WALTER CRUZ / DMN

Player of the year Shannon Hawari

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: SHANNON HAWARI

Plano West, Sr.

Senior middle blocker Shannon Hawari filled the role of Plano West's go-to player this season after its best two players last year – co-District 9-5A MVPs Nikki Fowler and Kathleen Nash – graduated.

Hawari led the team in kills (472) as she helped Plano West earn its first state tournament berth in school history. Hawari had a match-high 17 kills in a loss to Austin Westlake in a Class 5A state semifinal.

Hawari is taking her talents to college power California, the school with which she signed earlier this month. Prepvolleyball.com ranks Hawari as the nation's No. 23 recruit (and the third-highest Texan).

Plano West coach Brittany Bridge said Hawari has superb volleyball instincts with her quickness, power and solid blocking.

Plano West advanced to the state tournament after rallying to defeat 9-5A champion Lake Highlands in four games in the Region II final. Reaching that point seemed like it would be difficult after Plano West lost back-to-back matches after a 9-1 start in district. But the team finished the regular season with two wins.

"We started to have some doubts," Hawari said. "But once the playoffs started, we started to believe a little bit more in the team."

Position: Middle blocker

Key stats: 472 kills

What's next? Going to play at California.

Did you know? "I'm really skinny, but I eat a ton of food all the time."

RECENT WINNERS

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Julie Olschwanger

RICHARDSON PEARCE, SO.

Position: Libero

Key stats: 552 digs, District 10-4A Libero of the Year

What's next? Playing on the Texas Advantage 17 Asics club team and participating in the USA High Performance Youth Holiday Camp in Pomona, Calif., in December.

Did you know? She likes Jodi Picoult novels and is a huge chocolate eater.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Kelly Quinn

McKINNEY BOYD

Notable: Quinn guided the second-year program to a 43-3 record and the Class 4A Region II final.

What's next? Working on developing a team unity council to help develop relationships between players from all classes in the program.

Did you know? In high school, "I was a better swimmer than volleyball player." Quinn is a 1999 Richardson Berkner graduate and played volleyball at Middle Tennessee State.

FIRST TEAM

Sarah Joeckel

ARLINGTON, SR.

Position: Outside hitter

Key stats: 502 kills, 447 digs and 36 aces, District 8-5A co-MVP

What's next? Playing for the Texas Advantage 18 Asics club team and then playing at TCU

Did you know? "I've wanted to be a pediatrician since my fifth-grade biology class."

Jordan Raines

COPPELL, SR.

Position: Outside hitter

Key stats: 413 kills, 447 digs, 46 aces

What's next? Playing for the Texas Advantage 18 Asics club team, which will train in Europe for 10 days during the winter break. Then she will play at Denver.

Did you know? Her grandfather was the late Norman Jett, former South Oak Cliff football coach, who died in 2003.

Tori Mellinger

LAKE HIGHLANDS, JR.

Position: Outside hitter

Key stats: 660 kills, 694 digs, 47 aces

What's next? Playing for the Dallas Skyline Juniors 17 Roshambo club team

Did you know? Mellinger went on a church mission trip to Costa Rica last summer.

Katherine Culwell

HIGHLAND PARK, JR.

Position: Outside hitter

Key stats: 516 kills, 310 blocks, 58 aces; two-time 10-4A MVP

What's next? Playing for the Dallas Skyline Juniors 17 Roshambo club team

Did you know? Culwell likes to snowboard.

Kelsey Mahoney

KELLER CENTRAL, SR.

Position: Setter

Key stats: 1,083 assists, 273 kills, 332 digs, 107 aces, District 5-5A MVP

What's next? Playing for the Texas Advantage Asics 18 Asics club team before heading to play at Tennessee

Did you know? Mahoney's favorite food is mashed potatoes and gravy.

Emily Maher

FLOWER MOUND MARCUS, SR.

Position: Middle blocker

Key stats: 443 kills, 163 blocks, 68 aces. District 6-5A Blocker of the Year

What's next? Playing for the Texas Advantage 18 Molten club team before heading to play at Southeast Missouri State

Did you know? Maher likes to paint, especially landscapes.

Danielle Manack

PLANO, JR.

Position: Libero

Key stats: 742 digs, 70 assists

What's next? Playing with the Dallas Junior National 17 club team.

Did you know? Manack likes emo music.

SECOND TEAM