Premium Content

Our Libero of the Year Finalists is a bit different than our other Player of the Year awards in that freshmen-seniors are all grouped together and taken under consideration instead of being broken down by class. It made it a challenging list to make, one that was cut down from 88 to our 18 finalists below. The criteria for winning the award is steep and ultimately not many qualified. To be a finalist the libero had to lead their respective team in digs. Another determining factor was overall team success. Given the number of players listed as candidates, to be chosen as a finalist their respective team needed to win a state championship or the equivalent of given some programs can be independent. It’s a tough standard, one that eliminated plenty of talented candidates who had tremendous seasons for their respective schools. We’ll select the eventual Libero of the Year winner from the list of finalists below, listed in alphabetical order. Bella Lee SR Plant FL: A 3-star Florida commit, Lee anchored the defense for Plant, which captured the Florida 7A state championship. She played in every set this fall, totaling 446 digs and averaging 5.6 per set. She posted a season-high 41 digs in a five-set victory over Berkeley Prep in late September. Another huge effort came when she put up 28 digs – her second-highest output – in the state finals against Winter Park. Cali Reece SO Grand Oaks TX: On a team loaded offensively, it was Reece who brought an edge defensively. The sophomore delivered throughout the year, one that culminated with Grand Oaks winning the Texas 6A state championship. She recorded 444 digs, averaging 3.4 per set. Her season-high 20 digs came in a sweep of College Park in late September. She also had 18 saves in a five-set victory over Prosper in the state semifinals. Dakota Henry SR Kings OH: It was a dream season for Kings, which claimed the Ohio Division 1 state title. The Knights had a balanced roster, including Henry patrolling the back row. The senior tallied 352 digs, averaging 3.5 per set. She had four matches with at least 20 digs, including a season-best 27 in a five-set victory over Turpin in mid-October. Gillian Pitts JR Prestonwood Christian TX: A 5-star Houston commit, Pitts is an easy choice for Libero of the Year Finalist. She brought a defensive edge to a stacked lineup. She registered 343 digs, averaging 3.6 per set, for the Lions, who captured the TAPPS 6A state championship. Graceyn Shepard FR Middle Creek NC: One of two freshmen to make the cut, Shepard came up large this fall as Middle Creek brought home its first-ever North Carolina 4A state title. She paced the defense with 270 digs, averaging 3.1 per set. She had a season-high 20 digs in a five-set victory over Apex in mid-September. Jadyn Petersen SR Dike-New Hartford IA: The Wolverines went 50-0 and claimed the Iowa 2A state title. Petersen was a crucial piece of the team’s success. She made 335 digs. She averaged 3.0 per set. Her season-high 19 digs came in a sweep of Denver in early November. Petersen was also the ace leader with 61. Julia Oster JR Lake Catholic OH: A 3-star Colgate commit, Oster played a vital role in Lake Catholic going 29-0 and earning the Ohio Division 3 state title. She totaled 285 digs, averaging 3.8 per set. She had a season-high 22 digs in the state quarterfinals against Crestview. She made 17 saves in the state final against Archbishop McNicholas. She was also a force at the service line, leading the way by a big margin with 65 aces. Kailey Leonard FR Alpharetta GA: With the Raiders taking the Georgia 6A state title, Leonard made her presence known. Despite playing in 85 of the team’s 110 sets, she still led the roster in digs with 308. She averaged 3.6 per set. Twice she had a season-best 21 digs, with both times coming in mid-September. Keri Leimbach JR Lincoln Lutheran NE: A 4-star Nebraska commit, Leimbach was a wall in the back row as the Warriors earned the Nebraska Class C2 state title. She put up more than 250 saves than the next closest leader, finishing the year with 550 digs and averaging 5.6 per set. She also led the team in aces with 55. She was clutch down the stretch, turning in her three best outputs in the state playoffs. She had 25 digs in the quarterfinals, 35 in the semis, then a season-best 38 in the state final against Clarkson/Leigh. Kinsley Singleton SR O’Connor AZ: The Eagles had an outstanding season, going 34-1 and claiming the Arizona 6A state championship. The Nevada commit amassed 305 digs, averaging 3.3 per set. She saved her best for last, posting a season-high 20 digs in the state finals against Perry. Kristen Simon JR Assumption KY: Simon was tenacious in the back row in helping Assumption capture the Kentucky state championship. The 5-star Wisconsin commit collected 497 digs, averaging 4.3 per set. Five times she finished with 20 digs or more. It included a season-best 26 against Sacred Heart in late October. Malyssa Cawa SR Mater Dei CA: With Mater Dei winning the California Open Division state championship and finishing as the vballrecruiter.com National Champion, Cawa is a well-deserved finalist. The 3-star Stanford commit had a monster campaign, racking up 545 digs and averaging 4.2 per set. She made a season-high 34 saves in the state quarterfinal victory over Huntington Beach. She also had two other efforts of 20 digs or more. Mattea Casale JR Carrollwood Day FL: Casale showed what she can bring to the defensive side in helping the Patriots to the Florida 3A state title and a 31-2 mark. She led the way with 345 digs, averaging 3.8 per set. The 3-star Purdue commit had a season-high 26 digs in a five-set victory over Berkeley Prep in late October. McKenna Brand SR Lovejoy TX: Brand – a

(Senior Player of the Year Finalists) (Junior Player of the Year Finalists) Like our Sophomore Player of the Year Finalists list, the vballrecruiter.com Freshman Player of the Year Finalists selections was dramatically narrowed down from our Player of the Year Candidates. That list featured nearly 50 players who first started off in the running. However, there are just nine finalists below. That’s because the criteria for winning the award is steep and ultimately not many qualified. To be a finalist a player didn’t necessarily have to lead their team in a statistical category, but the contributions had to make a significant impact and be undeniable. Another determining factor was overall team success. Given the number of freshmen listed as candidates, to be chosen as a finalist their respective team needed to win a state championship or the equivalent of given some programs can be independent. It’s a tough standard, one that eliminated plenty of talented candidates who had tremendous seasons for their respective schools. We’ll select the eventual Freshman Player of the Year winner from the list of finalists below, listed in alphabetical order. Carson Caraway OH Jackson Academy MS: The Raiders would not have claimed their fifth consecutive MAIS Division 1 state championship without the performance of Caraway this fall. The 6-2, 4-star freshman paced the offense with 481 kills, averaging 3.6 per set. She also led the team in aces with 115 while finishing third in digs (291) and fourth in blocks (35). She sent down 19 kills in the state finals against Madison-Ridgeland Academy. She had a season-high 24 kills in a four-set victory over Lamar in mid-September. It was one of two times she had 20 kills or more. Emma Kingston MB Mater Dei CA: Kingston – a 6-4, 3-star recruit – is a rare finalist who didn’t contribute heavily on the offensive side. She finished fifth in kills with 113, but she did hit an impressive .384. However, she was a force at the net with her blocking and a game-changer for the national champions because of it. Her 125 stuffs led the team by more than 40 blocks. She averaged 1.1 per set and turned in her biggest performances down the stretch. It included a season-high eight kills and season-best nine blocks in Mater Dei’s state semifinal victory over Cathedral Catholic. She also had seven blocks in her team’s sectional final triumph against Mira Costa, as well as seven blocks in the state quarterfinals against Huntington Beach and the state final against Archbishop Mitty. Gentry Barker OH Lovejoy TX: Barker was featured as our Player of the Week this week. She’s in the running as a Player of the Year finalist after helping Lovejoy to the Texas 5A state championship. The 4-star outside racked up a team-leading 424 kills, averaging 3.3 per set. She also tied for second in digs with 365 and was second in aces with 44. She registered 17 kills in the state championship against Liberty Hill, one of three times she reached that mark. It was two kills shy of her season-best 19 in a mid-September victory over Plano West. Kate Kalczynski OH Mercy MI: Kalczynski was another freshman who played an integral role in her team winning a state title as Mercy brought home the top honor in the Michigan Division 1 playoffs. She posted a team-leading 310 kills. She averaged 3.8 per set. She also finished first in aces (44) and second in digs (161). She put away a season-best 20 kills in a four-set victory against Marian in early October. Lina Wang OH McIntosh GA: The Chiefs claiming the Georgia 5A state title and Wang’s impact has her in the running for the Player of the Year honors. Wang led the roster with 316 kills. She averaged 2.8 per set while also ending second in aces (66) and digs (326). She had three outings of 20 kills or more, including a season-high 21 in a five-set victory over Newnan in late September. Lydia Chinchar RS Carrollwood Day FL: Chinchar – a 6-1, 4-star recruit – was a wrecking ball as the Patriots earned the Florida 3A state championship. She powered the offense with 573 kills, nearly 250 more than the next leader. She averaged a whopping 6.3 kills per set while hitting a remarkable .428. On top of that, she was second in digs (266) and blocks (67) and third in aces (37). If that wasn’t enough, she had her best match with a season-high 37 kills in the state championship match against Westminster Christian. It was one of two times she had at least 31 kills. She also had nine additional matches with at least 20 kills or more. Olivia Henry OH Fieldston NY: Henry was a difference-maker as the Eagles captured the NYSAIS state championship for the ninth time in program history. It was part of a perfect 25-0 season. The 6-4, 5-star recruit took this season by storm. Her length and athleticism overwhelmed opponents and placed her as one of our Player of the Year finalists. Peyton Heatherly S Mother McAuley IL: With Heatherly running the attack, Mother McAuley finished on top of the Illinois 4A state playoffs. The 3-star recruit is certainly worthy of being a finalist. She totaled 737 assists, averaging 7.8 per set. She was also third in digs (208) and aces (26). She had five matches with at least 30 assists. It featured three outings with 32 assists, including in the state final in a three-set victory over Benet Academy. Sophia Dostic S Plant FL: Dostic – a 3-star recruit – was another setter who played a key role in guiding the attack as the Panthers captured the Florida 7A state championship. She tallied 629 assists, averaging 9.0 per set. Her best match was a season-high 53 assists in a five-set victory over Trinity Catholic in early September. She also had 37 dimes in the state championship against Winter Park. It was one of five times she surpassed 30

(Senior Player of the Year Finalists) (Junior Player of the Year Finalists) The list for the vballrecruiter.com Sophomore Player of the Year Finalists was significantly trimmed from our Player of the Year Candidates. That list featured nearly 70 players who first started off in the running. However, there are just eight finalists below. That’s because the criteria for winning the award is steep and ultimately not many qualified. To be a finalist a player didn’t necessarily have to lead their team in a statistical category, but the contributions had to make a major impact and be undeniable. Another determining factor was overall team success. Given the number of sophomores listed as candidates, to be chosen as a finalist their respective team needed to win a state championship or the equivalent of given some programs can be independent. It’s a tough standard, one that eliminated plenty of talented candidates who had tremendous seasons for their respective schools. We’ll select the eventual Sophomore Player of the Year winner from the list of finalists below, listed by alphabetical order. Addison West OH Skutt Catholic NE: West – a 3-star recruit – did a phenomenal job in helping the Skyhawks earn their ninth consecutive Nebraska Class B state title. She racked up 395 kills, averaging 3.7 per set and hitting .353. She was just five winners shy of tying for the team lead. She was also just three digs away from tying for second in that category, finishing with 272. Aubree Deshetsky OH North Branch MI: A 3-star recruit, Deshetsky came up large during this past fall as the Broncos brought home the Michigan Division 2 title for the second year in a row. She led the team with 515 kills, averaging 3.6 per set. She was also second in digs with 464 and fourth in aces. She had a season-high 18 kills and hit .452 in a three-game victory over Joliet Catholic IL at the Asics Challenge. Ayanna Watson OH Bishop Gorman NV: With an impressive season, Watson is a frontrunner for the Player of the Year award. The 5-star recruit was instrumental in lifting the Gaels to the Nevada 5A state championship. Watson racked up 605 kills. She averaged 5.7 per set and hit .392. She was also second in aces and third in both digs and blocks. She had nine contests of at least 20 kills or more. It featured her season-best 32-kill performance in the state championship victory over Coronado, when she also hit .348. Bellamie Beus OH Skyview ID: Beus’ efforts this fall speak for themselves. She recorded nearly half the team’s total kills, tallying 533. She averaged 5.4 per set and hit .360. She was second in digs, third in aces and fourth in blocks. Her two biggest outings happened to come in losses. One included a season-best 40 kills in a five-set defeat to Maple Mountain UT. The other was when she drilled down 25 kills in a four-set loss to Mountain View UT. Ella Florez S Mill Valley KS: Florez – a 5-star recruit – was recently featured as our Player of the Week after leading Mill Valley to the Kansas 6A state championship and is another frontrunner for our award. The sophomore guided a balanced attack, one that saw four attackers finish between 200-350 kills. She finished the year with 943 assists, averaging 9.7 per set. She was also third in digs (253), blocks (53) and aces (34). She had a season-high 51 assists in a four-set victory over De Soto in mid-October. Gunny Brock OH Cleveland TN: The Blue Raiders captured the Tennessee Division 1-3A state championship with Brock making significant contributions on the outside. She finished second on the team in kills with 421, averaging 3.1 per set while taking over 1,110 swings. She also provided points at the service line, accumulating a team-leading 103 aces. On top of that, she was third in digs with 361, averaging 2.6 per set. Halle Thompson OH Grand Oaks TX: Another top contender for the Player of the Year award is Thompson. She had a magnificent season in helping Grand Oaks claim the Texas 6A state title. The 5-star recruit led the attack with 525 kills, averaging 4.1 per set. She also led in aces with 54, as well as being third in digs (289) and fourth in blocks (67). Among Thompson’s notable matches was a season-best 21 kills in a four-set victory over Sachse in the state playoffs. Layli Ostovar OH Mater Dei CA: A 5-star recruit, Ostovar was a key piece of Mater Dei winning the California Open Division state championship and finishing as the top team in the country. She ended up third in kills with 347 averaging 3.1 per set. She was just 11 off second place and 55 away from the top kill leader. She was fourth in digs with 312, averaging 2.8 per set. She also finished fourth in aces with 30. She set a season-high 19 kills in a five-set victory against Huntington Beach in the state quarterfinals.

It’s time for the vballrecruiter.com Junior Player of the Year Finalists. You can view the Senior Player of the Finalists here. We have trimmed the Junior Finalists list down to 18. It’s a limited list, one that was difficult to narrow down given the criteria we were looking for. It’s nearly impossible to be considered as a finalist if a player didn’t lead their team in a statistical category, with a few rare exceptions. It’s one way of gauging a player’s impact for the season. Another determining factor was overall team success. Given the number of juniors listed as candidates, to be chosen as a finalist their respective team needed to win a state championship or the equivalent of given some programs can be independent. It’s a tough standard, one that eliminated plenty of talented players who are headed to top Division 1 programs. It’s a team sport, however, and winning a state championship is one way of honoring it. We’ll select the eventual Junior Player of the Year winner from the list of finalists below, listed in alphabetical order. Abigail Li S Alpharetta GA: Li – a 4-star SMU commit – was an integral part of Alpharetta taking home the Georgia 6A state title. She dished out 1,153 assists, averaging 10.5 per set. She also led the roster in aces, was third in digs and fourth in blocks. She twice put up a season-high 51 assists, including once in a three-game sweep over Pope in September. She had another six outings of at least 40 assists or more. Addy Horner S/RS St. Francis/Wheaton IL: Horner was the most impactful player on the Spartans, who earned the Illinois 3A state championship. The 5-star Wisconsin commit led the team in kills with 342. She averaged 3.2 per set and hit .342. She was also second in assists with 258, and second in aces with 50. On top of that, she finished third in blocks and fourth in digs. She saved her best for last, when she registered 13 kills, a season-best 23 assists and season-high 17 digs in the state final victory over Lincoln. Asia Harvey OH Sandy Creek GA: With Harvey powering the offense, the Patriots claimed the Georgia 3A state championship. The 5-star recruit put away 471 kills, averaging 4.2 per set and hitting .370. She was also a factor on defense, leading the way with 312 digs. She had a season-best 22 kills in a five-set setback against Westminster in early October. She also had 21 kills and hit .405 in a sweep of Hebron Christian in late October. Ava Durgan MB Mead WA: Durgan starred on both sides of the ball in lifting Mead to the Washington 3A state title. The 6-2 middle paced the offense with 295 kills. She averaged 3.1 per set and hit an impressive .401. She also made her presence felt at the net by delivering 118 blocks, averaging 1.2 per set. Four times she matched her season-best 16 kills, including in the state semifinals victory over Lynnwood, when she also had seven blocks. Ava Jo Berry S Wenatchee WA: It was a championship season for the Panthers, who captured the Washington 4A state title. Berry was a crucial piece in it all. A strong beach player as well, Berry directed the attack and eventually helped Wenatchee top North Creek in five sets in the state final. She was named the CBBN 4A Player of the Year. Cari Spears OH Prestonwood Christian TX: Spears was our Sophomore Player of the Year a season ago. She missed a bit of time this fall, playing in 72 of the team’s 98 total sets. Still, the 5-star Texas commit led the offense with 284 kills. She averaged 3.9 kills a set and hit .360 as Prestonwood Christian claimed the TAPPS 6A state title for the second consecutive year. Chloe Elarton S Valor Christian CO: It was a terrific year for Elarton, a 3-star Georgia commit. Her contributions helped the Eagles to the Colorado 6A state championship and a perfect 29-0 record. She registered 975 assists, averaging 11.2 per set. She was also first in aces with 48, second in blocks and fourth in digs. On top of that, Elarton turned in her best performances on the biggest stage. Three times she reached 50 assists or more, with two of them coming in the state semifinals and finals. It included her season-high 57 dimes in a five-set victory over Fossil Ridge in the state championship match, as well as 50 assists in the semifinals victory over Legend. Devyn Wiest OH O’Connor AZ: The Eagles proved themselves as the best in Arizona this fall, going 34-1 and earning the 6A state championship. Wiest – a 4-star Utah commit – was on a mission. She charged the attack with a team-leading 349 kills, averaging 3.9 per set and hitting .314. She was also second in both digs and aces. She actually set her season high of 21 kills in the team’s only loss, a five-set defeat to Sunnyslope. Her best outing was arguably when she sent down 19 kills and hit .613 in a three-game sweep of Boulder Creek in late October. Lauren Hurst OH Cleveland TN: Hurst – a 4-star recruit – was an integral part of the Raiders ending the season with the Tennessee Division 1-3A state championship. She had a remarkable campaign, racking up 766 assists and averaging 5.6 per set. She also hit .313 and was third in aces. Hurst had 11 outings of 20 kills or more. It included a season-high 29 in a five-set loss to East Hamilton in mid-September. Madison Quest OH Divine Savior Holy Angels WI: Quest is the rare finalist who didn’t lead her team in a statistical category but her impact was undeniable. DSHA captured back-to-back Wisconsin Division 1 state championship with Quest totaling 557 kills. That was within 30 of the team lead, as she averaged 4.6 per set and finished second in digs and blocks and

Last week we presented our list of the vballrecruiter.com Senior Player of the Year Candidates. This go around, we have narrowed the list down to 25 Player of the Year Finalists. It’s a select list, one that was difficult to make given the criteria we were looking for. It’s not totally impossible to be considered as a finalist if a player didn’t lead their team in a statistical category, but the contributions have to be significant and undeniable. It’s one way of gauging a player’s impact for the season. Another determining factor was overall team success. Given the number of seniors listed as candidates, to be chosen as a finalist their respective team needed to win a state championship or the equivalent of given some programs can be independent. It’s a tough standard, one that eliminated plenty of talented players who are headed to top Division 1 programs. At the same time, it’s a team sport and using winning a state championship as a measure is one way to honor it. We’ll select the eventual Senior Player of the Year winner from the list of finalists below, presented in alphabetical order by first name. Abby Yoder S Kings OH: A 3-star Ohio State commit, Yoder was a key player as Kings took home the Ohio Division 1 state championship. She racked up 1,057 assists, averaging 10.7 per set while finishing second in aces with 76. She had her share of monster performances, including a season-best 61 assists in a five-set victory over Seton in late September. Twice more she surpassed 55 assists and had five more outings of at least 40 assists. She’s one of 11 setters in the running for our Senior Player of the Year award. Alex Bower S Skyview ID: Bower orchestrated the offense as Skyview finished the year as the Idaho 4A state champion. Bower – a 5-star BYU commit – is a high IQ setter who ended her senior campaign with 862 assists, averaging 8.6 per set. She was also second in both blocks and aces. She set her season high of 40 assists in a five-set loss to Maple Mountain UT in late August. She had an additional 12 matches of at least 30 assists or more. Alyssa Nelson S Lafayette MO: Nelson is another setter who proved herself worthy of being a Senior Player of the Year finalist. The 3-star Villanova commit had an impressive year, totaling 1,036 assists and averaging 10.1 per set as Lafayette claimed its second consecutive Missouri 4A state championship. She also led the roster with 61 aces. She had her biggest performances in October, including a season-high 48 assists in a five-set victory against Marquette. Her best match was arguably dishing out 44 assists in a three-set victory over Eureka a week prior. Avery Scoggins S Middle Creek NC: With Scoggins running the show, Middle Creek captured its first-ever North Carolina 4A state championship. The Arizona signee registered 919 assists. She averaged 9.9 per set while finished second in blocks and third in digs. Scoggins had six matches with at least 43 assists or more. It included her season-best 49 dimes in a four-set victory over Apex Friendship in October. She also had 48 assists in the state semifinal triumph against Green Hope and 33 in the state final sweep of Cox Mill. Bethanie Wu S Lovejoy TX: The Leopards proved themselves the best in 5A as they claimed the state championship. Wu – a 4-star Yale commit – directed a balanced attack in amassing 1,317 assists. She averaged 10.1 per set while also leading the team in aces. Wu’s best outing was a season-high 61 assists in a four-set victory over Whitehouse in early November. She had two more matches of at least 54 assists and six more of at least 41. Charlotte Moriarty OH Assumption KY: Moriarty played a vital part of Assumption going 37-5 and earning the Kentucky state championship. The Rockets also finished first at the LIVT tournament. As for Moriarty, a 3-star Xavier commit, she led the squad with 413 kills. She averaged 3.5 per set as well as ending first in aces, second in digs and third in blocks. She recorded a season-high 20 kills in a three-set loss to eventual national champion Mater Dei CA in the quarterfinals of the Durango Fall Classic. She delivered 18 kills in Assumption’s four-set victory over Notre Dame Academy in the state final. Clara Gyomory RS North Branch MI: It’s difficult to be a Player of the Year finalist without leading your team in kills as a hitter. However, Gyomory was just two kills shy of that accomplishment. The Northeastern commit tallied 513 winners while hitting an impressive .407. She was also one block shy of tying for the team lead while finishing second in aces. It’s clear to see the impact she made as North Branch repeated as the Michigan Division 2 state champ. Gyomory put away a season-best 28 kills in a five-set victory against Marysville in November. Delaney Russell OH Valor Christian CO: The Eagles finished as the Colorado 5A state champ with Russell leading the charge offensively. She totaled 383 kills while hitting .395. She was also second in aces and third in digs. The 3-star Montana commit had two of her three biggest matches in the state semifinals and finals. She had a season-high 30 kills in a five-set victory over Legend in early September and managed to put away 24 kills against the same opponent in the state semis. She followed that up with 24 more kills in the championship-clinching victory over Fossil Ridge in the final. Ellie White OH Mother McAuley IL: White – a 4-star Michigan commit – is among the favorites for Player of the Year. After all, she took home the award last year as a junior and once more powered the Macs to the 4A state championship. She finished with 484 kills, averaging 5.1 per set while also leading the team in aces.

We’ve spent the week releasing our Senior, Junior, Sophomore and Freshman Player of the Year Candidates. We finish with our Libero of the Year Candidates. Similar to our Player of the Year Candidates, there are determining factors used in order to provide parameters to choosing the players below. We looked at the talent level of the player, their impact on the team and overall team success. The first is very subjective, because not everyone will agree on a player’s talent level. Judging a player’s impact on a team meant the player needed to spend the majority of the season playing libero as well as leading the team in digs. Overall team success is judged based on how a team fared in their respective state playoff. Depending on the competitiveness of the state and division, teams needed to reach at least the Round of 16 or quarterfinals to be considered. We’ll next narrow down the list of candidates to the Libero of the Year Finalists, where we’ll highlight each player and the reason why they are up for the Libero of the Year award before eventually name the winner. LIBERO OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES (alphabetical order) Abby Freund SR Incarnate Word Academy MOAddison Applegate JR Yorktown INAddison Pollock JR Ransom Everglades FLAli Strange FR Archbishop McNicholas OHAly Kirkhoff SR Roncalli INAmelia Moser SR Lafayette MOAnahi Alvarado SR Tomball Memorial TXAngela Berger SO Bellevue West NEAniya Warren JR Benet Academy ILAnna Pelds SO Waukee Northwest IA *** Annalise Grant JR Dowling Catholic IAAshlee Gnau SR Northville MIAvery Anders SR St. Joseph Academy OHAvery Power JR Brandon MIBella Lee SR Plant FLBrie Habeeb JR Gilmour Academy OHBrookelyn Hatton JR Blue Valley West KSCali Reece SO Grand Oaks TXCorinne Schwindt SO Mill Valley KS *** Dakota Henry SR Kings OHDayla Ortiz SR Pope GADevin Dzienny JR St. Ursula Academy OHElla Vogel SR Chaparral COEmily Mathis SR Lee Summit West MOEmily Zgonc SO Hamilton WIEmma Adkins SO Mercy McAuley OHEmma Cugino SO Olentangy Orange OHEmma Ortiz SR Winter Park FLErin Clark SO Corona del Sol AZ *** Evie Huang SO Flint Hill VAFaith Frame SR Papillion-La Vista NEFelicia Wu SR Blue Valley North KSGabby Emch SO Pace Academy GAGillian Pitts JR Prestonwood Christian TXGraceyn Shepard FR Middle Creek NCHailey Green SR North Branch MIHannah Nicholson SO North Cobb GAIzzy Mahaffey JR Queen Creek AZJadyn Petersen SR Dike-New Hartford IA *** Jannelize Perez JR Lake Highlands Prep FLJillian Collins JR Mercy MIJulia Grace JR Notre Dame Academy KYJulia Oster JR Lake Catholic OHKailey Leonard FR Alpharetta GAKaitlyn Vogel FR Foothill CAKate Stewart JR Chiles FLKeri Leimbach JR Lincoln Lutheran NEKiley Gallagher SR Clarkston MIKinley Wilhelm JR Seaman KS *** Kinsley Singleton SR O’Connor AZKristen Simon JR Assumption KYLauren Lynch JR Sierra Canyon CALexi Kedvesh SO Carmel INLily Hayes JR Berkeley Prep FLLiv Foye JR Huntington Beach CALuca Bredenberg SR Southwest Christian MNMadi Kraft SO Eagan MNMagdalene Finnegan JR Cinco Ranch TXMalyssa Cawa SR Mater Dei CA *** Margaux Godfrey FR Lovett GAMary Katherine Whitehurst SO Bayside Academy ALMary McAmis SO Jupiter FLMary Nahinu JR Skyridge UTMary Schirpik JR Rouse TXMattea Casale JR Carrollwood Day FLMaya Evens JR Cathedral Catholic CAMcKenna Brand SR Lovejoy TXMegan Chapman SO Seven Lakes TXMichael Torkaman SR Valley Christian CA *** Molly Labreche JR Palos Verdes CAMya Bolton SR St. James Academy KYMya Lei-Butters SO Ankeny Centennial IANicole Macalintal JR Archbishop Mitty CAOlivia Durst JR Divine Savior Holy Angels WIOlivia Mauch SR Bennington NEPaisley Douglas SR Skutt Catholic NERuby McDermott SO Blessed Trinity GASamantha Falk SR Mother McAuley ILSarah Mendoza JR Colleyville Heritage TX *** Siena Ebert FR Hockaday TXSophia Bond SR St. Thomas Aquinas KSSophie Ledbetter SR Hamilton Southeastern INSydney Black JR Fulshear TXTatum Thompson SR Bishop Gorman NVTaylor Deckert JR Mira Costa CATrinidy Tien SR Lone Peak UTWhitney Wallace SR St. Francis/Mountain CA

So far we have put out our Senior, Junior and Sophomore Player of the Year Candidates already. Last up is our Freshman Player of the Year Candidates. When it comes to selecting Player of the Year Candidates, it’s a subjective list. There are determining factors used in order to provide parameters to choosing the players below. We looked at the talent level of the player, their impact on the team and overall team success. The first is very subjective, because not everyone will agree on a player’s talent level. Judging a player’s impact on a team usually falls under being among the top kill leaders or if a setter running a 5-1, or even major contributions as both a setter and hitter. Overall team success is judged based on how a team fared in their respective state playoffs. Depending on the competitiveness of the state and division, teams needed to reach at least the Round of 16 or quarterfinals to be considered. We’ll next narrow down the list of candidates to the Player of the Year Finalists, where we’ll highlight each finalist and the reason why they are up for the Freshman Player of the Year award before selecting the Player of the Year. Lastly, we are releasing a separate list for our Libero of the Year Candidates, so you won’t find any defenders below. Freshman Player of the Year Candidates (alphabetical order) Amelie Pankonin OH River Falls WIAnabelle Schembra S Center Grove INAva Burgess OH Lone Peak UTBrianna Napoles OH Doral Academy FLBrooke Friesen S/RS Sprague ORCalli LeFevre OH Marian MICaroline Ward OH Tri-West Hendricks INCarson Caraway OH Jackson Academy MSCatherine Williams S St. Croix Falls WIDestinee Chukelu MB Blessed Trinity GA *** Ellyson Randolph OH Reagan NCEmery Gonzales S Torrey Pines CAEmma Kingston MB Mater Dei CAGentry Barker OH Lovejoy TXGeorgia Lemay OH Bishop Miege KSGrace Goodyke OH Grand Rapids Christian MIHanna McGinest OH Sierra Canyon CAIsabel Incinelli MB Winter Park FLKate Kalczynski OH Mercy MIKendall Omoruyi MB Sunnyslope AZ *** Lauren Forelli OH Liberty AZLina Wang OH McIntosh GALouise Neuhart OH Virginia Academy VALydia Chinchar RS Carrollwood Day FLMallory Wandel OH Rockford MIMalorie Boesiger S Norris NEMariah Akinsola MB Reedy TXMarissa Jones S Woodward Academy GAMarlie Smith S/RS Clarkston MIMazie Sweers S/RS Pleasant Valley IA *** McKenna McIntosh OH St. Mary’s CAMia Ray OH North Gwinnett GANafanua Alofipo S/RS Skyline UTNatalie Norton OH Pantego Christian TXNora Herian MB Pierce NENyla Livings MB Prestonwood Christian TXOlivia Henry OH Fieldston NYPeyton Heatherly S Mother McAuley ILPeyton Kubik OH Blue Valley West KSReagan Wallraff MB Elkhorn North NE *** Riley Hake OH Legend CORiley Riggs OH Mill Valley KSSophia Puleo OH Academy Holy Names FLSophia Dostic S Plant FLTessa Larkin OH Xavier Prep AZWestley Matavao OH Orange Lutheran CAZamari Christensen S Woods Cross UT