It’s time to reveal our BLITZ Volleyball Player of the Year nominees. This year’s crop of 29 includes 20 nominees and 9 Honorable Mentions. Last year’s winner was Jefferson’s JoJo Smith (a current junior). While she returns on the list, she faces stiff competition among the area standouts.

WHAT’S NEXT? We will narrow this pool down to a finalist group of no more than 7. Our official BLITZ Voting Panel will then vote Heisman-style for the winner of the award.

Jenna Ash (White JR S/RS #5)

STATS: 6 kills/game, 3 digs/game

Chloe Bennett (Dawson SR MH #4)

STATS: 8.7 kills/game, 1 ace/game, 1.5 blocks/game, 7.8 digs/game

Kate Blackburn (Tallulah Falls SR S #2)

STATS: 387 assists, 219 digs, 52 aces, 70 kills

Sydney Brookshire (Habersham SR Libero #9)

STATS: 99% serve, 16 aces, 92% passing out of serve/receive (34 errors on 411 attempts), 372 digs

Katy Corbett (Tallulah Falls JR OH #11)

STATS: 350 kills (8.3/game), 370 digs (8.8/game), 92.9% serve, 40 aces

Annabelle Cox (Jefferson JR OH #8)

STATS: 156 kills, 150 digs, 43 aces, 10 blocks

Victoria Crotzer (Lumpkin JR OH #18)

STATS: 170 digs, 93 kills, 42 aces, 18 assists

Isabel Davenport (Lumpkin JR S #2)

STATS: 176 assists, 132 digs, 40 kills, 20 aces, 2 blocks

Destiny Deetz (Rabun SR MH #23)

STATS: Team leader in kills & blocks

Lillie Free (Tallulah Falls SR OH #3)

STATS: 8 kills/game, 3 aces/game, 2.54 Serve Rating, 392 digs

Ansley Hendrix (Habersham SR MH #11)

STATS: 178 kills, 34 blocks, 144 digs, 52 aces

Madeline Koshuta (Habersham FR OH #8)

STATS: 21 aces, 201 kills, 8 blocks, 101 digs

Adelia Pyle (Union SR OH/MH #30)

STATS: 96 kills, 15 aces, 2 blocks, 64 digs

Hayley Selzer (Dawson JR OH/DS #7)

STATS: 60 aces, 127 kills, 70 assists, 201 digs

Alexandra Shalikashvili (Habersham SR OH #3)

STATS: 339 kills, 18 blocks, 246 digs, 54 aces

JoJo Smith (Jefferson JR OH #17)

STATS: 189 digs, 185 kills, 25 aces, 22 blocks

Maddie Grace Smith (Jefferson SO S #16)

STATS: 524 assists, 195 digs, 104 aces, 32 kills, 10 blocks

Hope Thomas (White SR MH #9)

STATS: 8 kills/game

Marlie Townley (Dawson SR #41)

STATS: TBA

Kiersta Trammell (Lumpkin SO S #9)

STATS: 187 assists, 130 digs, 49 kills, 38 aces, 5 blocks

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• MaKenzie Caldwell (Lumpkin JR MB #8): 100 kills, 53 digs, 35 assists, 26 blocks, 7 aces
• Dasha Cannon (White JR OH #24): 4 kills/game, 4 digs/game
• Dale Cleveland (Stephens SR L #17)
• Abbey Howard (Jefferson JR MH/RS #30): 75 kills, 18 blocks, 16 digs
• Margo Perry (Jefferson SR OH/RS #18): 77 kills, 32 digs, 29 blocks, 1 ace
• Haley Rice (Habersham SR MH #5): 48 aces, 194 digs
• Rachel Smith (Habersham SR S #12): 21 aces, 21 kills, 19 blocks, 102 digs, 719 assists
• Reagan Spivey (Lumpkin SO MB #15): 102 digs, 99 kills, 65 assists, 30 aces, 26 blocks
• Maci Williams (Union SO S #4): 146 ast, 7 digs, 12 aces, 7 kills