Gatorade named Marian High School senior, and Novi resident, Ava Brizard ’22 as the 2021-22 Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year. Ava is the third Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Marian High School, and Michigan’s third two-time winner in volleyball among the state’s list of former award recipients.
The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement, and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.
“It’s an honor to receive such a prestigious award one time, but to receive it a second time is truly unbelievable,” said Brizard. “I am grateful to be recognized for my hard work on the volleyball court, in the classroom, and in my community. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my family, friends, and especially the Marian volleyball program, and I am thankful for all of their love and support.”
The 6-foot-1 outside hitter led the Mustangs to a 53-1 record and back-to-back Division 1 state championships this past season. Brizard compiled 602 kills, 408 digs, 41 blocks, along with 53 service aces, 41 blocks, and 24 assists, posting a .518 kill percentage and a .436 hitting percentage. She recorded 26 kills and 16 digs in Marian’s 3-1 victory over Ann Arbor Skyline High in the state final. The state’s Miss Volleyball winner and a 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association First Team All-American selection, she concluded her prep volleyball career with 2,138 kills and 1,748 digs.
Brizard volunteered with the Detroit non-profit organization, Summer in the City as a youth volleyball coach. She has maintained a weighted 4.16 GPA in the classroom and has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at North Carolina State University (Raleigh) this fall and pursue a degree in business and finance.
“In my 20 years of coaching, I have never seen a player with this level of skill and this kind of character to the game of volleyball,” said Mayssa Cook, head coach of Marian High School. “We repeated as state champions and Ava certainly brought her ‘A’ game.”
She joins Marian alumnae Alex Lovell (2010-11), a member of the class of ’11, and Rachel Charles (2009-10) a member of the class of ‘10, to be named Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year. As a two-time award recipient (2020-21, 2021-22), Brizard joins Jess Mruzik (2019-20, 2018-19, Mercy High School) and Erin O’Leary (2017-18, 2016-17; Novi High School) as the state’s only multi-year award winners in volleyball.