Introducing the 2022 Fort Worth Star-Telegram high school volleyball all-area awards

Brian Gosset
·4 min read

Player of the Year

Morgan Howard, Senior, Colleyville Heritage

Morgan Howard sets during the 5A state semifinal between Colleyville Heritage and Montgomery Lake Creek at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 18th, 2022.
Morgan Howard sets during the 5A state semifinal between Colleyville Heritage and Montgomery Lake Creek at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 18th, 2022.

All District: 7-5A Setter of the Year

College: Louisiana-Monroe

Her stats: 1,449 assists (led the area), 10.3 assists per match, 329 digs, 122 kills, 47 aces

Her stats: 20-30 assist games, 8-40 assists games, 3-50 assists games

Her season: Howard, who had a season-high 64 assists against Argyle, capped off an illustrious high school career with the Class 5A state championship over Frisco Reedy.

Howard helped beat Montgomery Lake Creek (3-0) and Reedy (3-1) in the state tournament. It was the program’s first state title as Howard put in 51 assists and 17 digs in the final and was voted 5A state champ MVP.

Overall, Howard had 14 double-doubles this season and over 4,000 assists in her career.

Howard was named to the Max Preps All-America team.

Panthers setter Morgan Howard opts to attack at the net during the 5A state final between Colleyville Heritage and Frisco Reedy at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 19th, 2022.
Panthers setter Morgan Howard opts to attack at the net during the 5A state final between Colleyville Heritage and Frisco Reedy at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 19th, 2022.

Offensive Player of the Year

Suli Davis, Sophomore, Colleyville Heritage

Suli Davis hits during the 5A state semifinal between Colleyville Heritage and Montgomery Lake Creek at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 18th, 2022.
Suli Davis hits during the 5A state semifinal between Colleyville Heritage and Montgomery Lake Creek at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 18th, 2022.

All District: 7-5A Most Valuable Player

Her stats: 506 kills (team-high), 0.283 hitting, 369 digs, 85 assists, 63 blocks, 45 aces

Her stats: 27-10 kill games, 3-20 kill games, 14 double-doubles

Her season: In her first season with the Panthers, Davis went over 500 kills and helped the program to its first state volleyball championship. Davis had 21 kills and 18 digs in the 5A final against Reedy.

Davis had double-doubles in both games at the state tournament. She was named to the Max Preps Underclassmen All-America team. Davis was all-area newcomer of the year last season at Nolan Catholic.

Defensive Player of the Year

Makenna Dillow, Senior, Azle

Azle senior Makenna Dillow (team photo)
Azle senior Makenna Dillow (team photo)

All District: 5-5A Defensive MVP

Her stats: 1,197 digs (led the nation), 63 aces (team-high)

Her stats: 33-20 dig games, 12-30 dig games, 6-40 dig games

Her season: Led the nation for most of the season and ended with nearly 1,200 digs. Set a program record with 69 digs in a 3-2 win over Rider on Sept. 16. Helped the Hornets to their third straight playoff berth and their 24 wins were the most in the Max Preps era (2007).

Dillow averaged 8.4 digs per set and finished her career with over 2,100 digs.

Setter of the Year

Taylor Polivka, Senior, Keller

Taylor Polivka sets during the 6A UIL state semifinal between Keller and Katy Tompkins at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 18th, 2022.
Taylor Polivka sets during the 6A UIL state semifinal between Keller and Katy Tompkins at the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland on November 18th, 2022.

All District: 4-6A Setter of the Year

College: Miami (FL)

Her stats: 1,302 assists (team-high), 9.4 assists per match, 290 digs, 63 aces (team-high)

Her stats: 23-30 assist games, 7-40 assists games, 2-50 assists games

Her season: Polivka helped the Indians to the Class 6A state tournament for the second straight season where she was named to the state all-tourney team. She had 48 assists against Prosper and was named 6A Region 1 tournament MVP. She had 46 assists against Katy Tompkins in the state semifinals.

Polivka set career highs in digs, blocks, aces and kills. She had nine double-doubles.

She had at least 30 assists in 12 of her final 13 matches.

Middle Blocker of the Year

Reese Robins, Senior, Mansfield Timberview

Timberview senior Reese Robins (team photo)
Timberview senior Reese Robins (team photo)

All District: 8-5A Co-MVP

College: Louisville

Her stats: 713 kills, 267 blocks, 103 blocks for kills, 0.378 hitting

Her season: Robins was voted district MVP the past two seasons and it showed why on the court. The 6-5 Robins led the area in kills and blocks in both seasons. She was tied for the lead in kills after the regular season this year with 675.

Robins helped the Wolves to their most wins since 2013 and a third straight playoff appearance, which the program had done only once, when it started in 2004 (2004-06).

Utility Player of the Year

Sophie Chambers, Senior, Justin Northwest

Justin Northwest senior Sophie Chambers
Justin Northwest senior Sophie Chambers

All District: 5-5A Co-MVP

College: Seattle Pacific

Her stats: 706 assists (team-high), 420 digs, 197 kills, 58 blocks, 39 aces

Her stats: 6.1 assists per set, 19 double-doubles, 3 triple-doubles

Her season: Chambers, nicknamed the triple-double queen, helped the Texans to their most wins in program history, breaking the previous mark set in 1993. They also won an undefeated district title.

Chambers set career marks in all five categories, assists, digs, kills, blocks and aces.

Newcomer of the Year

Kylie Kleckner, Freshman, Byron Nelson

Byron Nelson’s Kylie Kleckner (15) sets the ball during the fourth game of a district 6-4A high school volleyball game at Byron Nelson in Trophy Club Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. Keller beat Byron Nelson in a best 3-of-5, 25-16, 25-15,19-25, 22-25, 15-12. (Special to the Star-Telegram Bob Booth)
Byron Nelson’s Kylie Kleckner (15) sets the ball during the fourth game of a district 6-4A high school volleyball game at Byron Nelson in Trophy Club Texas, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. Keller beat Byron Nelson in a best 3-of-5, 25-16, 25-15,19-25, 22-25, 15-12. (Special to the Star-Telegram Bob Booth)

All District: 4-6A Newcomer of the Year

Her stats: 412 kills, 440 digs, 61 aces (team-high)

Her stats: Season-high 21 kills, season-high 35 digs

Her season: Kleckner is the first Newcomer of the Year from Byron Nelson since Paige Flickinger in 2016. Flickinger went on to win a state title in 2019. Kleckner helped the Bobcats to a second place finish in district play and an appearance in the regional quarterfinals.

Kleckner also put in 17 double-doubles for Byron Nelson.

She was named to the Max Preps Underclassmen All-America team.

Coach of the Year

Josh McKinney, Colleyville Heritage

Colleyville Heritage volleyball coach Josh McKinney led the Panthers to the 5A state championship in November (Matt Smith/Special to the Star-Telegram)
Colleyville Heritage volleyball coach Josh McKinney led the Panthers to the 5A state championship in November (Matt Smith/Special to the Star-Telegram)

The season: McKinney led the Panthers to the Class 5A state championship, the first title in program history. Colleyville Heritage finished with a 43-7 record, tied for the most wins in program history.

Heritage also went 14-0 for a undefeated district championship.

McKinney was voted District 7-5A Coach of the Year.

The Panthers would win their final 23 matches of the season.