Biography

Fuerbringer and her team were the CIF Division 1 runners up last season. This was the first time the Mustangs made an appearance since 2008.  She and the team then went on to win the CIF Beach Volleyball title in 2023. She was named All-CIF First Team twice. Additionally, she was the team’s MVP her sophomore and junior season.

Fuerbringer was a team member on the United State’s U19 team that took gold in Croatia in August of 2023 as well as the USA’s U19 Pan Am Cup Champion in 2022. At a younger age, she won gold medals at both 12 and 13’s at USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship

She was selected for the Under Armour All-American Game to be held January 2, 2024.

Fuerbringer will continue her collegiate career on and off the court at the University of Wisconsin.

Personal Honors

Will attend the University of Wisconsin

Biography

Middleton closes-out her scholastic career with back-to-back Arizona Class 6A state championships. The two-time winner of the Arizona Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year finished her senior season with compiled 516 kills, giving her 1,556 for her career, which is a school-record.

Middleton is one of two high school athletes on the USA Volleyball Under-20 Women’s National Team. “She’s probably one of the most coachable kids I’ve ever had” Hamilton High School Head Volleyball Coach Sharon Vanis told USA TODAY. “She’s a very respectful teammate, humble and has received a lot of awards. She knows it’s a team sport and it’s not all about her, but that’s why she is so deserving of the things she gets – because she’s humble and it all came by being a part of a great teams”.

Additionally, Middleton received All-America honors from Under Armour and the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She was also a member of the U20 National Team in 2021.

Middleton will continue her volleyball career at the University of Southern California.

Records

2x State Champion

Professional Achievements

2x Arizona Gatorade Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attending the University of Southern California

Biography

Gabby capped her scholastic career by leading Walton to its fourth straight Georgia state championship. This past season, Walton finished 41-3 with a No. 5 national ranking by MaxPreps.  Gonzales had an outstanding senior season with 539 kills in 109 total sets, carrying a 51.5 attack percentage. She also finished with 237 digs, 27 blocks and 34 aces.

Gonzales, who was named Gatorade’s Georgia Volleyball Player of the Year as a junior and senior, carries a 3.94 GPA. In addition to being named Georgia’s Class 7A Player of the Year and a 2018-19 Under Armour First Team All-American, she was also named an All-American by PrepVolleyball.com, FloVolleyball and MaxPreps.

Gonzalez will attend Ohio State University in the fall.

Records

4x Georgia State Champion

Personal Honors

Attends the Ohio State University

Biography

Hall, who has accepted a scholarship to play volleyball at the University of Florida, led her school to a South Carolina 5A state championship and a No. 7 ranking in the USA TODAY Super 25 national volleyball rankings. She finished the season with 638 kills, 361 digs, 43 service aces and 36 blocks. She is a three-time South Carolina Class 5A Player of the Year, plus a member of the U.S Women’s Junior National Team.

Hall, who carries a 4.94 grade point average, was also named Gatorade’s National Volleyball Player of the Year and she’s a two-time winner of South Carolina’s Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year.

In her first year at Florida, Hall was named to the SEC All-Freshmen Team. She was also AVCA All American Honorable Mention. Her sophomore year, she was named to the SEC All-Team. In addition, she was an AVCA All-Southeast Region honoree. Off the court, she was named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll both years. The next two years, Hall would again be named to the SEC All-Team.

Records

South Carolina State Champion

Professional Achievements

2x SEC All-Team Selection

2018 SEC All-Freshman Team

Gatorade National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attends the University of Florida

Biography

Alexa Smith, who carries a 4.0 weighted GPA, led her school to a MaxPreps “mythical” national championship in 2014.

Smith led the Rangers to a 29-0 record and a second consecutive Class 4A state championship this past season. Smith slammed 362 kills while recording a .519 kill percentage and .393 hitting percentage. The Colorado High School Athletic Association named her 4A Player of the Year. She is a member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team.

After graduating, Smith continued her academic and athletic pursuits to the University of Colorado. Smith made a large impact on the team. As a junior, Smith was seventh in the Pac-12 and 50th in the NCAA averaging 3.97 kills per set.

Records

2x Colorado State Champion

Professional Achievements

2014 Colorado Gatorade Athlete of the Year

CHSAA 4A Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Colorado

Biography

Alexa Filley, who will attend the Auburn University in the fall, led her school to a Kentucky state volleyball championship during the 2013-14 school year.

The 5-9 setter led her school to a 36-6 record and a national ranking by several national media outlets. Filley, who maintained a 3.95 GPA in the classroom, recorded 1,248 assists, 334 digs, 102 kills, 58 blocks and 41 service aces.

As a junior and a senior, she was named MVP of the Kentucky state tournament.  Filley is the first Kentucky volleyball player to be honored by the NHSCA.

Filley continued her success at Auburn. She was named All-SEC as a junior and senior. She finished her illustrious career w 4,721 assists, placing her second overall and first in rally-scoring. On the other side of the net, she’s only the second setter and first in the rally scoring era to reach 1,000 career digs. She notched a total of 1,315 in her career.

Records

4x Kentucky State Champion

2x State Tournament MVP

Professional Achievements

2x All-SEC honoree

Gatorade's National Volleyball Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended Auburn University

Biography

Twins Amber and Kadie Rolfzen, who now head together to the University of Nebraska, had a nearly perfect career at Papillion-La Vista South. The Rolfzens led the school to a 126-1 record while capturing three straight Nebraska Class A state titles.

In 2012, Amber recorded 390 kills compared to Kadie’s 369; both recorded 38 blocks; and both were members of the U.S. Junior Women’s Team in 2011 and 2012.

While at Nebraska, both Amber and Kadie continued to excel on the court. Kadie was a four time AVCA All-American, second team as a freshman and sophomore and first team her junior and senior year.   Kadie is only the second Cornhusker to achieve this honor. She was also named Nebraska’s Female Athlete of the Year as a senior.

Amber was also a AVCA All-American, second team as a senior and third team as a junior. She was also honored Academic Big-Ten three times over her career. They played an integral part in Nebraska claiming the 2015 NCAA National Championship.

Since graduating, both Kadie and Amber are part of Team USA.  Amber won a gold medal at the 2017 Pan American Cup. Kadie also earned a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Cup.  She was also named ‘Best Outside Hitter’ at the event.

 

Records

Won 3 State Titles Each

Professional Achievements

Both were honored as AVCA All Americans

Team members on the 2015 NCAA National Championship Team

Personal Honors

Both attended the University of Nebraska

Biography

The 6-foot-1 outside hitter led the Buccaneers to a 30-2 record and its third consecutive 4A state championship. She amassed 553 kills, 514 service receptions, 366 digs, 48 aces, 38 assists and 32 blocks while recording a hitting percentage of .457, earning Florida 4A Player of the Year honors. She had 539 kills, 320 digs, 58 blocks and 51 aces as a junior. She was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year after earning Gatorade Florida Player of the Year honors for the third time, and also is a two-time U.S. Girls National Team member.

The PrepVolleyball.com Junior of the Year last year, Burgess received the Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball award for the second straight year, becoming the first repeat winner in the award’s 20-year history, and was named an Under Armour First Team All-American. Also, an outstanding student, Burgess has maintained a 3.9 grade-point average, scored 2100 on the SAT and will attend Stanford University.

Burgess also is a founding director of Everyone Should Play, an organization that raises funds to help disadvantaged youths with the high cost of playing competitive sports.

While at Stanford, Burgess had an outstanding career. As a freshman, she was named to the All-Pac-12 Freshman Team. She was an AVCA All-America first team as junior and honorable mention as a sophomore. She was named All Pac-10 Conference three times. As a senior, Burgess was the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree. She was also bestowed as the Senior CLASS Award All-America, first team.

After graduation, Burgess played a year of professional volleyball in the VfB Suhl Lotto Thuringia in the top professional league in Germany, the Bundesliga.

Records

Led Berkeley to three State Championships

Professional Achievements

2x AVCA All-American

2012 National Gatorade Player of the Year

Biography

A three-sport standout, Van Groningen became one of the state’s most feared outside hitters despite standing just 5-foot-4. Van Groningen set an all-class state record with 50 kills in a match as a sophomore, and this year, she broke her own Class D-2 state record with 642 kills as she led Sterling, one of the state’s smallest high schools with an enrollment of only 65 students, to a 30-3 record and the state title match.

Though Sterling lost that match in five sets, Van Groningen racked up 30 kills, six blocks, 32 digs and three aces. She also recorded 40 kills in the Lady Jets’ semifinal win, was named the captain of the D-2 All-Tournament Team and was recognized as the NHSCA/GTM Sportswear Athlete of the Month for December. She also holds the all-class state record for career digs (1,907) and the D-2 record for career kills (1,901).

Van Groningen was a four-year starter at shooting guard for the Lady Jets basketball team, averaging 15 points per game as a senior and scoring 1,127 career points. She also doubled up at the state track and field meet last spring, winning the Class D 100 and 300 hurdles crowns. She is favored to repeat in both events this spring and also is a contender in the 100-meter dash. Van Groningen is signed to play volleyball at Wayne State University.

While at Wayne State, Van Groningen played her last three seasons. She was also named as the NSIC Libero of the Year. In addition, she was named First Team All-NSIC her senior year.

Records

Own Class D-2 state record with 642 kills

Professional Achievements

Named First Team All-NSIC as a senior

Personal Honors

Attended Wayne State University

Biography

The 6-foot outside hitter was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and an Under Armour First Team All-American after racking up 721 kills, 50 assists, 373 digs, 39 aces and 53 blocks last fall. She led Papillion-LaVista to a 42-1 record and a second consecutive Class A state championship. An honorary co-captain of both the Lincoln Journal Star Super State Team and the Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska Team as a senior, Mancuso recorded 32 assists, nine digs, five kills and an ace in the Monarchs’ three-game title-match sweep of Lincoln Northwest High.

On the international level, Mancuso helped lead the U.S. Junior National team to the NORCECA Junior Continental championship in 2008. A three-sport athlete who also competed in basketball and track and field, Mancuso also sported a 4.64 grade-point average. She will attend the University of Nebraska.

At Nebraska Mancuso continued to excel on the court and in the classroom. She was a two time ACVA All American and a AVCA first team all region. She was also a two-  time All-Big Ten first team honoree. In addition, Mancuso was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Upon graduation Mancuso played professionally overseas with stints in Puerto Rico, Azerbaijan, Poland and Germany.

Records

2x Nebraska State Champion

Professional Achievements

2x ACVA All American

Gatorade National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Nebraska

Biography

The 6-foot-2 outside hitter was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year after racking up 414 kills, 303 assists, 121 digs, 55 aces and 32 blocks last fall. She led Joliet Catholic Academy to a 34-6 record and a berth in the Class 3A super-sectionals. That performance came on the heels of a brilliant junior season, when Murphy led the Angels to a third-place state finish with 35 kills, 38 assists, 17 digs and eight aces in the state tournament. Her season totals were 388 kills, 496 assists, 81 aces and 100 blocks. She was recognized by Sports Illustrated magazine in its “Faces in the Crowd” section.

On the international level, Murphy led the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team to a fourth-place finish in the 2007 Junior World Championships, earning Best Server honors. Also an outstanding student with a 4.52 grade-point average, she will attend the University of Florida.

While at Florida she was a two-time AVCA First Team All-American and a four-time NCAA All American for the Gators. She was also the first freshman in Florida’s history to be named National Freshman of the Year.

She won a Bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She also won the Gold medal at the 2014 World Championships and Silver in the 2013 World Championships.

 

Professional Achievements

Bronze Medalist at 2016 Olympics

4x AVCA All-American

2007 Gatorade National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Florida

Biography

The 6-foot-4 outside hitter led Mira Costa to state titles her sophomore and senior years, and was named tournament MVP both times. This year Mira Costa finished 37-1 and was ranked No. 1 nationally. Klineman racked up 513 kills as a senior and set school records with 52 service aces and a .494 hitting efficiency percentage. She was selected the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the PrepVolleyball.com Senior Player of the Year. She was also the Gatorade California Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006.

Klineman also led the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team to the gold medal in the NORCECA Continental Championships in 2006, scoring 22 kills, five blocks and an ace in a five-set title-match win over the Dominican Republic. Also an outstanding student with a 3.94 grade-point average, she will attend Stanford University.

At Stanford Klineman became the 8th four- time All American in the program’s history. .She was the Pac 10 Player of the Year and the Volleyball Magazine’s National Player of the Year as a senior.

In 2017 Klineman shifted her focus to beach volleyball and turned pro. She has won multiple gold medals during her time at the FIVB BVB World Tour and the AVP Pro BVB Tour. She also won the Silver Medal at the 2019 World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.

Records

3x California State Champion

2x California State MVP

Professional Achievements

Turned professional in 2017

4x NCAA All American

Gatorade National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended Stanford University

Biography

Considered the finest player in North Carolina high school history, the 6-foot-3 Hodge totaled 363 kills, 30 blocks, 197 digs, 109 assists and 86 aces as a senior. She is a two-time winner of the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year award and was selected as the Gatorade National Player of the Year this year.

A two-time member of the USA Volleyball Girls Youth National Team, Hodge is following in the footsteps of her parents, Michael and Carmen Hodge, who were members of the Virgin Islands national volleyball teams. She holds a 4.5 grade-point average, scored 1800 on the SAT and headlines Penn State University’s top-ranked recruiting class.

Hodge was the first freshman to ever be named Big Ten Player of the Year. As a Nittany Lion she led the team to two National Championships, knocking off Stanford and Texas, respectively in 2007 and 2009.

Upon graduating from Penn State Hodge was a member of Team USA at the Grand Prix in 2012, where the team won gold. She was named the Most Valuable Player and Best Scorer. Later in 2012 Hodge won the Silver at the Olympics.

Professional Achievements

Olympic Silver Medalist

4x First Team AVCA All-American

4x First Team All-Big Ten

Gatorade's National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended Penn State University

Biography

The first female athlete – and only the fourth in any sport – to be voted the Gatorade National Player of the Year twice, the 6-foot-1 outside hitter/middle blocker averaged 18.3 kills, 1.57 blocks and 2 aces per match, leading Wilson Classical High to the Southern Section Division I-AA semifinals. She posted a kill percentage of .840 in the semifinal loss to eventual champion Mira Costa High.

An alternate on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team, Barboza was Volleyball magazine’s High School Player of the Year, Division I-AA co-MVP and a four-time California Interscholastic Federation First Team All-State selection. Also a straight-A student, she will attend Stanford University.

While at Stanford, Barboza tore her ACL her freshman year but fully rebounded. She went on to be a 2x AVCA First-Team All-American. She was also named  twice to the Final Four Dream Team. She continued her success and played in Italy, Japan and Russia after college.

Barboza was a 2008 Olympic team member. Barboza led the US team to the Bronze medal at the 2011 Pan Am Games.

In 2014 Barboza announced her retirement from volleyball.

Professional Achievements

2008 Olympic Team Member

3x Bronze Medalist from Pan Am Games (2003, 2007, 2011)

2004 Olympic Alternate

2x Named Final Four Dream Team

2x AVCA First-Team All-American

2x Gatorade National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended Stanford University

Biography

Michigan’s Angie McGinnis of Fraser High School is this year’s NHSCA Senior Athlete of the Year in volleyball. McGinnis, a 6′ setter, was a three-time all-state selection and two-time first team member who was named Michigan’s Miss Volleyball for 2003-04. She led her Fraser High squad to back-to-back state championships after a second-place finish in her sophomore season. McGinnis will continue her playing for the decorated volleyball program at the University of Florida.

While attending the University of Florida, McGinnis was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2004 and the SEC Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007. McGinnis was a three-time AVCA All-American.

Professional Achievements

2018 UF Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee

3x AVCA All American

2x SEC Player of the Year

2004 Michigan's Miss Volleyball

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Florida

Biography

“Kristin Richards has been setting the standard for youth volleyball players across the nation for several years now,” said NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro. “For this reason, the NHSCA is proud to honor Kristin as the National High School Senior Volleyball Athlete of the Year.”

A four-time all-state player in her home state of Utah, Richards also received numerous national awards throughout her prep career. A two-time All-American, the recipient of several player of the year honors nationally, this team captain led her squad to a state championship as a senior. Richards has also represented the U.S. for the past three summers on national teams, ever since being selected captain of the 2000 U.S. National Youth Team. She will continue her academic and athletic careers at Stanford University.

Richards, now Hildebrand, was a two- time Olympic alternate in 2008 and 2012. She was on the 2014 National Team that won the Gold at the World Championship, as well as served as the captain in 2013.

In addition, Hildebrand played professionally in Russia, Turkey, Italy, Azerbaijan and Brazil over the course of eight seasons.

 

Professional Achievements

2x Olympic Alternate

Personal Honors

Attended Stanford University

Biography

Athletes like Bre Ladd are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “She has worked extremely hard to develop her skills and has become one of the best volleyball players not only in the state of Arizona, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring her.”

A 6-foot-1 outside hitter, Ladd piled up national honors while rewriting her school’s record books. This season she piled up 428 kills, breaking her own school record by more than 100, and added 110 blocks, 163 digs, and 58 service aces to lead Canyon del Oro to the Class 5A state quarterfinals. She had 21 kills in a match, also a school record, and her career totals include 971 kills, 280 blocks, and 146 aces.

A member of the U.S. Junior National Team, Ladd was selected as the Gatorade National Player of the Year and as the National Player of the Year by SchoolSports.com. Ladd also was an outstanding student with a 3.4 grade-point average and earned a scholarship to the University of Arizona. Sports Illustrated magazine also recognized Ladd’s distinguished career with a mention in its “Faces in the Crowd” section this year.

Ladd was a four year starter at Arizona. She excelled her freshman year as she tallied 124 blocks, setting a school record.

Professional Achievements

Gatorade National Player of the Year

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Arizona

Biography

“Athletes like Jennifer Saleaumua are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “She has worked extremely hard to develop her skills and has become one of the best volleyball players not only in the state of California, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring her.”

A 5-foot-10 outside hitter, Saleaumua led Bonita Vista High to a 40-0 record, the California state title, and national title recognition as well. In a five-game title match victory over Stockton St. Mary’s High, Saleaumua recorded 57 kills, a state and national record. She was selected National Player of the Year by SchoolSports.com.

Saleaumua attended the University of Nebraska, where she was a 4 year starter. She was also a 2x AVCA All American with the Cornhuskers.

Records

Member of the State Championship team in 2000.

Professional Achievements

2x AVCA All American

2005 NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Nebraska

Biography

Grote, a 5-foot-10 setter, completed one of the outstanding careers in Texas girls volleyball history by leading Westwood High to the state Class 5A championship. She was voted the state tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Grote had 926 assists and 33 aces as a senior.

She was selected to the All-State Team as a junior and senior by the Texas Girls Coaches Association, was a two-time Central Texas Player of the Year, and was selected to the Texas Sportswriters Association All-State Team. Grote also was selected the Gatorade Texas High School Player of the Year.

“Athletes like Laura Grote are the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “She has worked extremely hard to develop her skills and has become one of the best players not only in the state of Texas, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring her.”

“In 30 years of coaching, Laura Grote is the best setter that I have ever taught,” said her high school coach, Zula Blann. Also an outstanding student, Grote ranks in the top 10 per cent of her class academically. She has accepted a scholarship to continue her volleyball career at Texas Tech University.

Records

Third on the school's all-time assists list with 3,653

Professional Achievements

Gatorade Texas High School Player of the Year. 

Personal Honors

Attended Texas Tech University

Member of National Honor Society

Member of National Spanish Honor Society

Member of Student Council