ADM junior Sydney Bertman has made a big impact on Tiger athletics in two short years, having excelled in all three sports she plays.

This past winter, she developed into an all-around threat for the varsity basketball Tigers, averaging 9.4 points per game, nearly two assists per game and a team-best 5.7 rebounds per game while playing solid defense. In the spring, qualified for the state track and field meet in multiple events for the varsity girls track team.

Now a junior, Bertman will be counted on for veteran leadership as one of only a handful of a returning starters for the ADM varsity volleyball Tigers, who open the 2015 season Tuesday night with a four-team invitational at Newton against the host Cardinals, Carlisle and Dowling Catholic.

Bertman will be a vital piece for head coach Mary Beth Scott’s inexperienced team, which more than anything, lacks outside hitting. As the leading returning hitter with 64 kills last season, Bertman will help fill the void left by a number of graduated seniors that finished points for the Tigers last season.

Head coach Mary Beth Scott said that in addition to Bertman improving as an outside hitter, she’s looking for some intangibles out of her talented junior athlete, too.

“Last year, we talked with her some about bringing a lot of energy to the court, and the last couple games, there was a game, where we though, ‘Oh my gosh, it was just like you turned loose an animal on the court,”‘ said Scott of Bertman. “She had such high energy and was so engaged and she brought other people up with her. And that’s what I would really like to challenge her to do again is, ‘OK,  now you’re a junior. Now you need bring these things along and really help bring that team unity and bring that energy on the court.'”