Gatorade Might Need More Than 1 Bucket in These States

Can We Get A Couple of Buckets? Gatorade Player of Year Races Hardest Too Call

As the high school volleyball season comes to a close, anticipation builds for the Gatorade Player of the Year (GPOY) honors across the country...and I sure do not envy who’s responsible for making the picks. Kansas, Nebraska, Georgia, and (no shock here) Texas hold some hometown girls with impressive accolades making the decisions very close calls.

Texas:

Cari Spears, an outside hitter committed to the University of Texas, has already claimed the GPOY title as a sophomore. She is a very strong all-around player who was a key member of the U.S. Girls U19 World Championship roster. After an impressive season, she has put herself in strong contention to claim the award again as a senior and has also been named to the UA All-American squad.

Joining her is Henley Anderson, a Class of 2026 outside hitter also committed to Texas. Anderson boasts a perfect 300 PPV score, making her the top player in her class. With a long list of accolades its clear she is the best of the best and one of the strongest contenders out of Texas this year.

Halle Thompson, another Class of 2026 standout, rounds out a highly competitive field in Texas. She ranks closely behind Anderson with a PPV of 299 and after being highly sought after chose to commit to the University of Wisconsin. These are just 3 of many spectacular players making this year’s GPOY decision particularly challenging and all three played on the USA U19 National team.

Kansas:

The defending Gatorade Player of the Year, Logan Parks, is back in contention. This senior setter, committed to Stanford, is a double threat who dishes the rock but attacks from the right side. Parks’ offensive prowess and skill as a setter have earned her a spot on the U19 and U21 National teams, along with a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Cup. She has been recognized as a Three-Time 1st Team All-State player, solidifying her status as one of the best setters in her class.

Competing closely with Parks is Reese Messer, a Class of 2025 setter committed to the University of Southern California. Messer was also chosen for the U19 National Team in 2023. Same position, same class, both committed to high level programs, and they live just five minutes down the street from one another in Olathe, KS. It’ll be a real toss up as to who takes home the award this year.  

Nebraska:

Nebraska features a mix of impressive athletes vying for the award this year. Natalie Wardlow, a towering 6’5” middle blocker committed to Wisconsin from the Class of 2025 is the first on the list. Her size and quick athleticism make her a standout player and a top challenger in the fight for Nebraska GPOY.

Alongside her is Keri Leimbach, a senior libero committed to Nebraska. She may be small, but she is mighty and mans the backcourt behind Wardlow on their Nebraska One Club team. While you don’t see liberos win the GPOY award very often, Leimbach holds an impressive resume and could be one of the top dogs in the running this year and has been talked about in the media a top national ‘bro for years now.

Malorie Boesiger is one of our top setters in the Class of 2027 with a PPV of 268 making her a strong competitor. Last year she played up on the same club team as both Leimbach and Wardlow directing their offense and earning looks from some major collegiate programs.  She has played up two age groups at the club level and has set for one of the top high school teams in Nebraska the past couple of seasons, so if Gatorade is looking underclassmen, Boesiger is the choice.

Lastly is Reagen Walraff, a Class of 2027 outside hitter with a PPV of 228. In just 2 years, the sophomore is a few swings away from reaching 1,000 career kills and has had herself a record season this year. Between her and Boesiger, the future of Nebraska high school volleyball is bright, and I won’t be shocked if they are both chosen to be GPOYs at some point before they graduate.

Georgia:

Ryan Sadler is a Class of 2026 outside hitter committed to play for the University of Kansas. She showcases an explosive approach and powerful arm, and after the year she has had has positioned herself as a key player to watch.

Competing alongside Sadler is Marissa Jones, the #1 setter in the Class of 2027 and one of the best setters in the Nation. Her accolades include selections to the USAV Nationals All-Tournament Team and being named 6A District 3 Regional Player of the Year. As a sophomore with a PPV of 295, Jones is a serious contender for the Georgia GPOY.

This is EXACTLY why we don’t give out Player of the Year Awards.  How in the heck do you choose from some of these races and tell a Henley Anderson or Cari Spears they aren’t deserving of POY?  Or the race in Kansas, they both could be starting for Top 15 programs next year and not win their state award.  Just another great sign of how talent rich volleyball is at the high school level in our country.  Look for our full breakdown on all 50 States coming up.  Who are the defending champs and who are the favorites to get the Gatorade Baths this December.

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