Top 5 Vote Getters For D1 Player Of The Year
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Last week we ran our 2023 Preseason Polls for Player of the Year. Division 1 led us off and nearly 122,000 votes were cast in our week-long poll. There were a lot of options to consider, but five rose to…
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Continue ReadingLast week we ran our 2023 Preseason Polls for Player of the Year.
Division 1 led us off and nearly 122,000 votes were cast in our week-long poll.
There were a lot of options to consider, but five rose to the top thanks to some loyal voters and fanbases.
Here’s the five that led the way during this year’s preseason poll.
1. Cameron Herman Cameron Herman 5'11" | OH Hartland | 2024 State MI , Hartland OH (38.41%)
For the second consecutive year, Herman has won our preseason D1 Player of the Year poll. Herman amassed over 46,000 votes in a close battle between the top two vote getters throughout the week. The Hartland senior has been adding levels of intensity to her game throughout the club season and looks ready to push Hartland toward a title run in the top-heavy KLAA. Long, athletic and explosive, Herman has the tools to be one of the top outsides in the state. If she can lead the Eagles to postseason success, a Player of the Year nod is certainly within reach.
2. Gabriella Babinski Gabriella Babinski 6'1" | RS South Lyon East | 2025 State MI , South Lyon East OH (30.90%)
Babinski came in with nearly 38,000 votes over the week to finish in second in the poll. The 6’1” junior for South Lyon East can play either pin and also has setting ability, making her a very dynamic option in the Cougar lineup. Coming off contending for a national title during the club season, that experience should bode well for her to lead a promising South Lyon East team in 2023 that we see as a dark horse to contend for the state title. Babinski attacks at a sharp angle with a lot of velocity, improving on her finishing rate week by week.
3. Gianna Bender Gianna Bender 5'6" | DS/L Hudsonville | 2024 State MI , Hudsonville DS/L (9.94%)
One of the state’s leading returning liberos, Bender approached 700 digs as a junior for Hudsonville while keeping the Eagles right in the mix as a top D1 contender in 2022. This year, her defense should be even better, while her leadership skills have always been strong. The San Diego State commit is well on her way to over 1,500 career digs. Her consistency in the back row will keep Hudsonville as one of the teams to watch for the D1 title this season.
4. Caroline Baker Caroline Baker 5'9" | S Byron Center | 2024 State MI , Byron Center S (6.08%)
Baker placed in fourth for the second consecutive year in the D1 preseason poll. The senior setter for Byron Center has improved in all areas of her game to help the Bulldogs get back into the D1 mix for 2023. Baker can make all the sets and has very consistent accuracy with her placement. She’s proven to be able to connect well with her middles and mix up the offensive speeds to keep defenses on their heels. Baker has also put a lot of effort into improving her defensive instincts and her serving ability.
5. Piper Risdon Piper Risdon 5'11" | MB Lowell | 2024 State MI , Lowell MH (3.02%)
Risdon rounds out our top five. She is coming off a breakout season with the Red Arrows in 2022 where she hit an impressive .331. This fall she comes into the lineup as the primary middle, which means more opportunities to strike. A 6-foot multi-sport star that has knocked down nine 3-pointers in a single basketball game, Risdon has the footwork and hand/eye coordination to be special. She will be pushing hard to get Lowell back into the D1 title picture this fall.