Golden Athlete: Zoe Mish Shines Spotlight on Aspire NW Teammates

A major shoutout to <a href="https://prepdig.com/author/michelle-bamford-author/">Michelle Bamford</a> from PrepDig California for the creation and inspiration behind this article series.      Because Michelle Bamford's introductory paragraph perfectly sums up the importance of this series, we are using her words to kick off this series in Oregon…     Acknowledging and cherishing the dedication of those who stand by your side on the court is paramount in the pursuit of victory. To emphasize the importance of acknowledging and showing appreciation to teammates and to spotlight the pivotal role their support plays in the quest for greatness, we've extended an invitation to [player_tooltip player_id='162947' first='Zoe' last='Mish'] to share her insights on the players who make up her club team's starting lineup. Through her words, we aim to shed light on the indispensable contributions of the teammates who have been instrumental in shaping her success on the court.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-02-26-1.21.43-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-527041" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Aspire NW 18 Empire team photo (from L to R, top to bottom row: coach Gene Smith, [player_tooltip player_id='126072' first='Aria' last='Birdsong'], [player_tooltip player_id='126185' first='Olivia' last='Brown'], Abby Kelly, Kamia Tootoosis-Didier, Aristyn Wiseman, [player_tooltip player_id='249298' first='Julissa' last='Pernsteiner'], Olivia Chilton, coach Shy Davis, [player_tooltip player_id='162947' first='Zoe' last='Mish'], Lana Saopraseuth, Emelynn Cecil, Kayla Saopraseuth, Olivia Fauth, Macey Mccoy)</figcaption></figure>    From Zoe: [player_tooltip player_id='126072' first='Aria' last='Birdsong'] is such a strong right side. She never fails to impress me with her signature line shots or her amazing blocks. I love celebrating her amazing plays. Beyond her skills, she brings so much laughter and joy to the team; she's easily one of the funniest people I know. I'm so happy to be on a team with her again. Bentley got a good one!    From Zoe: Eme Cecil is such a talented player. She shines in her serve receive and in her short serves. You can always count on her to take charge in the back row. She is super confident and a great leader in the back. She is such an amazing player to play with and she always makes me want to improve.     From Zoe: [player_tooltip player_id='249298' first='Julissa' last='Pernsteiner'] is such a dominant player wherever she is in the front row. As a middle she is super strategic by getting through the block and placing her shots. She never fails to impress me with her blocks either. She is very dynamic and consistent on the net. She's a true standout in the front row. Her consistency and dynamic play helps our team tremendously.     From Zoe: Kayla Saopraseuth is such a strong defender on our team. She holds down the back row confidently. She is the teammate you can rely on to pick up almost every ball. Playing alongside her is not only enjoyable but also incredibly beneficial; Kayla's competitive spirit pushes me to elevate my own game. It's a privilege to have her as a teammate, contributing significantly to our team's success. She is gonna do amazing things at Wesleyan next year!    From Zoe: Macey Mccoy plays a huge role on our team. Running our offense, she always knows how to move the ball around. Her consistent demeanor of positivity, along with her ability to inspire and motivate her teammates, sets her apart as an invaluable asset. She is such an amazing teammate, let alone person. South Carolina State University will be gaining an absolute gem!    From Zoe: [player_tooltip player_id='126185' first='Olivia' last='Brown'] always gives her everything. Sharing the same position, we always hold each other accountable for things we know we can get better on. She is genuinely one of the sweetest, most kind hearted girls and has the best interest in getting better. Her all around play always impresses me from her serve receive to her kills, she is so consistent. She is truly an amazing player and I'm so blessed to be on the same team as her.    And finally, we are proud to spotlight [player_tooltip player_id='162947' first='Zoe' last='Mish'], a 5'7” senior from Portland, Oregon.     Mish is a super versatile player, able to take on nearly any role on the court and bring success to her team. Although Mish is ranked the #8 DS/L in the class of 2024 and is committed to Hawaii Pacific University for the DS/L position, she successfully set during her final high school season despite being new to that position, and she is currently hitting from the outside for her Aspire NW team.   Mish leads her team with heart and positivity, always putting her all into every match each time she steps on the court. She brings consistency, passion, and energy to the court, anchoring her team from both the back and front row. In the back row, Mish reads the ball and opposing attackers effectively, putting herself in good positions and using her fast reactions to make great plays. When she's hitting from the outside, Mish's athleticism shines through as she combines strong court vision with craftiness and quickness, finding the open holes on the court and hitting the ball around and through the block in front of her with ease.      This past high school season, Mish set and ran her Ida B. Wells team's offense effectively. She also led her team in all categories, notching an impressive 219 digs, 45 aces, 388 assists, and 123 kills over the course of the season. Additionally, Mish earned recognition as a first-team all-league player and was named as one of Oregon's premier setters by The Oregonian.     Currently, on her Aspire NW 18 Elite team, Mish has been an integral piece of her team's lineup as a starting outside hitter. Mish played a major role in leading her team to a National bid during the Southeast Qualifier, making Aspire NW 18 Elite the first team from the CEVA region to get a bid to nationals this season. In CEVA's Open division, Mish's team is currently, and impressively, seeded #4 out of 32 teams.      In the classroom, Mish has managed to keep a high GPA of 4.02 and has made it onto the honor roll every year. She was also nominated to be part of the National Honor Society for High School Students.      And, when she's not on the court herself, Mish dedicates a significant amount of her time to Oregon boys' volleyball initiatives. As one of four speakers – and the only female representative – at last year's voting session to vote on emerging the sport, Mish actively contributed to shaping the sport's landscape. For the past two years, Mish has coached boys' volleyball at Ida B. Wells High School, and she is committed to continuing that role. She also volunteers regularly at events aimed at raising awareness for the sport. Collaborating closely with her mother, Mish has established a nonprofit organization to support her school's volleyball program, including the boys' team, by raising funds and expanding opportunities. Outside of volleyball, Mish loves lifting, distance running, and enjoying hikes with friends out in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.      Last summer, Mish committed to Hawaii Pacific University for both indoor and sand. We look forward to seeing how Mish's volleyball career continues to grow.     With these aforementioned skillsets and qualities, [player_tooltip player_id='162947' first='Zoe' last='Mish'] proudly earns her spot as one of PrepDig's esteemed Golden Athletes.

A major shoutout to Michelle Bamford from PrepDig California for the creation and inspiration behind this article series.