Being Called the Best and the Brightest is a Good Thing

The AVCA honors high school seniors who hit both the courts and the books. Here a breakdown for our two state area.

There are those who value sports in high schools and colleges more than the academics. They are wrong. There are also those who think that sports, simply by being present, infringe upon academics. They too, are wrong. When sports are done right, they go hand in hand with academics. All are valuable lessons, and there is time for all. I was pleased to write about the three from this area who were on teams that went the furthest in the NCAA Division III Volleyball Tournament. Not only were they from the same high school, but each of the three were competing at highly selective academic universities. That was an example of the perfect blend of sports and academics. You can read the piece here.

The AVCA has an award that goes to high school seniors known as the “Best and Brightest”. Let’s applaud all of those so designated from Missouri and Kansas high schools. What you see below is sports done right.

If you see your name and you know your plans for next year, please comment so we may know!

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Aisha Aiono - MB - Liberty High - Missouri

Kori Arnold - Libero - Hillsboro High - Kansas

Emma Breier - OH - Jefferson - Missouri

Anna Brooks - Libero - Sullivan - Missouri

Emma Brune - OH - Sullivan - Missouri

Abby Christian - Liberto - Liberty - Missouri

Norah Clark - OH - Nixa - Missouri

Morgan Cofer - OH - Rock Port - Missouri

Morgan Compton - Setter - Riverton - Missouri

Emma Conrad - Libero - Nixa - Missouri

Greta Crawford - Libero - Osage City - Missouri

Lily Dudley - OH - Rock Bridge - Missouri

Hillary Estes - MB - Nixa - Missouri

Olivia Frieze - MB-Logan Rogersville - Missouri

Kaityn Gantenbein - MB - Osage City - Kansas

Carley Godfrey - Libero - Sullivan - Missouri

Madison Golmen - OH - Nixa - Missouri

Anna Harrold - OH - Lawson - Missouri

Randi Hoffman - Libero - Skyline - Kansas

Kylie Hunter - Setter - Stockton - Missouri

Addison Kersting - Setter - St. Charles - Missouri

Rylea King - Libero - Clever - Missouri

Grace Lowery - Libero - Jefferson - Missouri

Maclayn McPeters - RS - Jefferson - Missouri

Calissa Minatee - MB - North Kansas City - Missouri

Ashley Mullen - Setter - Liberty - Missouri

Maci Nolie - Setter - Sullivan - Missouri

Taylor Osborne - MB - Winona - Missouri

Kira Phipps - Setter - Lawson - Missouri

Sarah Pieper - Setter - Pattonville - Missouri

Tayla Prenger - Libero - Blair Oaks - Missouri

Emma Prettyman - MB - Louisburg - Kansas

Jocelyn Renfro - OH - Liberty - Missouri

Adyson Ross - Libero - Louisburg - Kansas

Ava Roth - OH - Jefferson - Missouri

Paige Siebert - Setter - Jefferson - Missouri

Abigail Siess - OH - Westminster Christian - Missouri

Phoenix St. Louis - Libero - Liberty - Missouri

Rory Stanley - MB - Liberty - Missouri

Abbi Street - OH - Clever - Missouri

Ava Sweigart - OH - Classical School of Wichita - Kansas

Ava Testrake - OH - Olathe West - Kansas

Jacy Thomasson - MB - Riverton - Kansas

Grace Toney - RS - Liberty - Missouri

Lindy Twigg - Setter - Clever - Missouri

Anna Wekenborg - MB - Blair Oaks - Missouri

Shelbi Wilson - Setter - Labette County - Kansas

Brooklyn Young - MB - Liberty - Missouri