GWU Volleyball Signee Feldman Named Gatorade New York Volleyball Player of the Year
December 16, 2010 | Volleyball
Chicago, Ill. - The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, named Gardner-Webb volleyball signee and Eden High School senior Heather Feldman the 2010-11 Gatorade New York Volleyball Player of the Year earlier this week.
Feldman is the second Gatorade New York Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Eden High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Feldman as New York's best high school volleyball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award announced in December, Feldman joins an elite alumni association of past state volleyball award winners, including USA Volleyball Olympians Kim Glass (2001-02, Horseshoe HS, Penn.), Kim Willoughby (1998-99, 1999-00, Assumption HS, La.) and Ogonna Nnamani (1999-00, University HS, Ill).
The 5-foot-9 senior setter led the Raiders to a 48-2-1 record and the Class B state title this past season. Feldman recorded 1,367 assists, 455 digs and 108 service aces while helping Eden win its fourth state championship in her five varsity seasons. She was a First Team All-State selection as a junior, and was chosen as MVP of this year's Class B tournament.
Feldman has maintained an A-plus average in the classroom. Also a talented singer, she has volunteered locally at area nursing homes and on behalf of the Big Sister/Little Sister mentoring program.
"Feldman is a difference-maker," said Don Pieczynski, head coach of rival St. Mary's High. "She picks up on the weaknesses of a defense and delivers the ball to the right place-she has a knack that's hard to teach."
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
(Courtesy of Julie Mason)
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