Chester's Michele VanDyke today was named as Gatorade's State High School Volleyball Player of the Year for Montana.
"Michele is an exceptionally good player," Chester head coach Don Van Dessel said. "She is a talented player who is very coachable."
VanDyke is a member of the Letterman club, participates in various community service activities through the LYO, and carries a 3.18 grade point average. VanDyke also is a four-year all-state basketball player and a three-year state high jump champion in track and field. She will attend the University of Montana in the fall on a basketball scholarship.
Gatorade has been honoring the nation's top high school athletes for more than 16 seasons. In partnership with Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director magazine, athletes representing each state and the District of Columbia are selected as the latest inductees into the Gatorade Circle of Champions. All of the athletes now become finalists for the prestigious Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year award.
The winners, selected by a panel of sport-specific experts as well as a national media advisory board, were chosen based on their outstanding accomplishments on and off the court. In addition to athletic performance, the award's criteria include the athlete's achievements in the classroom and contributions to the community.
The Gatorade High School Player of the Year award honors outstanding high school student-athletes in 10 sports football, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, track and field, and boys and girls basketball.
Former Montana Volleyball Players of the Year include Jordan Schmidt, Mary Lester and Kamber Kelly.
For more information on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information and a list of past winners, visit www.gatorade.com.
Notes: VanDyke and the Chester Coyotes volleyball team travel to Fort Benton tonight and will face Big Sandy at home Friday. Game time in Fort Benton is 7:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. against Big Sandy.
