Marian’s Ava Brizard takes home 2021 Miss Volleyball

<p>The Miss Volleyball Award hasn’t had to travel far in recent years.</p> <p>On Monday, Marian’s [player_tooltip player_id="24846" first="Ava" last="Brizard"] was named the 2021 winner, becoming the third straight to come from the Catholic League – most notably from the Marian/Mercy rivalry.</p> <p>She also is the fifth consecutive winner to come from Oakland County.</p> <p>“It’s very, very competitive. There are top players just a stone’s throw away with Serena (Nyambio) at Country Day, Aly Borellis and [player_tooltip player_id="24842" first="Josie" last="Bloom"] at Notre Dame Prep, all within a short drive of here,” Marian coach Mayssa Cook said of the area’s talent level. “It’s nice though, because it gives coaches like myself an opportunity to know them as people. You see them often enough that, at the end of the day, you realize they are just like the kids on your team. They are all special and it does say a lot about this area. Yes, it is a more condensed and populated area, but volleyball is a big priority here.”</p> <p>Brizard was presented with the award on Monday at Marian in front of the entire school, her teammates, coaches and family.</p> <p>“Since sixth grade this has been a dream of hers. I’m very happy for her,” Brizard’s father, Brian, said. “It’s hard to imagine, but she’s a better person than she is a volleyball player. I look at this award as something that recognizes a person, not just a player. It recognizes her efforts scholastically, as a teammate and as a player. It always warms my heart to have other parents tell me how (Ava) is the best teammate their kids have had.”</p> <p>Brizard follows in the footsteps of Mercy’s Julia Bishop (2020) and Jess Mruzik (2019) as a threepeat of Catholic League winners.</p> <p><img class="size-medium wp-image-156739 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/09/NDP-Volleyball-Quad-66-283x300.jpg" alt="" width="283" height="300" />The N.C. State commit is tallied with 2,073 kills, 1,704 digs, 160 aces and 144 blocks over her Marian career, stepping into the starting lineup right as a freshman.</p> <p>Brizard has earned All-State honors in each of her previous three seasons and led the Mustangs to the 2020 Division 1 state championship. She also has the Mustangs ranked No. 1 in Division 1 heading into the quarterfinals on Tuesday.</p> <p>“It’s one of those things that coaches can’t teach,” Cook said of Brizard’s drive. “You either have it, or you don’t. She’s probably one of the most intense, focused and driven people that is always striving to be better. She’s got another level of motivation and intensity that keeps everyone around her focused as well.”</p> <p>This season, Brizard is hitting a career-best .440 on her attacks while racking up 537 kills for the Mustangs. They will take on Davison in Tuesday’s quarterfinal at Royal Oak High School.</p> <p>“My main focus is my team and performing the best I can so we can get another picture up on that wall (for a state championship),” Brizard said.</p> <h4><strong>2021 Miss Volleyball Voting Results</strong></h4> <ol> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24846" first="Ava" last="Brizard"], Marian 260</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24870" first="Serena" last="Nyambio"], Country Day 141</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24844" first="Alyssa" last="Borellis"], Notre Dame Prep 121</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24871" first="Maradith" last="O’Gorman"], Lakewood 116</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24853" first="Evelyn" last="Doezema"], Grand Rapids Christian 90</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24845" first="Renee" last="Brines"], Cadillac 87</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24881" first="Sydney" last="Tomlak"], Stoney Creek 85</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24877" first="Sarah" last="Sylvester"], Marian 83</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24842" first="Josie" last="Bloom"], Notre Dame Prep 55</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24851" first="Brooklyn" last="Conner"], Forest Hills Central 54</li> <li>[player_tooltip player_id="24859" first="Taylor" last="Humphrey"], Byron Center 49</li> </ol>