2023 D1 Player And Coach Of the Year

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Getting to be the best in a division is no small task.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When you look at Division 1, the field is full of future Division 1 college stars.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To be the best, you really need to find a way to make an impact. Not only as a player, but as a coach as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With the 2023 prep season now behind us, here's who Prep Dig Michigan selected as its Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in Division 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>D1 Player Of The Year – [player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'], Mercy</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":480134,"width":"276px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/D1-Semi-2-6.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-480134" style="width:276px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year saw Michigan prep volleyball institute “load management.”</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A popular way to give NBA stars rest, Mercy coach Loretta Vogel knew her star setter [player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'] needed some breaks throughout the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Flynn opened the MHSAA season competing for Team USA's Girls U19 National Team where she held the United States win gold at the FIVB U19 World Championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Upon her return to school, Vogel decided to let Flynn get some rest before returning to the court. She then also gave Flynn some time to rest in the later stages of the season in order to heal up for the playoff push.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It proved to be the right call.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While it may have impacted Flynn's overall stats on the year, it was clear that when she was on the floor, Mercy was a completely different team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Marlins were unranked coming into the postseason due to the struggles they had without Flynn on the floor. They then went on to beat the likes of Marian, Clarkston and Forest Hills Northern in the final week to secure their second D1 state title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Flynn was definitely the catalyst, as her setting and instincts put the Mercy offense on another level, while her presence and length at the net drove opposing offenses' wild. Teams had no answer for her once she got rolling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mention: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156287' first='Isabelle' last='Busignani'], Marian; [player_tooltip player_id='110295' first='Elana' last='Erickson'], Forest Hills Northern; [player_tooltip player_id='288945' first='Victoria' last='Gray'], Bedford; [player_tooltip player_id='172198' first='Isabelle' last='Swiercz'], Hudsonville</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>D1 Coach Of The Year – Valerie Lurye, FH Northern</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":480103,"width":"267px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/11/D1-Semifinal-1-14.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-480103" style="width:267px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Val Lurye</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lurye couldn't have expected to be in this position when the season started.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Veteran coach Dale Wilhelm was fired midway through the year, putting Lurye in position to lead the Huskies for the late stages.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It would have been easy for Forest Hills Northern to fall apart, but instead the Huskies thrived through the adversity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the second half of the season, there wasn't anyone playing better than Northern and their postseason march included wins over Lowell, Hudsonville, Byron Center, Grand Haven and Northville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>FHN had a two-set lead on Mercy in the final before coming up just short. Though it was a painful loss, it doesn't overshadow the incredible play they displayed when many may have counted them out. Lurye deserves credit for that and was rightfully named our D1 Coach of the Year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mention: </strong>Sarah Lindstrom, Northville; Missy Ritz-Johnson, Byron Center; Ali Smith, Clarkston; Loretta Vogel, Mercy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->