Looking Ahead: Potential 2021 Miss Volleyball Finalists

There aren’t many honors in the state of Michigan greater than being named Miss Volleyball. An award that is based on a four-year prep career, Miss Volleyball truly reflects the best of the best. Recent winners include Julia BishopJuliaBishop5'10" | SMercy | 2021StateMI (2020), Jess MruzikJessMruzik6'2" | OHMercy | 2020StateMI (2019) and Madeline ChinnMadelineChinn6' 3" | OHNotre Dame Prep | 2019StateMI (2018). Each year, 10 players are put up as Miss Volleyball finalists. Being a finalist is quite an honor itself. It’s not easy to predict all 10 finalists, but here are some players I expect to see among the field next fall (in alphabetical order). Braelyn BerryBraelynBerry5'8" | OHMorley Stanwood | 2022MI, Morley Stanwood OH: Predicting Miss Volleyball finalists from Division 3 and Division 4 isn’t easy, but it’s hard to ignore Berry. She is the only Division 3 player to earn All-State honors each of her first three years of play. She was Third Team All-State in D3 as a freshman, Second Team as a sophomore and First Team as a junior. Berry has over 850 kills and 1,250 digs in her career, and is approaching 200 aces. [player_tooltip player_id="24844" first="Alyssa" last="Borellis"] Alyssa BorellisAlyssaBorellis5'11" | SNotre Dame Prep | 2022StateMI, S/OH/MH Notre Dame Prep: The Irish are no stranger to the Miss Volleyball Award and Borellis definitely should be in the running next year. The do-everything standout has the Irish as a D2 quarterfinalist this season and she has been First Team All-State the last two seasons, while earning Third Team honors as a freshman in 2018. You’ll be hard to find a player in this class with more overall production than Borellis. She has over 1,900 assists, 1,300 kills, 1,000 digs, 200 aces and 200 blocks over her three-year prep career. Ava BrizardAvaBrizard6'0" | OHMarian | 2022StateMI, OH Marian: Brizard has been a key piece to the Mustangs since joining the varsity squad as a freshman in 2018. She has Marian as a D1 quarterfinalist this season and is approaching 1,500 kills for her career while hitting .351 over her three seasons with Marian. As a freshman, she was Honorable Mention All-State in Division 1. She moved up to Second Team All-State in 2019 and was First Team All-State this fall. Evelyn DoezemaEvelynDoezema6'1" | MHGrand Rapids Christian | 2022StateMI, OH Grand Rapids Christian: Doezema has made a lot of strides during her three seasons with the Eagles. Starting as a limited middle, Doezema has developed into a great all-around player. Doezema was a First Team All-State pick in 2019 and a Second Team All-State honoree in 2020. Already a two-time state champion, she has GRC as a D2 quarterfinalist this season. Doezema has over 800 kills and 250 digs in her prep career, while also approaching 200 blocks. Brooke DzwikBrookeDzwik5'10" | OHBattle Creek St. Phil | 2022StateMI, Battle Creek St. Philip: St. Philip has produced a lot of great talent over its proud history and Dzwik is the next in line. She has been a featured piece of the team the last three seasons and was Second Team All-State in Division 4 as a freshman and sophomore, while earning First Team honors this fall. Dzwik has St. Philip as a D4 quarterfinalist this year. Her footwork and instincts are on par with the best in the state. [player_tooltip player_id="24859" first="Taylor" last="Humphrey"] Taylor HumphreyTaylorHumphrey6'1" | OHByron Center | 2022StateMI, OH Byron Center: Humphrey has been a top hitter for the Bulldogs the last two seasons and had Byron Center as one of the top teams in Division 1 throughout the 2020 campaign. She has had over 400 kills each of the last two years and was Third Team All-State in 2019 and First Team All-State in 2020. Serena NyambioSerenaNyambio6'2" | MHCountry Day | 2022StateMI, MH Detroit Country Day: They don’t get much more explosive at the net than Nyambio. The 6’2” Nyambio plays well above the net and also is a dominant blocker on defense. If not for facing Notre Dame Prep in district play, the Yellowjackets would be a top D2 contender the past few years. Nyambio was Second Team All-State in 2019 and First Team All-State this fall. She’s added a lot of new wrinkles to her game and has proven herself to be more than just a power arm. Maradith O’GormanMaradithO’Gorman6'2" | RSLakewood | 2022StateMI, OPP Lakewood: The Vikings have had the luxury of having Maradith, along with her 2021 sister Aubrey, on the roster for years. Aubrey was a finalist for the 2020 Miss Volleyball and Maradith seems like a lock to be a finalist in 2021. She is the only member of the Class of 2022 to be named First Team All-State all three years of her prep career thus far. O’Gorman has vastly improved her all-around games over the last three years and she has Lakewood as a D2 quarterfinalist this year. Other contenders: Kendyl AndrewsKendylAndrews5'8" | SFlushing | 2022StateMI, Flushing; Carlina BenderCarlinaBender5'5" | LHudsonville | 2022StateMI, Josie BloomJosieBloom5'6" | LNotre Dame Prep | 2022StateMI, Notre Dame Prep; Hudsonville; Renee BrinesReneeBrines5'9" | SCadillac | 2022StateMI, Cadillac; Audrey BrownAudreyBrown5'11" | OHSeaholm | 2022StateMI, Birmingham Seaholm; Brooklyn Conner, Forest Hills Central; Seiler HruskaSeilerHruska5'11" | OHMarquette | 2022StateMI, Marquette; Morgan LockhartMorganLockhart6'2" | OHCountry Day | 2022StateMI, Detroit Country Day; Emma MirabelliEmmaMirabelli6'2" | MHTC Christian | 2022StateMI, Traverse City Christian; Emily StruckmeyerEmilyStruckmeyer6'0" | MHLowell | 2022StateMI, Lowell; Sarah SylvesterSarahSylvester6'3" | MHMarian | 2022StateMI, Marian; Kyla WiersemaKylaWiersema6'0" | MHWestern Michigan Christian | 2022StateMI, Western Michigan Christian.