Press release
Ally Batenhorst Named 2020-21 Gatorade® National Volleyball Player of the Year
Olympic Medalist April Ross Surprises Batenhorst with Honor KATY, Texas, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 36th year of honoring the nation's most elite
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[{"type":"text","content":"Olympic Medalist April Ross Surprises Batenhorst with Honor\n\n\nKATY, Texas, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 36th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Ally Batenhorst of Seven Lakes High School in Katy, Texas is the 2020-21 Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year. Batenhorst won the prestigious award for her accomplishments on and off the court, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year winners who have combined for 92 gold medals and 13 National Championships. \nOlympic medalist April Ross virtually surprised Batenhorst with the news, while her family, coaches and teammates showed up with the trophy at school. Check out a video of the announcement here. \nThe award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Batenhorst as the nation's best high school volleyball player. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Batenhorst from nearly half a million other student-athletes who play high school volleyball nationwide. \nCompetition for the national award was fierce. Batenhorst topped the list of state winners in volleyball who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including 37 with signed letters of intent at Division 1 schools, 30 with a GPA of 4.0 and above, and 6 returning state Gatorade Players of the Year.\n\"Ally is a six-rotation, pin hitter who can terminate with equal facility from the left or right sides,\" said John Tawa, national volleyball writer at VolleyballMag.com. \"She's 6-foot-4, with long arms and long legs, which makes her an absolute handful at the net. She has also improved her first contact so significantly that she's become an impact player on defense and in the serve-receive game. I think she'll be a plug-and-play performer at Nebraska who will excel wherever the Huskers need her.\"\nThe 6-foot-4 senior outside hitter led the Spartans to a 25-1 record and the Class 6A state championship this past season. Batenhorst amassed 574 kills, 371 digs, 33 blocks and 32 service aces. The Class 6A Player of the Year and the Greater Houston Player of the Year, she was MVP of the state tournament. Baten...