Tumwater’s Kennedy Croft named Gatorade state volleyball player of the year

Tumwater High School volleyball standout Kennedy Croft was announced Tuesday as the Gatorade state volleyball player of the year.

Croft, a Gonzaga University commit, led the T-Birds to a 25-1-2 record last season, and their second Class 2A state title in the past three years. The junior outside hitter recorded 480 kills, 263 digs, 47 aces and 35 blocks. She finished the season with a .429 kill percentage, and a .328 hitting percentage.

Croft, who is 5-foot-10, has 937 kills in her career at Tumwater with one season remaining.

She is a two-time all-state and Olympian All-Area selection, and was named The Olympian’s All-Area player of the year as a sophomore.

“Kennedy is a six-rotation player who passes, hits out of the back row really well and can hit from multiple locations on the net,” Emerald Ridge High School coach Bobby McGivern said in the press release. “Her demeanor is always the same on the court — no panic, just calm.”

The Gatorade award recognizes academic achievement and character in addition to athletic excellence. Croft has also volunteered as a freshman mentor at Tumwater, and as a youth volleyball coach, while carrying a 3.72 GPA.

Past Gatorade state volleyball players of the year in Washington include Kennedy Catholic’s Shayne McPherson (2015), Auburn Riverside’s Carson Heilborn (2014), Bellarmine Prep’s Courtney Schwan (2012, 2013), Burlington-Edison’s Katlyn Mataya (2011), Issaquah’s Rachel Roeder (2010), Mead’s Alexis Olgard (2009), Monroe’s Kylin Munoz (2008) and Hanford’s Brittany Quick (2007).

Croft is now a finalist for the Gatorade national volleyball player of the year award, which will be announced later this month.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "Tumwater’s Kennedy Croft named Gatorade state volleyball player of the year."