The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, announced that Baylor sophomore outside hitter Gabby Gray is the 2014 Tennessee player of the year in volleyball. She is Baylor's first recipient of the award and found out about it when she arrived at school Thursday. Gray was chosen most valuable player of the championship match in October when the Lady Red Raiders won the Divsion II-AA state title in Murfreesboro. Her 24 kills against Father Ryan gave her a team-best 705 for the season. She finished second on her team with 95 aces and third in both digs (434) and blocks (31). "I worked really hard this season and had to overcome a lot," Gray said. "It's nice to get recognized. I had a lot of great teammates help me get this award. I'm really proud of my team, too. It's nice to see Baylor get recognized." Gatorade is in its 30th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes. The state award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field. Gray has a 3.94 grade point average. She also is a talented artist and has volunteered locally on behalf of youth volleyball programs.
Soccer
• Lee University had four women's soccer players and three men's players honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America after the school's two National Christian College Athletic Association Division I championships last week. For the Lady Flames, defender Michelle Spangler (from Notre Dame High School) and midfielder Kinsey Cichowitz were NSCAA/Continental Tire NCCAA All-America first-team selections, while goalkeeper Marbel Egwuenu and defender Meagan Newman were All-America second-team picks. Men's keeper Tom Halsall and defender Garrison Adams were NSCAA/Continental Tire NCCAA All-America first-teamers, and Halsall and defender Gabe Franco were NSCAA Division II All-South Region second-teamers. Cichowitz made the All-South Region team, and Newman made the third team. The Lady Flames allowed only 11 goals in 21 matches and had 15 shutouts; the Lee men had a 1.22 goals-against average.
• Covenant College senior forward Snoopy Davidson was an NSCAA Division III All-South Atlantic Region second-team choice for 2014, and senior teammates Hunter Harrison and Joel Friesen were third-team selections. It was the second all-region year in a row for Harrison. The Scots went 15-5-2.
General
• Dalton State is the men's leader and second overall to Coastal Georgia in the SSAC Commissioner's Cup standings after the fall sports season in the 14-team conference. DSC is tied for third with Blue Mountain (Miss.) behind Coastal Georgia and Mobile (Ala.) in the women's standings after finishing fifth in the league in volleyball and winning the SSAC title in cross country. The Roadrunners men were cross country runners-up.
Climbing
• Two young members of the High Point Climbing School competition team qualified out of the regional meet last week at the High Point center in Chattanooga for the American Bouldering Series divisional meet Jan. 10 in Texas. Both Spencer Chinery Jr. and Ava McBryar are 9 years old and qualified in the Youth D (10-under) age group.