POWELL NAMED GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHICAGO--The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Ella May Powell of Fayetteville High School as its 2015-16 Gatorade Arkansas Volleyball Player of the Year. Powell is the third Gatorade Arkansas Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Fayetteville High School. The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Powell as Arkansas's best high school volleyball player. Powell joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including USA Volleyball players Kim Glass (2001-02, Horseshoe HS, Penn.), Kim Willoughby (1998-99, 1999-00, Assumption HS, La.) and Ogonna Nnamani (1999-00, University HS, Ill). The 6-foot sophomore setter led the Bulldogs to a 34-3-1 record and the Class 7A state title this past season. The Class 7A state tournament MVP, Powell set a school record with 1,167 assists in 2015 and added 226 digs and 151 kills. A First Team All-State and First Team All-Conference selection, she was named MVP for the Ozark Grand Slam tournament in October. Powell has maintained a 3.58 GPA in the classroom. A member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and her school's fashion club, she has volunteered locally at a nursing home and participated in a service-mission trip to Memphis on behalf of her church youth group. "Ella May Powell is one of the most competitive athletes I have ever coached," said Fayetteville head coach Jessica Phelan. "Her sheer desire to win is unmatched and makes her the perfect floor leader for our squad. She is an extremely talented setter who works tirelessly at her craft. She is a true champion." The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport. Powell joins recent Gatorade Arkansas Volleyball Players of the Year Haley Warner (2014-15, Fayetteville High School), Drew Jones (2013-14, SoutHigh Schoolide High School), Aubrey Edie (2012-13, Fayetteville High School), Shayne Wiedemann (2011-12, Bentonville High School), Lizzy Briones (2010-11, Siloam Springs High School), Hannah Allison (2009-10 & 2008-09, Siloam Springs High School) and Cayla Fielder (2007-08, Westside High School) among the state's list of former award winners.

POWELL NAMED GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Photo Credit: Fayetteville Athletics

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