ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — Jaden Julius, Lena-Winslow, announced her plans to attend Augustana and continue her volleyball career as a member of coach Kelly Bethke’s Vikings.

A 5-foot 10-inch setter and middle blocker, Julius was a four-year All-Northwest Upstate Illini Conference performer for coach Sue Amendt at Lena-Winslow. She was also twice named to the All-Star Preps team selected jointly by the Rockford Register Star and the Freeport Journal-Standard.

As a senior, Julius led a 30-7 Panther outfit in kills (263) and solo (54), assisted (23) and total (77) blocks. She also finished second on the team assists (315) and service aces (25) and chipped in with 153 digs to earn unanimous first team All-NUIC honors and help Lena-Winslow to an undefeated conference title.

Julius had team highs of 77 total blocks and 56 aces and finished second on the team in kills (248) and assists (363) as a junior, as the Panthers finished 33-6 overall and 12-1 in the league. She led Lena-Winslow in kills (216) and blocks (77) as a sophomore. She earned first team All-NUIC honors both years. She was a second team all-conference selection as a freshman.

Julius competes at the club level for VC United out of Loves Park, Illinois.

Jaden is the daughter of Craig and Mindy McGinnis of Winslow, Illinois. She’s a three-year Principal’s Award winner at Lena-Winslow, where she also lettered for coach Austin Rickels in basketball. She is anticipating a biology major at Augustana.

Julius joins a Viking program that owns a pair of College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championships and has produced one CCIW Player of the Year and four CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. Bethke will be in her seventh season at Augustana in 2020 and has guided the Vikings to a record of 109-79, including a 25-8 mark in 2016 — the second highest win total in program history.