BLITZ Volleyball Player of the Year: Sarah Jennings

Posted on December 9, 2021 by blitzsportsga Leave a comment

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For a third straight year, Tallulah Falls will own the bragging rights to having the Player of the Year, as Sarah Jennings wins it after a fantastic season in which she put up some gaudy numbers.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

316 Kills
333 Digs
78 Aces
9 Kills/Match
89.8% Serve
19 Assists
2 Blocks

Sarah Jennings collected 316 kills (9/match), 333 digs, and 78 aces. Those are stellar numbers. In guiding the Lady Indians to a third Sweet 16 over the past 4 years, the junior outside hitter continues to climb the school’s career leaderboards. She also broke the single-match kills record when she had 28 this season. Her 316 kills ranks second only to previous BLITZ POY winner Katy Corbett in a single season. Her 333 digs ranks fifth in a season, and the 78 aces is third best for Tallulah. Career-wise, with still a year to go, she sits at 668 career kills, needing just 185 to break that mark. At 699 career digs (4th most currently), she’ll need 283 to pass Corbett’s 981. Her 192 aces is just 45 off the school record. Safe to say, Jennings, with another year like this, will leave TFS as the top player in history.

VOTING RESULTS

Sarah Jennings – 53.25 pts (6 1st-place votes)
Olivia Barrage – 50.5 pts (6)
Abby Donaldson – 28.5 pts (1)
Jadelyn McClure – 24.25 pts (3)
Kiersta Trammell – 21.75 pts
Abby Felkai – 10.5 pts
Lexi Pierce – 7.25 pts

Voting included our 16-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts

This was a win by a hair. Jennings was tied by Olivia Barrage in first-place votes. However, she had a higher weighted average, with more second-place votes. Jadelyn McClure had 3 first-place votes, but finished 4th as voters weren’t sure where to place her. Abby Donaldson (one first-place vote) consistently was being voted between 2nd-4th.

HISTORY OF VOLLEYBALL POY

2021 – Sarah Jennings – Tallulah Falls JR OH
2020 – Katy Corbett – Tallulah Falls SR OH
2019 – Katy Corbett – Tallulah Falls JR OH
2018 – JoJo Smith – Jefferson SO OH
2017 – Katerina Shalikashvili – Habersham SR OH
2016 – Lainey Gosnell – Habersham SR MH
2015 – Lainey Gosnell – Habersham JR OH
2014 – Chaselin Allen – Habersham SR L
2013 – Caeli Chambers – Habersham SR L
2012 – Haley Gerrin – Habersham SR MH
2011 – Haley Gerrin – Habersham JR MH
2010 – Alexia Wilson – Lumpkin JR MH
2009 – Megan Rowland – Habersham SR OH

For Jennings, it means 3 straight POY awards for Tallulah Falls in volleyball. She is the 5th consecutive outside hitter to claim it, and will have a chance to win it again next year.