Tall. Blonde. Smart. Volleyball. These nouns describe four things about senior Lexie Johnson. Johnson stands at 6’1″, has sandy blond hair and was recently named to the All-District Team for volleyball for the third year in a row.

To add to her repertoire, on Nov. 20 Johnson signed a letter of intent to West Point Military Academy. On the outside Johnson looks put together. On the volleyball court she spikes the ball with ease. In the hallways she walks with a smile.Although all these nouns describe a part of Lexie Johnson. They can never tell you what type of person she is.

Because nouns don’t tell that on an easy week, Johnson plays six hours of volleyball and works out for ten.

Because nouns don’t tell that in her free time she spends every minute she can with her family.

Because nouns don’t tell that her teammate Sydney Cucchiara would describe her as “a great leader and someone that makes you want to be a better person.”

Because nouns don’t tell that her coach Robert Lampen says that Johnson is “a selfless person and special player.”

Because nouns don’t tell that Johnson is first ever to play volleyball there from Sion.

Because nouns don’t tell that a year ago Johnson would have been the first to say she wasn’t going to play in college.

“I originally didn’t want to play in college. At the beginning of my junior year, I was completely against it,” Johnson said.

Johnson had her mind set until the competitive volleyball season came around and she began to receive emails from several colleges with interest in her playing volleyball for them in college.

“I decided that I wanted to play in college when I had some interest from really good schools that I probably couldn’t get into just academically like Duke, Georgetown and even West Point,” Johnson said.

After deciding that she would play volleyball in college, Johnson had to pick where to play. With a variety of interest in her, Johnson narrowed down her options to Princeton and West Point. Last April, Johnson visited both campuses and knew immediately that West Point was the best choice.

“West Point was the school. The visit just did me over because I got to see the life and the school and the teachers and the team,”Johnson said. “Princeton not so much, West Point was a lot cooler.”

Committing to West Point is not like committing to other schools, it means more than just four years in college. At West Point, the government will pay for Johnson’s education in exchange for a commitment to serve in the military. Upon graduation, Johnson will serve five years in active duty as a second lieutenant and three years in the reserves.

During her signing ceremony, cameras flashed in every direction hoping to get the perfect shot. Johnson was cheered on as she was asked to give an impromptu speech about the experience. Johnson thanked her friends, family, and God, saying that without him none of this would be possible. As the ceremony concluded, Johnson was embraced by friends and family.

“I was honored to stand at the podium and speak about Lexie. She is a special player and person,” Lampen said. “I’m proud of her accomplishments and what she will accomplish in the future.”

As a volleyball player, a team captain, and a person Lexie Johnson has inspired her family, her peers, her teammates, and her coaches. But Johnson says they too have inspired her to be the best and have been the foundation of her successes.

“I appreciate all of the support I got from my friends and family,” Johnson said. “I am honored to have played at Sion.”