GAINESVILLE (November 30) — The nine individual class finalists for the 2017 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.
Following are the nine finalists for the 2017 Miss Volleyball Award (area winners in bold)
Makala Heidelberg, Sr., Outside Hitter, West Orange, Class 9A Player of the Year
Heidelberg led her team to the state title with 244 kills, 177 digs, 39 aces and 39 blocks. She has signed with Tulane University.
Kelly Hubbard, Sr., Middle Hitter, Venice, Class 8A Player of the Year
Hubbard posted 361 kills and 81 blocks in leading her team to the state title. She has signed with Wofford College in South Carolina.
Kassandra Fairly, Sr., Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter, Choctawhatchee, Class 7A Player of the Year
Fairly led her team to the state title with 347 kills, 192 digs, 171 blocks and 26 aces with a .426 hitting percentage. She has signed with Spring Hill College in Alabama.
Marlie Monserez, Sr., Outside Hitter, Bishop Moore, Class 6A Player of the Year
Monserez led her team to the state final with 329 kills, 284 digs and 227 assists. She has signed with the University of Florida.
Amanda Phegley, Sr., Middle Blocker, Berkeley Prep, Class 5A Player of the Year
Phegley led her team to the state championship with 254 kills, 90 blocks and a .474 hitting percentage. She has signed with Penn State University.
Ally-Reese Williams, Jr., Outside Hitter, Carrollwood Day, Class 4A Player of the Year
Williams led her team to the state title with 335 kills, 199 digs, 81 aces and a .356 hitting percentage.
Heather Brown, Jr., Def. Specialist/Outside Hitter, Christ’s Church Academy, Class 3A Player of the Year
Brown led her team to the state championship with 302 kills, 310 digs and a .260 hitting percentage.
Gigi Chiaramonte, Sr., Outside Hitter, St. John Lutheran (Ocala), Class 2A Player of the Year
Chiaramonte led her team to the state title with 319 kills, 181 digs and 36 aces.
Alyssa Stagner Sr., Setter, Sneads, Class 1A Player of the Year
Stagner led her team to its fifth straight state title with 858 assists, 181 digs, 70 aces and 40 blocks.
Following are the nine finalists for the 2017 Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year:
Ross Usie, West Orange, Class 9A Coach of the Year
Usie led his team to the state championship, finishing as the state’s only unbeaten squad with a 29-0 record.
Brian Wheatley, Venice, Class 8A Coach of the Year
Wheatley led his squad to the state title with a 26-4 record. In 24 years, Wheatley has posted a 596-153 record with five state titles and 10 Final Four appearances.
Scott Allen, Choctawhatchee, Class 7A Coach of the Year
In his fifth year at Choctawhatchee, Allen led his squad to a 23-2 record and the state championship.
Robin Mignerey, Ponte Vedra, Class 6A Coach of the Year
Mignerey led her team to the state title with a 25-5 record. In nine years, she has compiled a 191-63 record with Final Four appearances in each of the past three seasons.
Mackenzie Dagostino, Berkeley Prep, Class 5A Coach of the Year
In her first season as head coach, Dagostino led her team to the state title with a 30-2 record.
Eric Praetorius, Carrollwood Day, Class 4A Coach of the Year
Praetorius led his team to the Class 4A state championship with a 25-2 record. In five years he has compiled a 112-16 record with three Final Four appearances.
Debbie Christian, Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville), Class 3A Coach of the Year
Christian led her squad to a 23-6 record and the Class 3A state title. In her four years at Christ’s Church, she has compiled an 83-30 record with a Final Four appearance in 2016.
Kimberlee Thomas, St. John Lutheran (Ocala), Class 2A Coach of the Year
In her first year as head coach, Thomas led the team to a 19-3 record and the school’s second straight state title, fourth championship in five years and the school’s fifth straight Final Four appearance.
Sheila Roberts, Sneads, Class 1A Coach of the Year
Roberts led her squad to its fifth consecutive state title with a 26-4 record. In 17 years of coaching (14 at Sneads and three at LaBelle) she has compiled a record of 362-123.
Final voting numbers by class (top three):
Class 9A
Player School Points
Makala Heidelberg West Orange 94
Maddie Anderson Palm Beach Gardens 64
Savannah Vach Oviedo 53
Coach School Points
Ross Usie West Orange 113
Joy VanDyke Palm Beach Gardens 48
Mitchell Sadowsky Olympia 20
Class 8A
Player School Points
Kelly Hubbard Venice 80
Makayla Washington Leon 50
Jojo Coulter Manatee 17
Coach School Points
Brian Wheatley Venice 103
Angie Strickland Leon 86
Juanita Hitt Hagerty 15
Class 7A
Player School Points
Kassandra Fairly Choctawhatchee 96
Jenna Johnson Jensen Beach 70
Eboni Harris Vanguard (Ocala) 27
Coach School Points
Scott Allen Choctawhatchee 107
Rob Ritchie Barron Collier 52
Mike Sawtelle Jensen Beach 29
Class 6A
Player School Points
Marlie Monserez Bishop Moore 84
Savannah Fowler Ponte Vedra 74
Lexy Denaburg Merritt Island 34
Coach School Points
Robin Mignerey Ponte Vedra 108
Tanya Starrett Bishop Moore 75
Ashley Johnson Robinson 18
Class 5A
Player School Points
Amanda Phegley Berkeley Prep 74
Madeline Furtado King’s Academy 46
Sydney Bent Ransom Everglades 24
Coach School Points
Mackenzie Dagostino Berkeley Prep 107
Erin Fleming Lake Highland Prep 68
Albert Sturgeon Pine Crest 26
Class 4A
Player School Points
Ally-Reese Williams Carrollwood Day 72
Kamara Kelly Providence (Jacksonville) 65
Aryanah Diaz Riviera Prep 57
Coach School Points
Eric Praetorius Carrollwood Day 110
Alex Clarke The Benjamin School 62
Mauricio Diaz Riviera Prep 33
Class 3A
Player School Points
Heather Brown Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) 77
Lily Tessier Evangelical Christian 56
Abigail Casiano Tampa Bay HEAT 53
Coach School Points
Debbie Christian Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) 120
Marci Walker First Baptist Academy 77
Amanda Southard Tampa Bay HEAT 28
Class 2A
Player School Points
Gigi Chiaramonte St. John Lutheran (Ocala) 127
Jordyn Stiger Geneva 46
Hannah Mosley Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) 43
Coach School Points
Kimberlee Thomas St. John Lutheran (Ocala) 104
Hollie Benjumea Geneva 76
Mike Graham Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) 21
Class 1A
Player School Points
Alyssa Stagner Sneads 81
Madelyn Kish Union County (Lake Butler) 31
Lacee Glover Sneads 27
Coach School Points
Sheila Roberts Sneads 100
Jordan Windham Union County (Lake Butler) 52
Cindy Battle Williston 32
