Volleyball Player of the Year
Sophee Peterson is no stranger to winning awards for her play on the volleyball court, but the Byron Nelson High School junior was surprised this week with her biggest accolade yet, the Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year.
Sophee, already named the Gatorade Texas Player of the Year, thought she was walking into a meeting to get sized for her second state championship ring recently, but what she saw instead was an experience she will never forget.
Byron Nelson head coach Brianne Groth led Sophee to the gym, and when she opened the doors, Sophee’s face lit up as she saw her family, teammates and three-time Olympic medalist April Ross waiting for her. Ross handed Sophee the Gatorade National Player of the Year trophy, and it was pure jubilation from there.
Sophee was selected from more than half a million other student-athletes who play high school volleyball nationwide, joining an elite legacy of former Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year athletes who have combined for more than 91 gold medals and 13 National Championships.
“Joining the elite group of Gatorade Player of the Year alumni means being part of a community of athletes who have gone on to define their sports,” said Jennifer Schmit, Senior Director, Gatorade Brand Marketing. “Sophee has proven that she belongs in this group of greats, and we can’t wait to watch her continue on to greatness in the years to come.”
Sophee is just the fourth Texas volleyball player to earn the award, and the first to do so before her senior year. Sophee had already joined Byron Nelson alumnae Paige Flickinger (2018-19, 2019-20) and Coach Groth (2006-07, Amarillo High School) as Bobcats to win the Texas Player of the Year.
Sophee has led the Bobcats to back-to-back state and national championships, including an undefeated 42-0 record last season. They will enter next season on a 78-match winning streak, and they are just the second team in Texas history to win back-to-back titles while losing one match in that span in the UIL’s top classification.
Sophee is committed to play collegiately for Texas A&M University, the reigning NCAA National Champions.
