High school volleyball: Sophee Peterson of Texas leads 2024 MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team

Do-everything setter helped Byron Nelson to Class 6A Division 2 title, national championship.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Aaron Williams
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Dec 5, 2024, 11:30am
The 2024 high school volleyball season is complete with state champions crowned across the country. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas) is the MaxPreps National Champion and senior outside hitter Macaria Spears of No. 3 Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) is the MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

The postseason honors continue today with the unveiling of the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team.

The National Sophomore of the Year is Sophee Peterson of Byron Nelson.


"There's just not many times she makes a bad decision," Byron Nelson coach Brianne Groth said. "She was born to play volleyball."

Peterson led the Bobcats with 1,480 assists and was third in kills with 199 behind a MaxPreps All-American Ashlyn Seay and National Junior of the Year Kylie Kleckner.

"Kylie and A.J. (Ashlyn) are crazy good, but a lot of that's due to Sophee," Groth said. "She's a fantastic kid, was named captain as a sophomore and thrives under pressure. She picks up and raises level of everyone around her.

Read on for a complete look at the MaxPreps Sophomore All-America Team.
Gentry Barker, Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas)
5-10 | Setter
Followed a sensational freshman year by smashing 468 this season for the Leopards (36-9). She added 620 serve receptions and 466 digs.

6-2 | Opposite hitter
Second on the team with 278 kills, she added 46 blocks as Marymount was ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 for most of the season.

6-3 | Outside hitter
A two-time MaxPreps All-American, Caraway led the Raiders with 570 kills as they reached the MAIS Division I final.

5-8 | Setter
Dished up 882 assists (9.0 per set) with only 15 errors all season as the Aztecs reached the Class 6A final. She added 204 digs.

Peyton Heatherly, Mother McAuley (Chicago, Ill.)
5-11 | Setter
Compiled 761 assists (10.0 per set), 171 digs, 61 kills and 28 blocks as the Mighty Macs went 33-5 and reached the sectional finals.

6-5 | Outside hitter
Second on the team with 282 kills as Winter Park won the Class 7A state title. She added 52 blocks for the No. 17 team in the country.

6-3 | Opposite hitter | Uncommitted
Pounded 415 kills (3.3 per set) while hitting at 31 percent. The daughter of former NBA player Jared Jeffries added 315 serve receptions, 206 digs, 53 blocks and 42 aces for Sierra Canyon.

6-0 | Middle blocker | Uncommitted
The Titans went 34-5, won the Class A title and finished No. 21 nationally as Judson had 334 kills, 246 serve receptions, 93 blocks and 30 aces.

Kate Kalczynski, Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.)
6-1 | Outside hitter
Dropped 317 kills, 171 serve receptions, 154 digs and 28 blocks as the Marlins went 29-3 and were in the MaxPreps Top 25 for much of the season.

6-1 | Outside hitter
Recorded 419 kills, 411 serve receptions and 219 digs as Jaguars went 27-5 and reached the Class 6A final.

Tessa Larkin, Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)
6-1 | Outside hitter
Helped the Gators win a state title and earn top 10 national ranking. Larkin dropped 474 kills (4.5 per set), including 23 in the four-set title game victory. She added 515 serve receptions and 337 digs.

5-7 | Setter
Tossed up 794 assists (6.4 per set) and fed one of the game's top hitters in MaxPreps All-American Mae Kordas. She added 296 digs and 44 aces as the Dons went 46-3, finished No. 2 in the MaxPreps Top 25 and won the Open Division title for the second time in three seasons.

Naomi Livings, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
6-2 | Outside hitter
Tallied 211 kills to help Prestonwood Christian (37-2) win the TAPPS Class 6A state championship.

6-0 | Outside hitter
There might not be a heavier hitter in the Class of 2027. Matavao pounded 276 kills in 80 sets (3.5 per set) after joining the Monarchs after a transfer sit-out period. A six-rotation player, she added 455 serve receptions and 284 digs for the nationally-ranked Monarchs.

Hanna McGinest, Sierra Canyon
6-0 | Outside hitter | Uncommitted
Led the No. 11 team in the country with 452 kills (3.7 per set) against a national schedule. The daughter of former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest added 689 serve receptions, 299 digs, 55 blocks and 41 aces.

NATIONAL SOPHOMORE OF THE YEAR
Sophee Peterson, Byron Nelson
5-10 | Setter/Outside hitter
The catalyst in Byron Nelson's Class 6A Division 2 title run and MaxPreps National Championship. She led the Bobcats with 1,480 assists and was third on the team with 199 kills. She added 271 digs, 75 blocks and 48 aces.

6-0 | Outside hitter
Led the Jaguars with 403 kills as they went 37-5 and grabbed second straight Class 6A title. She added 416 serve receptions, 270 digs and 68 aces.

Olive Shum, Sierra Canyon
5-10 | Setter
The facilitator for the Trailblazers, she tossed 597 assists (5.1 per set) with only 18 errors in 1,600 chances.

6-3 | Outside hitter
Pounded a team-high 449 kills (4.4 per set) as Lancers won Class 5A title. She had 95 blocks 160 digs and 118 serve receptions playing alongside sister and fellow All-American Maya.

6-0 | Outside hitter
Led the Wolves with 662 kills (6.1 per set) and passed the 1,000-kill mark for her career.

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