Novi High School Senior O'Leary Picks Up Major Volleyball Honor

NOVI, MI – Meet Erin O'Leary, Michigan's newest Miss Volleyball Award-winner. The award for the Novi setter was announced during a school awards ceremony on Monday.

The 4-year varsity player at Novi High School is the state’s all-time leader with 5,678 assists, becoming just the third player in Michigan history to record 5,000 assists in her career. She also led her team to its fourth-straight regional championship and has a Tuesday date against Temperance Bedford at Ann Arbor Huron for a chance to advance to the Class A state semifinals at Battle Creek’s Kellogg Arena.

O’Leary is the first player from an Oakland County public school to win the award since it was first presented to the state’s top senior in 2003. She is the fourth Novi High School senior recognized as the state’s top player in his or her sport, joining Mr. Tennis Tim Wang (2014), and Miss Soccer Emily Esbrook (2006) and Kristi Timar (2005).

O’Leary, a 5-foot-10 senior, this season is averaging 12.6 assists, 2.4 digs and 2.3 kills to go with an impressive .556 hitting percentage.

She signed a national letter of intent last week to continue her playing career at the University of Michigan. She verbally committed to Wolverines the summer after her freshman year.

O'Leary also carries a 4.2 grade-point average and plans to graduate early from Novi High School and enroll at UM in January.

O’Leary was named the 2016 Gatorade Player of the Year in Michigan, and recently named Under Armour First-Team All American. A two-time MaxPreps First-Team All American, she was on the USA Volleyball Girls’ Youth National Team, which placed second at the 2016 North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation Girls’ U18 Continental Championship.

PAST MISS VOLLEYBALL WINNERS
2016 – Meredith Norris, Corrunna, Michigan State Univ.
2015 – Gia Milana, Romeo, Univ. of Marylad
2014 – Katherine Carlson, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Valparaiso Univ.
2013 – Carly Snyder, Macomb Dakota, Univ. of Florida
2012 – Amanda McKinzie, Battle Creek St. Phillip, Virginia Tech Univ.
2011 – Maddy Doyle, Farmington Hills Mercy, George Washington Univ.
2010 – Jordan Fish, North Branch, Central Connecticut State Univ.
2009 – Alexandra Cocklin, Birmingham Marian, Univ. of Akron
2008 – Olivia Kohler, North Branch, Grand Valley State Univ.
2007 – Kyndra Abron, Livonia Churchill, Michigan State Univ. (winter)
2007 – Lauren Jones, East Kentwood, Kent State Univ. (fall)
2006 – Alisha Glass, Leland, Penn State
2005 – Stephanie Booms, Marysville, Hillsdale College
2004 – Angie McGinnis, Fraser, Univ. of Florida
2003 – Lindsey Taatjes, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern, Univ. of Minnesot

Image courtesy of Novi High School