyball program in Peoria beginning this coming fall.

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“For sure,” Pranger said with a laugh when asked the old vaudeville question. “I just took some visits when I was up there and it felt really right to me; I really enjoyed the coaches and the girls and where it's at.”

“I'm excited for her,” said Tiger coach Jami Parker. “I know she has spent quite a bit of time looking for the right school and the right fit for her; I'm excited that she's found it and she's going to have a great career in college.

“Rachel Pranger can definitely play in Peoria; she's an amazing athlete, an amazing person, she's going to be a wonderful addition to that team both on the court and off. Athletically, I don't think anyone questions what she can do on a volleyball floor; she has set and broke records for Edwardsville in multiple areas and she's – record-wise – one of the top players that have gone through this program. Off the floor, she's just a great person, she's a strong leader, she's a great role model. I think that team is blessed to be getting her.”

Pranger was ranked as one of the St. Louis area's top girls basketball players for some years before deciding to switch gears and go to volleyball going into this school year. “It just didn't feel right for me to continue the basketball career,” Pranger said. “I just thought it was right to continue on in volleyball instead.”

Pranger starting playing volleyball as a youngster, “just playing at the Y(MCA) with my friends,” Pranger recalled. “It just grew as I grew older.”

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