Henry Clay volleyball has its first ever Ms. Volleyball winner
Henry Clay’s Abby Shadwick has been named Ms. Volleyball by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association, and is only the second-ever public school student athlete to earn the honor.
The announcement comes with the KVCA’s All-State Teams, coach of the year and defensive player of the year honors being awarded.
Shadwick’s coach, Dale Grupe, earned the coaching award and Mercy’s Eleanor Beavin took the defensive player accolade for the third year in a row.
The Blue Devils had a 20-3 record heading into Monday night’s KHSAA State Volleyball Tournament after having won the 11th Region title and earning the program’s first victory over one of the state’s dominant private schools earlier this year, a five-setter versus Sacred Heart on Oct. 8 in which it rallied from two sets down.
Shadwick, a 6-foot-2 senior outside hitter committed to Colgate, led the No. 4 Blue Devils with 247 kills and a .311 hitting percentage. Shadwick and Grupe were also named 11th Region player and coach of the year, respectively, last week by the KVCA.
She is joined on the All-State First Team by her sister, Emma Shadwick, a Yale commit. Teammate Ellery Gray took Second Team honors.
Also on the First Team from the 11th Region were Caroline Cole of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Lane Jenkins of Lafayette
Awarded since 2007 to a player considered the state’s best, Ms. Volleyball has gone to a private-school student athlete 12 times with Manual’s Deja McClendon the only previous exception in 2009.
Mercy’s Beavin, the only player to earn the defensive honor in its three years of existence, notched 370 digs, averaging over seven digs per set.
KVCA All-State Teams are voted on by KVCA member coaches. The following also includes the region players and coaches of the year announced last week.
2020 KVCA All-State Teams
FIRST TEAM
Eleanor Beavin, Mercy Academy, L, 5’5
Kelsey Brangers, Central Hardin, L, 5’3
Caroline Cole, Paul Laurence Dunbar, L, 5’6
Mary Hargan, Elizabethtown, OH, 6’1
Sydney Helmers, Assumption, OH, 6’3
Katie Howard, Greenwood, OH, 5’10
Lane Jenkins, Lafayette, S, 5’10
Anna Long, Notre Dame, OH, 5’11
Olivia Mitchell, Caldwell County, OH, 6’0
Taylor Preston, St. Henry, MB, 6’2
Madison Rice-Locket, Male, RS, 5’11
Tess Schrenger, Sacred Heart, OH, 6’0
Elena Scott, Mercy, S, 5’9
Abby Shadwick, Henry Clay, OH, 6’2
Emma Shadwick, Henry Clay, RS, 6’2
Lucy Trump Ryle, OH, 6’0
SECOND TEAM
McKenna Barfield, Russell, MB, 6’1
Nya Bunton, Manual, OH, 6’3
Olivia Crowl, Campbell County, MB, 6’2
Audrey Dowdy, Graves County, OH, 5’9
Katie Floyd, Taylor County, L, 5’3
Elizabeth Godfrey, Elizabethtown, OH, 5’9
Emma Grace, Notre Dame, OH, 5’9
Ellery Gray, Henry Clay, S, 6’0
Jayda Harris, McCracken County, MB, 6’2
Marie Kiefer, Bishop Brossart, MB, 6’1
Fallan Lanham, Mercy, OH, 5’8
Kaitlyn Luebbers, Cooper, OH, 5’8
Isabella Myers, Ballard Memorial, S, 5’11
Riley Tavis, Pikeville, S, 5’9
Jenny Wessling, Assumption, L, 5’7
Audrey Whitworth, Breckinridge County, OH, 5’4
HONORABLE MENTION
Madison Adkins, West Carter, S, 5’11
Abby Baker, Boyd County, S, 5’4
Bella Blackburn, Paintsville, S, 5’4
Keri Blair, Tates Creek, MB, 5’9
Payton Brock, Southwestern, OH, 6’1
Lexie Deaton, Tates Creek, S, 5’10
Alexis Fliehman, Madisonville-North Hopkins, L, 5’3
Maddy Foster, Southwestern, S, 5’6
Kyndal Ganoe, Bardstown, L, 5’6
Addison Gordon, Marion County, OH, 5’8
Abby Griggs, Caldwell County, MB, 6’0
Sequoia Hunt, Oldham County, MB, 5’10
Julia Hunt, Holy Cross, MB, 6’1
Hailey Little, Paintsville, MB
Abigail Schaefer, St. Henry, L, 5’8
Ansley Shields, Montgomery County, OH, 5’11
KVCA Region Players and Coaches of the Year
Region 1: Isabella Myers Ballard Memorial; Adam Solomon, Ballard Memorial School.
Region 2: Olivia Mitchell, Caldwell County; Daniel Cortner Caldwell County.
Region 3: Audrey Whitworth, Breckridge County; Mary Anne Howard, Apollo.
Region 4: Katie Howard, Greenwood; Sheila Yokley, Warren East.
Region 5: Kelsey Brangers, Central Hardin; Darren Morris, Thomas Nelson.
Region 6: Elena Scott, Mercy; Matt Thomerson, Mercy Academy.
Region 7: Tess Schrenger, Sacred Heart; Kevin Lauersdorf, Presentation.
Region 8: Sequoia Hunt, Oldham County; Amy Marx, Simon Kenton.
Region 9: Lucy Trump, Ryle; Jill Hunt, Holy Cross.
Region 10: Marie Kiefer, Bishop Brossart; Bill Faulkner, Harrison County.
Region 11: Abby Shadwick, Henry Clay; Dale Grupe, Henry Clay.
Region 12: Maddy Foster, Southwestern; Melissa Gaunce, Southwestern.
Region 13: Morgan Stacy, Corbin; Vanessa Ross, Corbin.
Region 14: Emalee Watts, Breathitt County; Rickey Barnett, Jackson City.
Region 15: Riley Tavis, Pikeville; Dawn Kinner, Paintsville.
Region 16: McKenna Barfield, Russell; Katee Neltner, Boyd County.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 5:03 PM.
