Liberty North athlete Carlie Cisneros named Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year
LIBERTY, Mo. — In its 38th year of honoring the nation鈥檚 best high school athletes, Gatorade announced Carlie Cisneros of Liberty North High School is the 2022-23 Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year. Cisneros is the third Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Liberty North 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 court, distinguishes Cisneros as Missouri鈥檚 best high school volleyball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award to be announced in January, Cisneros joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners, including Lexi Sun (2016-17, Santa Fe Christian School, Calif.), Jordan Larson (2004-05, Logan View High School, Neb.), Foluke Akinradewo (2004-05, St. Thomas High School, Fla.) and April Ross (1999-00, Newport Harbor High School, Calif.).
The 6-foot-1 junior outside hitter amassed 534 kills and 425 digs this past season, leading the Eagles (31-6) to the Class 5 state semifinals. Cisneros also tallied 63 blocks and 31 service aces, posting a .391 kill percentage and a .305 hitting percentage on the attack. Ranked as the nation鈥檚 No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024 by PrepVolleyball.com, Cisneros is a three-time Class 5 First Team All-State selection. She concluded her junior year with a school record of 1,237 career kills.
A member of the Liberty North High School Kindness Club, Cisneros has volunteered locally as a youth volleyball coach and mentor. 鈥淐arlie Cisneros could turn it on and take over the entire game when it was time,鈥� said Courtney Bland, head coach of St. Dominic High School. 鈥淗er ability to see the court and score points was next level. We could not find an answer to stop her.鈥�
Cisneros has maintained a 3.93 GPA in the classroom. She has made a verbal commitment to play volleyball on scholarship at the University of Arizona beginning in the fall of 2024.
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 Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts, including coaches, scouts, media, and others, as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.
Cisneros joins recent Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Players of the Year Ella Swindle (2021-22, Rock Bridge High School), Addison Beagle (2020-21, Liberty North High School), and Birdie Hendrickson (2019-20 & 2018-19, Logan- Rogersville High School), among the state鈥檚 list of former award winners.
Being a Gatorade Player of the Year means paying it forward for the next generation. Through Gatorade鈥檚 Play it Forward initiative, every Player of the Year receives a grant to give to one of Gatorade鈥檚 social impact partners, supporting Gatorade鈥檚 ambition to fuel the future of sport. To date, Gatorade Player of the Year winners鈥� grants have totaled more than $3.5 million across more than 1,300 organizations.
For nearly 40 years, Gatorade has honored high school athletes at the top of their game as teammates, supporting their communities and achieving academic success. From CEOs and coaches to star athletes and community leaders, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport.
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.