2019 Miss Volleyball Spotlight: Skyline’s Kendall Murray embracing senior year with sister
It’s not often kids in high school want to spend their free time with siblings. Kendall Murray is embracing the opportunity. The 6’2” senior outside for Ann Arbor Skyline is getting a chance to finish her prep career alongside her…
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Continue ReadingIt’s not often kids in high school want to spend their free time with siblings.
Kendall Murray is embracing the opportunity.
The 6’2” senior outside for Ann Arbor Skyline is getting a chance to finish her prep career alongside her sister, freshman Harper Murray, this year and the future Michigan Wolverine is trying to make the most of it.
Harper Murray“I know it’s something that I really won’t be able to have again when it’s gone, so I am trying to really cherish every moment we are on the court together,” Murray said. “I think it pushes us both to really give our all and make as long of a run as we can so we can play together for as long as we can.”
Murray has been one of the state’s best players over her career and that was confirmed last week when she was announced as one of 10 finalists for the 2019 Miss Volleyball Award.
“It’s exciting, but it is also humbling,” Murray said of being nominated. “I know a lot of great players that weren’t nominated, so it says a lot about the talent that is in this state right now. I am excited to be a finalist, but know there are a lot of great finalists out there.”
Murray was a second team All-State selection in Division 1 in 2018 after putting up over 700 kills while also playing middle hitter. Since last fall, Murray has transitioned to a complete outside hitter and is enjoying the challenges that come with the switch.
“I have always moved around in volleyball. I was a middle last year and I have transitioned to the outside over the last year and I wasn’t super comfortable with it at first, but I worked really hard at making the change,” Murray said. “Working on out-of-system hitting was my main goal. It’s not something you do as a middle, so it took getting used to, but I feel really good about how much I have improved at it.”
Kendall’s sister Harper is also displaying the same all-around skills that Kendall has shown for years. The freshman is 6’1” and has been a six-rotation player for the Eagles early in the 2019 season.
“She’s very strong and very aggressive,” Kendall said of Harper’s game. “She is always giving her all on the court and studying the game when she isn’t playing. She is in love with the game, which is why she’s going to go far with it.”
If you stop by Skyline’s practices, you will often see Kendall helping coach her sister, but making sure to not create sibling hostility while doing it.
“I know sometimes that when I give her advice it can come off as her big sister bossing her around, but I really am just trying to help her become the best player that she can be,” Murray said. “She has helped me become better too. I am really inspired by the talent she has at her age. I think this experience of being on a team together has just really helped our overall experience as sisters on, and off, the court.”
Composure has been one of Kendall’s strength as a player and is the characteristic that stands out most to her coach, Chris Cristian.
“She brings a great calmness to the team,” Cristian said of Kendall. “No matter how crazy things can get at times on the floor, Kendall is always keeping calm and that helps keep her teammates calm and focused.”
Murray has put a lot of emphasis on her leadership skills this year, knowing that she was greatly helped by the upper classmen when she was younger.
“I had great leaders when I was a freshman, so it’s important for me to help be a leader now and help the young girls on the team now, like my sister,” Murray said. “When I leave the program, I want to leave it better than when I started it and know it is going to continue to improve.”
The program has shown improvement each year with Murray on the floor. After a quick exit in the 2016 postseason, the Eagles reached the district final in 2017 and then reached the regional final in 2018 before losing to Northville, an eventual D1 semifinalist.
The Eagles find themselves ranked No. 12 in our current D1 rankings and have shown flashes to be a real title contender this year.
“My freshmen year we had four different coaches and only won two games,” Murray said. “We have come a long way since then and now find ourselves ranked as one of the top teams. It’s been very exciting to see our growth and development as a team. We just have to keep working hard and stay focused on getting better.”
Following her senior run with Skyline, Kendall will find her way to Ann Arbor to become a member of the Michigan Wolverines. Murray took a lot into her college choice, as she battles with dyslexia, but it was the place closest to home that felt right for her.
“Michigan had a great family atmosphere that made me feel comfortable,” Murray said. “I knew the players and I knew the coaches. They also made me feel like I would have a good support staff academically. I struggle with school at times because of dyslexia and I knew I would have the tutors and the help to make sure I am getting the most out of my academic experience there. Athletically, I also felt like I was going to have the best support staff around in terms of coaches, trainers and teammates. How could I say no to that?”
If all goes well for Harper, there is a chance that Kendall could get a second chance at a season with her sister as well.
“Maybe we get chance to play at Michigan together,” Kendall suggested. “That would be a great way for it all to work out.”