University of Tennessee Athletics
Tiffany Baker Named Gatorade Texas Player of the Year
December 14, 2010 | Volleyball
Dec. 14, 2010
By Cameron Harris, Assistant Media Relations Director
CHICAGO - In its third decade of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, today announced University of Tennessee signee Tiffany Baker as its 2010-11 Gatorade Texas Volleyball Player of the Year. Baker is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award to be announced later this month.
The highest ranked recruit in Lady Vol volleyball history, Baker was rated as the nation's fourth-best prospect by PrepVolleyball.com. Also an Under Amour First Team High School All-American, she will participate in the Under Armour All-America Volleyball Match and Skills Competition to be held at Municipal Auditorium on December 18 in Kansas City, Mo., in conjunction with the 2010 AVCA Annual Convention.
The 6-foot-3 senior middle blocker and outside hitter led Hebron High School to a 44-7 record and the Class 5A state title this past season, recording 661 kills, 296 digs and 276 blocks. A First Team All-State selection, she was also MVP of the Class 5A state tournament and earned Dallas Morning News Player of the Year honors.
As a member of the Dallas Premier 17-Mizuno club team, Baker finished third in the gold division and claimed all-tournament honors at the 2010 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships in Reno, Nev. She was also tabbed to the 2010-11 All-Texas Team by LoneStarVolleyball.com.
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 Baker as Texas' best high school volleyball player.
Baker has maintained a 3.63 GPA in the classroom. A member of the National Honor Society, she has volunteered locally as part of a fundraising campaign to support cancer patients.
"Baker is such a huge threat in the middle blocker position with her lateral quickness, huge block and quick arm swing," said Kelly Quinn, head coach of rival McKinney Boyd High. "She's also a great passer, and for being so tall, she is incredibly agile and plays great defense in the back row."
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 ESPN RISE and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.
