Damron looked in good form through the first two days of play. She was aggressive in her approach movement to get to the ball while showing good control of her arm to take it down the line at the end of the block or to challenge the defense to tool or recycle the play. Through two days of action, she has been a top contributor for her Next team as they arrived at the final day with a 2-4 overall record.

Damron was slowed down just a bit following a minor injury, but that didn’t stop her from providing a big effort for her Next 16 Blue team at MEQ. This team finished in the upper half of the 16 USA division as this 6’0 pin kept swinging hard throughout the event while also providing some key moments in the back row with her serve receive and the range she created defensively with her long frame and platform.

Damron gets a lot of opportunities for this team at the left pin. She had a good February as a key point scoring threat, using her 6’0 length and high extended arm swing to score on the angle or down the line at the edges of the defense. If she can get her timing consistent to contact at the peak of her lift and not on the descent, she’ll maximize her 9’10 touch point and her impact will likely increase.

An OCC honorable mention selection, Damron averaged 2.0 k/s on the season this past fall while showing good promise in her game to develop into a high performing offensive threat going forward. She had a few matches with some big production, including an effort of 19 kills and 12 digs early in the season, which helped increase attention to her game with Big Walnut. She jumps well and can play six-rotations, which is a great combination for a primary pin with a couple more varsity seasons ahead.

Damron is a 5’11 pin hitter making a big impact for Big Walnut as she is a primary piece to their offensive effort. The Golden Eagles are 14-3 overall as they have good balance among their core group of attackers. Damron’s ability to swing with a high elbow helps to maximize her contact point when she is on time in the air. She has been hot as of late including back-to-back matches in double digit kills as she earned 13 and 17 in Big Walnut’s recent 3-0 wins over Hayes and Highland. Her length helps her defensively as well as she provides 6.8 digs and 1.7 blocks per match.

It was a hard-fought battle against Worthington Kilbourne on Thursday, 9/4, with Big Walnut securing a 30-28 win in the fourth set. Shelby Damron (Class of 2028) delivered a standout performance, posting personal bests with 19 kills, 4.8 kills per set, 12 digs, and a perfect 100% serving percentage on 12 attempts. A highly coachable athlete with a strong work ethic, Shelby continues to impress as a rising talent.