She’ll get the chance to do it for a few more years after she signed her Letter of Intent to join the volleyball and women’s basketball teams at Alpena Community College on Monday.

“I’m really excited. I think it’s really cool to get to play volleyball and basketball, two sports that I really love playing, for my hometown,” DeRocher, a senior at Alpena High School, said.

DeRocher, who has also lettered in softball at Alpena High, has been a leader on every team she’s played on and figures to do the same with the Lumberjacks.

On the basketball court, she’ll get the chance to provide a boost for a team that went 1-12 this season and will join a roster that includes former Wildcat teammate Jade Schultz.

News Photo by James Andersen Alpena High senior Allie DeRocher signs her Letter of Intent with Alpena Community College as her parents Jim and Connie DeRocher look on.

For the past two years, DeRocher has gotten an up-close look at how tough the competition is at the collegiate level while watching her brother Chris play for ACC’s men’s basketball team.

“I think just coming to the games and watching him has been fun for the past two years,” DeRocher said. “I see how well he’s done in basketball and I want to do the same as him.”

DeRocher averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on the hardwood during her senior season.

While Alpena sees good competition against its Big North Conference opponents, DeRocher said the increased competition and travel at the next level will be things she’ll have to adjust to.

“I think just the competition and the pace of the games,” DeRocher said. “We play some good competition in our conference, but it’s still going to be a lot different playing downstate teams and traveling a lot farther to play.”

On the volleyball court, DeRocher will be joined by her cousin Kate Skiba, as well as several of her former Alpena teammates.

This past fall, DeRocher earned second team all-Big North Conference honors and all-state academic honors. She was also named to the all-region Dream Team and led Alpena in kills, blocks and attack percentage. DeRocher was also an all-region pick as a junior and led Alpena in digs.

“I’ve just been grateful to play for Alpena. I’m just grateful to have the opportunity to play and make a mark on three sports,” DeRocher said.

Before she becomes a Lumberjack and dons the burgundy and white, DeRocher will have one last go-round in Alpena’s green and white for her senior softball season. The Wildcats are slated to start the season today on the road at Saginaw Swan Valley.

In her time as a Wildcat, DeRocher has been a part of two district championship teams and a regional championship team. As a freshman, DeRocher scored the winning run as a pinch-runner in a 5-4, nine-inning Alpena win over Bay City Western in a Division 1 regional final.