Update Friday, Aug. 22: Congratulations to Payton Woodruff of Detroit Country Day High School for being voted 2025 Detroit Free Press preseason high school Volleyball Player of the Year.
It’s time to vote for the 2025 Detroit Free Press high school Volleyball Player of the Year.
This week’s poll features 10 of Michigan’s top volleyball players, according to Prepdig.
Voting will be open until noon Friday, Aug. 22.
Here are the nominees (listed in alphabetical order by last name):
Ella Andrews, Farmington Hills Mercy
Andrews is next in line to lead the Marlins to a championship after playing along side last year’s National Gatorade Player of the Year Campbell Flynn. The rising senior and middle blocker racked up 101 kills, 13 digs and 29 blocks to go with a hitting average of 43.7%, according to Maxprep. Andrews also made the Division 1 First Team All State last season.
Karis Chatfield, Jenison
On the west side of the state, Chatfield led Jenison to the regional finals before losing to Rockford 3-0. She finished her junior-year season with 518 kills, 470 digs, 62 assists, 73 aces and 39 blocks.
Gabby DiVita, Grosse Pointe South
The senior outside hitter looks to lead Grosse Pointe South to its first state championship in school history. The Nebraska commit recorded 491 kills, 263 digs, 63 aces and had a hitting average of 38.8% last season for the Blue Devils. She’s the No. 3 ranked player in the 2026 class and is a two-time all state honoree.
Kayla Nwabueze, Bloomfield Hills
Nwabueze is the No. 1 ranked player of the class of 2026 in Michigan. As a junior, she recorded 504 kills, 39 aces, 68 blocks and 253 Diggs, earning her second consecutive all state first team honor.
Ashlyn Pelon, Marian
The rising sophomore looks to lead Marian back to a state championship appearance for the first time since the 2022 season. In her first year with the Mustangs, she had 459 digs, 73 aces and 122 assists.
Lauren Sheldon, Stoney Creek
The freshman outside hitter made an impact for the Cougars in her first season. Sheldon recorded 260 kills, 159 digs, 35 aces and 17 blocks, according to the C & G News.
Marlie Smith, Clarkston
Smith recorded 106 kills, 99 aces and 216 digs during her sophomore season with the Wolves. The setter has been named to the Division 1 all-state second team for the past two seasons.
Mallory Wandel, Rockford
The Michigan State recruit earned first team all state honors as a sophomore last season. Wandel recorded 555 kills to go with 264 digs, 28 assists and 48 blocks in the team’s 35-14 season.
Payton Woodruff, Detroit Country Day
Woodruff led all freshman with 686 assists in her debut season at Country Day. She also recorded 21 aces, 24 blocks and 114 digs.
Come back to freep.com/sports/high-schools/ every Tuesday morning to vote for Athlete of the Week.
TO YOUR INBOX: Sign up for our weekly Michigan Preps newsletter to get high school sports and news sent directly to you!
Eric Guzmán covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work.
Contact Eric Guzmán: eguzman@freepress.com; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @EricGuzman90.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Free Press Girls Preseason Volleyball Player of Year: Country Day’s Payton Woodruff
Reporting by Eric Guzmán, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
