Anthony Wayne made another valiant effort towards a state championship, coming up just shy in the DII final match. However, Gardner came back for her junior year with a much improved approach regarding her skills and confidence that increased her point scoring. One kill shy of leading the Generals, she had a career best 347 kills that included a 3.9 k/s average and a .311 efficiency. The Bowling Green State commit plays for Legacy’s (MI) top 17U squad that recently finished top 10 at the NIT in 17 Elite division .

The Generals opened up postseason action with a solid 3-1 win over a good Northview team. Gardner was huge in the victory as she led her team’s offense with 24 kills on a .447 efficiency and 55% kill rate. She also added 17 digs and three aces. Gardnder’s offensive impact elevation this season has been impressive as she came back to the high school scene with improved offensive tools and assertiveness to match what she was already contributing with her ball control and defense. She has led the DII top-ranked Generals all season, currently at 4.2 k/s, a team that returned multiple key pieces following their state runner-up finish in 2024. They will next face Clay on Wednesday.

Gardner may have been overshadowed a bit by some older teammates during the high school season, but she was perhaps the x-factor for Anthony Wayne and their success that saw them earn a state runner-up finish in DII. She was third on the team offensively at 3.0 k/s, which helped the Generals have good attacking balance with their trio of primary arms. She is an athletic hitter with good attacking I.Q. to make good adjustments when needed. With over 220 digs, she was third on the team defensively to round out her skill set.