GAINESVILLE (November 30) — The nine individual class finalists for the 2016 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball and Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year have been announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school volleyball coaches and prep media representatives.
Every finalist was the leading vote-getter in their classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in that class. Area winners are in bold.
Following are the nine finalists for the 2016 Miss Volleyball Award:
Christine Jarman, Senior, Outside Hitter, Boca Raton, Class 9A Player of the Year
Jarman led her squad to the Class 9A state title with 340 kills, 246 digs, 77 service points, 27 blocks and a .387 hitting percentage.. She has signed with the University of Alabama.
Stephanie Samedy, Senior, Outside Hitter, East Ridge (Clermont), Class 8A Player of the Year
Samedy posted 424 kills, 189 digs, 38 aces and 25 blocks with a .391 hitting percentage this season. She is a member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team and has signed with the University of Minnesota.
Amanda Gross, Senior, Outside Hitter, Ida Baker, Class 7A Player of the Year
Gross finished with a Florida-best .616 hitting percentage while racking up 339 kills, 329 digs, 43 blocks, 65 aces and 172 service points. She has signed with Troy (Ala.) University.
Emily Draper, Senior, Robinson (Tampa), Libero, Class 6A Player of the Year
Draper helped Robinson to the state Final Four with a state-leading 676 digs while adding 30 aces and 88 service points.
Nikki Benitez, Senior, Outside Hitter/Middle Blocker, Westminster Christian, Class 5A Player of the Year
Benitez led her team to the state championship with 367 kills, 239 digs, 50 aces and 60 blocks (29 solo). She has signed with the University of South Florida.
Brynna Deluzio, Senior, Outside Hitter, The First Academy (Orlando), Class 4A Player of the Year
Deluzio led her team to the state title with 382 kills, 278 digs, 37 assists and a .341 hitting percentage. She has signed with the University of Colorado.
Jenna Culhan, Senior, Outside Hitter, Lake Worth Christian, Class 3A Player of the Year
Culhan led her team to the state Final Four with 476 kills, 464 digs, 32 blocks, 62 aces and 184 service points. She has signed with Liberty University.
Kaylee Thomas, Senior, Outside Hitter/Setter, St. John Lutheran (Ocala), Class 2A Player of the Year
Thomas led her team to the state title with 418 kills, 80 aces, 32 blocks and a .457 hitting percentage. She has fsigned with the University of Alabama.
Shelby Glawson, Senior, Middle Blocker, Sneads, Class 1A Player of the Year
Glawson led her team to its fourth straight state title with 251 kills, 52 blocks and a .491 hitting percentage.
Following are the nine finalists for the 2016 Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year:
Amanda Angermeier, Boca Raton, Class 9A Coach of the Year
Angermeier led her team to the state championship with a 24-2 record. In nine years at Boca Raton, she has compiled a 206-53 record with two state titles (2012 and 2016).
Lisa Zielinski, St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale), Class 8A Coach of the Year
Zielinski led the Raiders to their third straight state title with a 30-2 record. In 33 years, Zielinski has posted a 740-148 record with five state titles (1995-2004-14-15-16).
Jessica Warren, South Fork, Class 7A Coach of the Year
Warren led her squad to a 28-5 record and the state championship. In three years at South Fork she has compiled a 61-26 record.
Tanya Jarvis, Bishop Moore (Orlando), Class 6A Coach of the Year
Jarvis led her team to its second straight state title with a 29-1 record. In nine years at Bishop Moore, Jarvis has compiled a 248-39 record with four state titles (2012-13-15-16) and two other Final Four appearances.
Julie Doan Kurenuma, Westminster Christian, Class 5A Coach of the Year
Kurenuma led her team to the state title with a 29-4 record. In 12 years she has posted a 293-74 record with two state titles (2013 and 2016) plus three other Final Four appearances (2011-12-14).
Haley Malone, The First Academy (Orlando), Class 4A Coach of the Year
Malone led her team to the Class 4A state championship with a 26-4 record. In four years at TFA she has compiled an 86-30 record with a state runnerup finish in 2013.
Jesus Montalvo, St. Francis Catholic Academy (Gainesville), Class 3A Coach of the Year
Montalvo led his squad to a 23-2 record and the Class 3A state title. In three years at St. Francis, he has compiled a 63-19 record.
Jason LaBorde, St. John Lutheran (Ocala), Class 2A Coach of the Year
LaBorde led his team to a 26-5 record and the state title. In five years at St. John, LaBorde has compiled a 116-28 record with state titles in 2014 and 2016 and a state runnerup finish in 2015.
Sheila Roberts, Sneads, Class 1A Coach of the Year
Roberts led her squad to its fourth consecutive state title with a 25-5 record. In 16 years of coaching (13 at Sneads and three at LaBelle) she has compiled a record of 336-129.
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 24th year of these awards honoring the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 30 FHSAA sanctioned and recognized sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
