Sierra Canyon’s Olivia Babcock earns top honor on Daily News 2022 All-Area girls volleyball team

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DAILY NEWS 2022 ALL-AREA GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Olivia Babcock, Sierra Canyon, Sr., Outside hitter

Olivia Babcock had to beg her dad to play club volleyball. At that point in time, she was a sophomore playing volleyball for Sierra Canyon, but was also heavily involved in club soccer.

“I was like, dad, everyone is saying I have a future in this,” she said to her father, Dave. “If we really want to see how far this goes, we have to do club.”

She was growing tired of soccer — and the running involved — but knew her dad wouldn’t let her quit the sport unless she had something else to transition to. Joining club volleyball was her out, and she was good at volleyball, too.

Babcock had played volleyball since the fourth grade, but starting club volleyball as a high school sophomore is considered late for athletes who want to reach the next level in the sport. Nevertheless, at the encouragement of her individual coach Randy Sapoznik, she went for it.

Playing club raised her abilities in prep volleyball and her background as a goalkeeper in soccer had already given her quick reflexes and a high fitness level.

It has all culminated with her receiving a scholarship to play volleyball at the University of Pittsburgh, where she is part of the highest-ranked incoming class in program history.

She has also been named the Daily News player of the year.

“She has the ability to play high over the net, is a shutdown blocker, and the bigger the stage the better she plays,” Pitt coach Dan Fisher said in a November press release announcing the school’s signees.

“What’s even more exciting about her is that she hasn’t played volleyball that long,” he said. “In our gym, we expect her to flourish and continue to realize her limitless potential.”

At Sierra Canyon this season, Babcock, an outside hitter, averaged 4.6 kills per set for a season total of 539 kills. She added 65 aces and 114 blocks. She also helped the Trailblazers win the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and she was named the Division 1 player of the year.

This was the first season Sierra Canyon competed in the Mission League, one of the toughest leagues in California. Babcock said the competition within the league helped prepare her for college volleyball, and it gave her opportunities to work on her leadership abilities.

Sierra Canyon completes the sweep over Mira Costa (28-26, 25-23, 25-23) for the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title. It’s the program’s first CIF crown since 2017 (D3), and first-ever D1 championship. Olivia Babcock was the best player on the floor. pic.twitter.com/r99t8jdTLU

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 6, 2022

“As selfish as this is, I love the spotlight,” Babcock said. “But I wanted to make sure that the entire team was being recognized for their strengths individually and that no one person was really being acknowledged more than anyone else.”

Babcock plans to major in criminal justice with a minor in psychology at Pitt, but playing professional volleyball is her first priority. If her pattern in volleyball continues, it’ll be the next step in a volleyball career that has come naturally to her.

“I started really liking volleyball when people were like, ‘you can have a future in this,’” she said. “I was like, wow maybe I can.”

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

London Wijay, Alemany, Jr., Outside hitter 

Alemany had a lot of quality players on this year’s team, but Wijay’s eye-catching vertical jump and powerful arm swing made her a critical part of the offense.

The CIF-SS Division 3 Player of the Year was involved in almost every play in some capacity, which was reflected in her stats. This season, she accumulated 572 kills, 417 digs, 35 blocks and 72 aces. It’s Wijay’s second straight season earning Offensive Player of the Year honors.

London Wijay aces a serve to make Alemany CIF-SS champions for the second year in a row. The Warriors win the fourth set, 25-13. pic.twitter.com/4fMwxpp1Bb

— Haley Sawyer (@haleymsawyer) November 6, 2022

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Gabriela Cascione, Saugus, So., Libero

Saugus swept every opponent on its way to winning the CIF-SS Division 4 title, and Cascione was a major part of that defense. The sophomore had 416 digs and was valuable at the service line with 78 aces. She was chosen to the CIF-SS Division 4 first team.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Otis Glasgow, Buckley

Buckley is no stranger to winning Liberty League titles, but first-year coach Otis Glasgow helmed the Griffins during a historic playoff run. They won their first CIF-SS title since 2017 with a sweep of Marina and went on to sweep Helix for the CIF State Southern Regional Division III championship.

It put Buckley in position to win its first state title, but it fell short against Archie Williams High School of San Anselmo. The Griffins will return the bulk of this season’s roster as only three seniors are graduating.

ALL-AREA TEAM

(Figures are approximate based on available stats)

Keira Brady, Chaminade, Jr., outside hitter

400 kills, 168 digs, 34 aces; Division 3 All-CIF selection; Angelus League first team

Danit Cohen, Chaminade, Sr., setter

800 assists, 202 digs, 25 aces; Division 3 All-CIF selection; Angelus League MVP

Tate Drageset, Buckley, So.; outside hitter

CIF-SS Division 5 Player of the Year

Kyla Firestone, Alemany, Sr., setter

992 assists, 176 digs, 66 aces; Division 3 All-CIF selection; Mission League second team

Grace Hazelton, El Camino Real, Sr., outside hitter

City Section Open Division first team selection

Sade Ilawole, Sierra Canyon, Jr., setter

1,197 assists, 10.1 assists per set; Mission League first team

Mason Kelley, Granada Hills, Sr., setter

739 assists, 109 digs, 59 aces; City Section Open Division Player of the Year

Milani Lee, Saugus, Sr., setter

796 assists, 9.1 assists per set, 65 aces; CIF-SS Division 4 Player of the Year; Foothill League Player of the Year

Manaia Ogbechie, Oaks Christian, So., middle blocker

221 kills, .374 hitting percentage, 116 blocks; Division 3 All-CIF selection; Marmonte League first team

Danica Rach, Sierra Canyon, Jr., outside hitter

323 kills, 269 digs, 40 aces; Division 1 All-CIF selection; Mission League first team

Havyn Rolle, Alemany, Jr., middle blocker

325 kills, 75 blocks, Division 3 All-CIF selection; Mission League first team

Grace Thrower, Harvard-Westlake, Sr., outside/middle

304 kills, .265 hitting percentage, 187 digs; 75 aces; Mission League first team

Nicole Zake, Oaks Christian, Sr., outside hitter

364 kills, .267 hitting percentage; Division 3 All-CIF selection; Marmonte League Player of the Year