2020 Miss Volleyball goes to Mercy’s Julia Bishop

<p>It’s not hard to tell when you watch [player_tooltip player_id="14163" first="Julia" last="Bishop"] that she’s at a different level than other setters.</p> <p>A four-year varsity starter, Bishop hasn’t just set the bar for setters in the Class of 2021, but all players throughout the state.</p> <p>On Monday, Bishop’s achievements on the floor were recognized as she was named winner of the 2020 Miss Volleyball Award.</p> <p>“This is a team Miss Volleyball, not my Miss Volleyball,” a humble Bishop said in a ceremony outside of Mercy High School.</p> <p>Bishop’s numbers are quite impressive. The first are her assist numbers.</p> <p>Over her four years with Mercy, she racked up 5,575 assists. That puts her third in the MHSAA history books for career assists. Had the 2020 season not been limited by COVID-19, Bishop was well on track to own the all-time record.</p> <p>She holds the seventh-most (1,605 in 2019) and ninth-most (1,550 in 2017) assists in a single season in MHSAA history.  She also has the third-most assists in a single game in MHSAA history (67 in a 2019 regional semifinal).</p> <p>“I had the benefit of watching her play club as an eighth grader, so I had a pretty good idea then of what her abilities were,” Mercy coach Loretta Vogel said of Bishop. “When she came to our program as a freshman, she was prepared to assume the role. Every year, she just became stronger and understood the game more. I think that’s what we saw in Jules every year.”</p> <p>Along with setting her teammates, Bishop had a keen eye for when to finish a point herself. She finished her prep career with 600 kills while hitting .510.</p> <p>She also tallied 967 digs, 233 aces and 190 blocks with the Marlins.</p> [caption id="attachment_116100" align="alignright" width="286"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-116100" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/11/Bishop-Miss-Volleyball-4-286x300.jpg" alt="" width="286" height="300" /> Charli Atiemo (L) and [player_tooltip player_id="14163" first="Julia" last="Bishop"] (R)[/caption] <p>Last fall, Bishop was able to help guide the Marlins to their first state championship. She played along 2019 Miss Volleyball winner [player_tooltip player_id="14089" first="Jess" last="Mruzik"], as well as fellow 2020 Miss Volleyball finalist <strong>Charli Atiemo</strong>.</p> <p>“We always push each other to be the best we can be and we have very big expectations for each other and we are not afraid to say what is on our minds,” Bishop said of her relationship with Atiemo. “When it comes to these awards, we are just happy for each other. It’s not about who wins, because we know it wouldn’t be possible without the other person. I would not have gotten this far without Charli.”</p> <p>Bishop’s leadership skills also show in practice. Mercy has the luxury of having one of the top setters in the Class of 2023, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="66313" first="Erin" last="Kline"]</strong>. Kline, as well as the other young setters in the Mercy program, have been able to get a great education from Bishop in recent years.</p> <p>“It’s been nice because they are on the court with Jules and when we are working on certain plays or certain sets, she’s able to say ‘rotate your hands differently.’ There’s always many helpful comments that would have been made,” Vogel said.</p> <p>Bishop will continue her volleyball career at Michigan State, suiting up in the green and white starting next fall.</p> <p>“The coaching staff was just beyond amazing. I talk to coach Cathy George all the time,” Bishop said. “In the beginning I was kind of hesitant if I was going to go there. I was deciding between (MSU) and Western Kentucky University, and right when I talked to (George) on the phone and she ended up offering me, I knew (it was the right decision). I had dreamed of that moment. I grew up going to games. My mom took me (to East Lansing) all the time. I just knew this was an opportunity that doesn’t happen all the time and being able to play for your own state is even cooler.”</p> <h4><strong>2020 Miss Volleyball Results</strong></h4> <ol> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="14163" first="Julia" last="Bishop"], Mercy – 227 points</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="14192" first="Jenna" last="Reitsma"], Lowell – 192</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="14203" first="Addie" last="VanderWeide"], Grand Rapids Christian – 123</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="50288" first="Mikayla" last="Haut"], St. Mary Catholic Central – 112</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="14188" first="Sydney" last="Palazzolo"], Eisenhower – 109</li> <li>Callie Mae Bauer, Hudson – 74</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="14185" first="Aubrey" last="O’Gorman"], Lakewood – 69</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="50295" first="Abby" last="Olin"], Coopersville – 51</li> <li>Charli Atiemo, Mercy – 49</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="50300" first="Anna" last="Smith"], Mendon – 42</li> </ol>