David Wolff could have been destined to be a basketball star.
Well, the 6-foot-8 New Trier senior is a star, just not in that sport.
“My dad (Adam) played basketball at New Trier,” Wolff said. “But I was never really that good at basketball.”
Wolff is extremely good at hockey and volleyball, however. He is the Zdeno Chara of high school hockey, a towering, high-scoring defenseman who helped New Trier win the last two Amateur Hockey Association Illinois state championships.
Wolff is even more dominant in volleyball, where he is a powerful outside hitter. USA Volleyball recently named him its junior male athlete of the year.
“I’ve always been playing hockey ever since I was 6 years old,” he said. “But then I kept growing and growing. A lot of my friends started playing volleyball, and I kind of picked it up pretty quick.”
Wolff’s mother, Elizabeth, played high school volleyball and softball in Arizona. But one thing is clear: Wolff’s choice of sports and his prowess at both make him unusual.
“We’ve had lots of players playing basketball and football and soccer, but I can’t remember a hockey player playing volleyball since I’ve been here,” New Trier boys volleyball coach Sue Ellen Haak said in her 28th year at the school. “David is pretty unique because he’s a big guy.
“He’s got the height, but he can also move. He’s a six-rotation player, and that makes him really stand out because he does everything well. Most guys with his size aren’t able to perform at that level, so I think that makes him unique.”
New Trier’s David Wolff (14) reacts during a match at Barrington on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Brian O’Mahoney / Pioneer Press)
Wolff, who will play volleyball at Stanford, is a three-year starter for the Trevians. As a sophomore, he had 218 kills and 110 digs as the Trevians reached the state quarterfinals. Wolff racked up 279 kills, 160 digs, 32 blocks and 20 aces as a junior, when he was picked for Illinois Prep Volleyball’s all-state third team.
“It’s been an absolute pleasure coaching David Wolff,” Haak said. “Not only is he an outstanding performer, he’s also a great leader and an awesome young man.
“He has been the staple of our team every single year. Even when he was a sophomore and finding his footing and was a little bit more of a role player, he still ended up leading us in kills.”
It’s been a similar story in hockey, a sport in which New Trier is even more of a powerhouse, having won 18 state championships.
The most recent came on March 13, when Wolff had three assists, including one on Hans Huber’s game-winner, as the Trevians beat York 6-1 at the United Center. New Trier beat York 2-0 in the 2023 state championship game at the same arena.
“Both times were awesome,” Wolff said of playing at the United Center. “It’s not really any different from a normal game. Once the puck drops, you start to settle down and it’s just like any other game.”
Wolff, though, is not just any other athlete, nor is his choice of sports the norm. He attributes his success to his mentality.
“I’m really competitive,” he said. “So if I’m given any kind of challenge, I always want to be the best in it.”
It has taken a lot of effort for Wolff to do that. Hockey season overlaps entirely with club volleyball, so Wolff has had to juggle both with his academics.
On a typical weekday, Wolff attended school and then headed to hockey practice from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. After dinner, he had volleyball practice from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., which was followed by homework. It didn’t leave much time for sleep, and weekends were filled with tournaments.
“Making time for both sports can be hard,” Wolff said. “I just had to be good about communicating with my coaches. They both understand. I’ve been prioritizing volleyball a lot more this year, which I think has definitely paid off for me.”
It might pay off in a state championship for the Trevians, whose only volleyball title came in 1995. Wolff, who had 14 kills in New Trier’s 25-19, 25-19 win against Barrington on March 20, is optimistic about the team’s chances.
“We have a lot more depth than most teams,” Wolff said. “I didn’t start off my best (against Barrington), but I was able to fall back on my teammates, and once they started going, I started getting a lot more confidence, and then I was able to pick it up.”
New Trier’s David Wolff (14) digs the ball during a match at Barrington on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Brian O’Mahoney / Pioneer Press)
That was New Trier’s second match of the season. Wolff left immediately afterward to catch a flight to Philadelphia, where New Trier’s boys hockey team played in the national tournament. The Trevians went 1-2 there, marking the end of Wolff’s hockey career.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “I’ve always seen hockey as something that’s been super close to me. All of my friends are from hockey, and I’ve accomplished a lot toward the end of my career with two state championships. I guess it’s a little sad, but I’m still super excited about volleyball.”
Wolff chose to play volleyball in college because it offered more opportunities, including the chance to attend an elite academic institution. He picked Stanford over Princeton and Penn State.
“Recruiting started toward the end of sophomore season, and once that started picking up, I realized that I could take this to the next level,” he said. “So I started putting more time and effort into it.
“I was leaning toward the more prestigious schools. One of my previous teammates from New Trier, Stefan Gjaja, went to Princeton for volleyball. It kind of clicked for me that I could take this super seriously.”
Wolff said his hockey skills help him in volleyball.
“I’d say the hand-eye coordination aspect from hockey has definitely translated to volleyball because most guys my size are not super coordinated,” he said. “Having that ability from a young age has definitely helped me out.
“Something interesting about the two is hockey obviously is a super physical sport contact-wise, but volleyball can be physical, too, playing at the net. Having that in my back pocket from hockey has helped me be physical at the net to put balls away and block and stuff.”
Haak has noticed.
“What stands out about David is he’s really levelheaded on the court and he’s a fierce competitor,” Haak said. “He wants the ball in big-pressure moments, and he can take care of business when the game is on the line. So he is a very confident player, which makes him stand out.”
New Trier’s David Wolff passes the ball during a match at Barrington on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Brian O’Mahoney / Pioneer Press)
Haak isn’t the only one who has noticed. She said one of New Trier’s physical education teachers told her that Wolff is the school’s best athlete. That’s saying something at a school like New Trier, where high expectations are the norm. Wolff said New Trier is similar to Stanford in that regard.
“That’s kind of why I chose it,” he said. “I feel like a lot of the teachers and the coaches at New Trier have prepared me well for the next level. I’ve definitely had to up the rigor for course level this year, but I think that’s going to pay off in the long run.”
That could be true on and off the court.
“Having Stanford will allow me to get a lot of job opportunities down the road if volleyball doesn’t pan out,” Wolff said. “And if it does, I can take that risk, play overseas in Europe and develop my game if I want to play at the next level.”
But for the next two months, Haak is relishing Wolff’s final run at what the Trevians hope is another state title.
“David is the total package,” Haak said. “He’s a great student, he’s a wonderful person, he’s a leader and a phenomenal athlete.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
