Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year: Gina Mancuso

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 Mancuso as the nation's best high school volleyball player. A national advisory board comprised of sportswriters and sport-specific experts from around the country helped to select Mancuso from more than 397,000 high school volleyball players nationwide. Mancuso is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Female High School Athlete of the Year Award, to be presented at a special afternoon ceremony prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

The 6-foot senior outside hitter amassed 721 kills and 373 digs this season, leading the Monarchs (42-1) to a second consecutive Class A state championship. A 2008-09 Under Armour First Team All-American, Mancuso also totaled 53 blocks, 50 assists and 39 service aces during her senior campaign. An honorary co-captain of both the 2008 Lincoln Journal Star Super State Team and the 2008 Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska team, she recorded 32 assists, nine digs, five kills and one ace in a state-final sweep of Lincoln Northwest.

A standout on the 2008 United States Junior National Volleyball Team that captured the NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship this past summer, Mancuso also led the Nebraska Volleyball Academy 17-and-under Red team to the 2007 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior Olympic Championships National Division title, earning All-Tournament honors in the process.

Also a varsity basketball and track athlete, Mancuso has maintained a 4.64 weighted GPA in the classroom.Papillion-La Vista's 2008 Homecoming Queen and a singer in a community vocal group, she has served as a member of the student council, as captain of the letter-winners club, and on the school's student- leadership Class Board. A volunteer withOmaha's Glad Tidings Church Youth Group, Mancuso has also donated her time to a local literacy outreach program, cleanup efforts in area city parks and coaching area youth.

"She's a top player -- all-around," said Gwen Egbert, head coach of rival Papillion South High. "Offensively, she's great. Defensively, she's great. She can pass well. She did a lot for her team. It's been a while since we've had someone that good inNebraska. She knows what to do when things get tight. She wants the ball, she knows where to put it, and she keeps it in play. She's got a great game with a lot of knowledge."

Mancuso has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at the University of Nebraska next fall.

"Without question, Gina is deserving of recognition as the nation's best high school volleyball player based on her statistics on the court and the impact her play has had onPapillion-La Vista's success," said Gatorade Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Jeff Urban. "But she is also a shining example to peers and aspiring young players of what a leader and a student- athlete should be. She represents everything we hope for in a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient."

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in theDistrict 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 Magazine, which works with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information and lists of past winners and future announcement dates, visit gatorade.com/playeroftheyear.

          ALL-TIME GATORADE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

    YEAR     NAME              HIGH SCHOOL                STATUS
    2008-09  Gina Mancuso      Papillion-La Vista/        High School
                               Papillion, NE              Senior

    2007-08  Kelly Murphy      Joliet Catholic/           University
                               Joliet, IL                 of Florida

    2006-07  Alix Klineman     Mira Costa/                Stanford
                               Manhattan Beach, CA        University

    2005-06  Megan Hodge       Riverside/Durham, NC       Penn State
                                                          University

    2004-05  Cynthia Barboza   Wilson Classical/          Stanford
                               Long Beach, CA             University

    2003-04  Cynthia Barboza   Wilson Classical/          Stanford
                               Long Beach, CA             University

    2002-03  Kristin Richards  Timpanogos/Orem, UT        Stanford
                                                          University Graduate

    2001-02  Bre Ladd          Canyon Del Oro/            University of
                               Tucson, AZ                 Arizona Graduate

    2000-01  Ogonna Nnamani    University/Normal, IL      U.S. National Team

    1999-00  April Ross        Newport Harbor/            AVP Pro Beach
                               Newport Beach, CA          Volleyball

    1998-99  Logan Tom         Highland/Salt              AVP Pro Beach
                               Lake City, UT              Volleyball

    1997-98  Sara Sandrik      Pelham/Pelham, AL          Stanford Graduate

    1996-97  Denise Boylan     Benet Academy/Lisle, IL    Notre Dame Graduate

    1995-96  Kerri Walsh       Archbishop Mitty/          AVP Pro Beach
                               San Jose, CA               Volleyball

SOURCE Gatorade

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