ReUNIted

Osage graduates together again at Northern Iowa

CEDAR FALLS — When both Dani Johnson and Meredith Street were asked about playing with each other again, each of their faces lit up with an uncontained joy.

The Osage duo last played together on the volleyball court in 2020 when the Green Devils brought home their first state title.

“We always talked about it when we were younger,” Johnson said. “‘Like, how cool would it be to go to college together, play volleyball?’ I mean, me and Meredith have been best friends for a very long time, so it was always a dream of ours, so when it actually worked out, we were so excited.

“She got to be in Cedar Falls this summer, so that was fun having her here, but I’m excited to have a piece of home with me here. It’s a different feeling having someone from Osage. It gives you a warm feeling knowing you have someone I love here. I mean, I love my whole team, but it’s extra fun so far.”

Street added, “It’s awesome. It feels super-great to be have someone I feel so close with already. It made the transition a lot easier and smoother to have her here because we’ve always been super close. To start off having someone really close in distance and super-close is really helpful.”

Coach Bobbi Petersen said she could sense the two were close when recruiting them.

“You could just see . . . it felt like they were close in high school, and I think just bringing Meredith in and Dani has been there, done that,” Coach Petersen said. “It’s that relationship that helps Meredith as well as the other freshmen. I love both of them because of their work ethic. They are small-town Iowa kids that get after it, work hard and have something to prove. That is going to lead to a really great career for both of them. That’s what our program has been built on over the years. I’m really thankful to have them both, for sure.”