Haley Warner
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: VOLLEYBALL
>> WHY SHE WON
Fayetteville senior Haley Warner left her mark on Arkansas’ volleyball scene. Described as one of “the most prolific scorers” in the state’s history by her coach, Jessica Phelan, it isn’t very surprising that Warner is now a two-time All-Arkansas Preps Outstanding Volleyball Player of the Year. Warner, a 6-2 right-side hitter, helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to their third consecutive Class 7A state championship while being named most valuable player of the state tournament. “It means so much to win this award,” Warner said. “It’s more important for me because of me getting to represent my state like I have been doing so long, going all over the nation with clubs, even for
Team USA and Fayetteville. It’s really important for me, and it’s finally paying off.” Warner has been a member of the USA Youth
National Team. As a senior, Warner finished with 669 kills as the right-side hitter. She had 31 kills in the state-championship-game win over Springdale Har-Ber. Her season high was 33 kills in a loss to Bentonville on Sept. 1. “Haley was very highly recruited and highly touted,” Phelan said. “I’m really proud of the fact that she made progress throughout her four years and stayed humble. I know it was special for her to win that third state championship in a row.” Warner started playing volleyball when she was in the fourth grade. She said she started playing basketball as a child because her whole family played basketball. She said she received a volleyball from a relative. “My brothers and I would just play around with it,” she said. “This was when we lived in California. I was really serious about basketball. I wanted to be in the WNBA.” When she moved to Arkansas, Warner said, she wanted to try something different. “I signed up for Boys & Girls Club volleyball, and I wasn’t that bad at it,” Warner said. “I kind of fell in love with it. It’s such an amazing sport. It was really easy for me to learn, and it wasn’t super technical. The older you get, it does get more technical. When you’re younger, it’s more about having fun. To this day, it’s the most fun sport ever.” Warner will continue her playing career at the University of Florida, which finished as the NCAA national runner-up last year. “I was looking for a place where I’d feel at home,” she said. “I’m one of the most homesick people you’ll ever meet. It was really important for me to find somewhere that wasn’t across the country, or if it was, to make it feel like I was at home.” Warner said the coaches and players at Florida are “phenomenal.” “They made me feel at home the minute I got there,” she said.