How SC4 alumna Christina Bohm went from junior college to Division I volleyball

PORT HURON — It takes roughly an hour to drive from St. Clair County Community College to Oakland University.

A much longer, and more difficult, trip spans the gap between NJCAA Division II volleyball and its NCAA Division I counterpart.

Christina Bohm knows both as she takes on her first season with the Golden Grizzlies.

“It’s obviously a lot different,” said Bohm, who starred at SC4 for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. “When you’re playing at a junior college, you’re used to being one of the taller people on the court. Now, you have to adjust to the players being bigger and the game being quicker. But after a week or so, I’d say I got used to it.”

“It’s really rewarding to watch her live out one of her dreams,” SC4 coach Michelle McCulloch said. “We’re really proud of her. Because that was a dream of hers and she just reached so high to get that.”

After graduating from St. Clair High School in 2021, Bohm enrolled at SC4. While an uncertain freshman at first, she gradually became a confident young adult — both on and off the court.

“When I came out of high school, I wasn’t necessarily sure what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “So, being at the junior college made me meet a lot of great people who shared similar interests with me. And all of the them genuinely wanted me to succeed.

“So, not only did I get that extra two years to grow as a person, but I also got that time to grow as a player. It made the transition (to Division I) a lot easier.”

Bohm elevated her game with the Skippers: First Team All-American and MCCAA Eastern Conference Player of the Year in 2022 and a two-time All-Region XII selection. Yet a transition to Division I didn’t seem likely less than a year ago.

“I wasn’t talking to many coaches,” Bohm said. “Because I wasn’t sure how the recruiting process worked.”

But behind the scenes, McCulloch and her staff were advocating on Bohm’s behalf.

“She, probably, would always think that nobody was looking,” McCulloch said. “I think that was Christina’s thought. But there were always people looking.”

And the Golden Grizzlies liked what they saw. Bohm officially signed in December 2022.

“She used her time very well at SC4,” McCulloch said. “We want (our players) to understand that junior college is just the beginning and that they can use these two years to really build their skill set.”

The current Skippers were reminded of that on Oct. 2, when Bohm received her First Team All-American ring during a match at SC4 Fieldhouse.

“It was really special to be able to celebrate with the people who helped me get that accomplishment,” Bohm said. “My coaches and teammates taught me so much. If it wasn’t for them being so supportive, I don’t think I would’ve been able to do those things.”

“We were so excited just to present her with something,” McCulloch said. “Even with something that small, we all just wanted to make (the occasion) bigger. For Christina, she doesn’t love the spotlight. But it’s such a big deal to have a First Team All-American – and to have someone move on to play at a Division I level.”

While McCulloch is no longer her coach, the two still talk on a regular basis. Bohm’s parents also make the trip from St. Clair to Rochester for every home game.

“I like (Oakland) a lot,” Bohm said. “The coaching staff is really great and I’ve made a lot of new friends – from teammates and people I’ve had class with. I’m looking forward to continuing to learn new things about the game of volleyball and getting to play against great athletes.”

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Christina Bohm rises from junior college to Division I volleyball