PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Melissa Stansbury
LibertyAfter growing up two doors down from Lions coach Dave Trumbo, Stansbury spent her senior season helping keep Liberty atop the area rankings for much of the season. She averaged a county-best 3.0 kills per game for the Lions, who finished 16-2 and won the Class 2A West regional title. She also averaged 5.3 digs and served at an 80-percent clip, racking up 56 aces by using a jump serve that she has cultivated since her sophomore year.
She finished her career with 138 aces, making her the school's all-time leader. Stansbury, 5 feet 10, was also an All-County shot put and discus thrower in track, and has the best all-around skills of any volleyball player in the county.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mindy Minchhoff
Francis Scott KeyIn her first season, Minchhoff helped transform the Eagles from a .500 team into one of the county's elite. A year after finishing 2-4 in the county, Key went 5-1 on its way to an overall mark of 12-3, which included an eight-match winning streak late in the season. That doesn't include a championship at October's Thomas Johnson tournament, where the Eagles scored a shocking best-of-three victory over then-No. 1 Liberty.
Although lacking in height, they quickly established a reputation as a defensive powerhouse, able to negate even the most explosive offenses.
First team
Name School Class Pos.Ashleigh Swiontek Liberty Senior Setter
Lauren Tracey F.S. Key Senior Setter
Kelly Hoff Winters Mill Junior Hitter
Dani Katsampis F.S. Key Senior Hitter
Melissa Stansbury Liberty Senior Hitter
Sam Walters Liberty Senior Hitter
Amanda Werner Century Senior Hitter
Second Team
Name School Class Pos.Anna Pobletts Century Junior Setter
Olivia Fajardo Winters Mill Senior Hitter
Mary Harshman South Carroll Soph. Hitter
Alex Mercer Liberty Senior Hitter
Sam Scurci South Carroll Senior Hitter
Kellee Stonesifer F.S. Key Fresh. Hitter
Rachel Wolfe North Carroll Soph. Hitter
Note // Teams selected by Rich Scherr after consultation with The Sun staff and area coaches.