It seems only fitting that a Gator has been selected Gatorade’s
National Volleyball Player of the Year for 2015-16.
Xavier Prep’s Khalia Lanier has earned that honor, which was
made in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports. Gatorade made the announcement
on Wednesday (Dec. 9), and the player was honored at a surprise afternoon
assembly on campus.
Lanier, a 6-foot-2 senior outside hitter, also was the
Arizona Player of the Year. She led the Gators to a Division I state runner-up
finish opposite Phoenix Desert Vista.
With a 4.21 weighted grade-point average, Lanier will move
on to play collegiately at Southern California. Academic achievements also were
considered in the decision of who would receive the award.
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| Gatorade National Player of the Year Khalia Lanier, back row center, holds trophy while celebrating with her Xavier teammates and coach Lamar-Renee Bryant. (Photo by Alexandra Gutierrez) |
Lanier had 496 kills, 324 digs and 28 service aces while
posting a kill percentage of .438. She was a 2015 Under Armour First Team
All-American as named by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and was
the No. 1 national recruit by PrepVolleyball.com. She was a member of the U.S.
Girls’ Youth National team, which played in the U18 World Championship final in
Peru in the summer of 2015.
Lanier’s busy life also includes a number of public-service
achievements.
In the summer of 2014, she worked at an orphanage in South
Africa, where she taught preschool-aged children. She also has volunteered on
behalf of the Desert Mission Food Bank, providing emergency food assistance for
families in the north Phoenix area.
Lanier joins Xavier graduates Bianca Arellano and Stephanie
Preach as Gatorade’s Arizona Player of the Year.
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