MaxPeps 2018 Midseason National High School Volleyball Player of the Year Watch List

All but two of the players have led their team to high national rankings this season and each has committed to play collegiately at the FBS level.

Three are middles, three are outside hitters, two are setters and one is a libero. One player, Kenzie Knuckles, Yorktown (Ind.) was selected as an all-around athlete. She is a six-rotation player bound for Nebraska and her statistics speak for themselves.




MH — Gabby Gonzales, Walton (Marietta, Ga.), 6-4, Sr.
The MaxPreps National Junior Player of the Year, Gonzales played a key role in leading Walton to its 11th state title and national title a year ago, and has picked up where she left off. As a senior, she averages 4.6 kills per set with a kill percentage of 48. The Ohio State commit serving at 92 percent and averages 2.2 digs and 5.0 serve receptions per set. During her four varsity seasons, Walton has won 152 in 166 matches. Her career numbers are 1,752 kills, 126 aces, 101 blocks, 845 digs and 1,792 serve receptions.

MB — Molly Phillips, Mansfield (Texas), 6-4 Sr.
Phillips, a member of the USA Women's Junior National Team, is having a big senior season, averaging 5.6 kills, 3.3 digs and 4.2 serve receptions. She also has 50 blocks and has served for 190 points as Mansfield has won 32 times. The Texas commit had a game-high 13 kills as the U.S. swept the Dominican Republic in the gold medal match on Saturday in Mexico to win the Women's U20 Continental Championship last summer.

MB — Ellie Holzman, Mt. Carmel (New Orleans), 6-2, Sr.
Holzman's individual stats are down a bit from her monster junior year, but the Cubs have lost just once. Holzman is hitting .475 and killing at a 52.2 percent clip, while averaging 4.8 kills per set. Her serving is up to 97.6 percent and she averages a block per set. The Illinois commit who was named MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year in 2016, is another with monster career stats: 2,216 kills, 724 blocks and 1255 digs. With Holzman on the court, the Cubs have won 150 times against 24 losses.

OH — Megan Taylor, Paintsville (Ky.), 6-1, Sr.
There might not be a more important — or valuable — player to another team anywhere. Taylor averages 80 percent of her team's points: 8.5 kills per set, 99 aces, 258 digs, 166 blocks and she's returned 268 serves as the Tigers enter the postseason with a 32-3 record and 16 straight wins. In her team's three losses, she averaged nine kills per set and three times she has averaged 10 or better. The Marshall commit is hitting .532 with a kill percent of 55.8. Her career stats are just as imposing: 2,695 kills, 525 blocks (302 solo), 806 digs and 391 aces in her five years of starting on the varsity.

OH — Natalie Berty, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 6-3, Sr.
The Stanford commit, puts up big numbers match after match against some of the most talented competition in the country. Her senior numbers are her best: 4.3 kills per set, 170 points served, 41 blocks and she averages 4.4 serve receptions and 2.4 digs per set. Mater Dei is 35-2 on the season, 108-15 with Berty as a three-year starter and she's a key reason Mater Dei is ranked No. 4 nationally.



OH — Jessica Nunge, Castle (Newburgh, Ind.), 6-3, Sr.
The Florida State commit averages 6.2 kills, 3.1 digs and 3.6 serve receptions per set. She also has 82 blocks and has served for 213 points. More importantly, Castle is 34-1. In eight matches this season, Nunge averaged over seven kills per set. As a three-year starter, Nunge has 1,479 kills, 117 aces, 260 blocks, 902 digs and 1,194 serve receptions.

S — Camille Nazor, Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 6-1, Sr.
Nazor, who has committed to Duke, is averaging 11.3 assists per set and kills 52.9 percent of the time while serving 92 percent as the Rockets are unbeaten and ranked No. 1. In 18 matches this season, Nazor has averaged better than a dozen assists in a set and seven times she has averaged better than 14. As a three-year starter, Nazor has dished out 2,495 assists, had 380 digs, blocked 127 shots and recorded 184 kills with a 52.6 kill percentage. Meanwhile, Assumption has won 113 of 122 matches.

S — Savannah Vach, Oviedo (Fla.), 5-10, Sr.
Committed to Miami, the versatile Vach has been asked to do more all over the court and has responded with Oviedo among the nation's top 25 teams. The future Miami University player is averaging 4.2 kills, 3.6 digs and 5.6 assists per set. She's also serving 98.7 percentage and is heading for career highs in kills, digs, aces, points served, blocks and serve receptions. She has committed just four ball-handling errors in more than 1,120 attempts. Vach was named the Most Valuable Player as Oviedo won the gold bracket of the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix.

A-A — Kenzie Knuckles, Yorktown (Ind.), 5-8, Sr.
Knuckles, a Nebraska commit, continues to do it all for the third-ranked 31-0 Tigers. She averages 4.3 kills and 4.0 digs per set and is serving 96 percent. Yorktown is 152-7 in Knuckles' four-year varsity career and her career numbers show her consistency and versatility: 1,740 kills, 159 aces, 1,596 digs and 124 blocks,

L — Georgia Murphy, The Woodlands (Texas), 5-6, Sr.
The three-year starter for the Highlanders is closing in on 2,000 career digs and averages 6.3 digs per set this season to go along with 3.6 serve receptions against only 12 serve reception errors. The Oregon commit also has 81 assists and is serving at a 94.7 percent for 245 points. With Murphy on the court, The Woodlands is 119-15 over the last three seasons.