2015 - 2016 GATORADE
NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
KHALIA
LANIER
OH
XAVIER COLLEGE PREP.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA
SENIOR
HEIGHT: 6-FOOT-2
PRESS RELEASE

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HIGHLIGHTED STATS
496
KILLS
.438
KILL %
28
SERVICE ACES
324
DIGS
“Khalia Lanier is a remarkable player with great athletic ability.”
Courtney Johnson
Head Coach

Athletic Excellence


The 6-foot-2 senior outside hitter recorded 496 kills, 324 digs and 28 service aces while posting a Kill % of .438 and leading the Gators (34-8) to the Division I state final this past season. A 2015 Under Armour First Team All-American as named by the Am

Academic Achievement


Lanier has maintained a 4.21 weighted GPA in the classroom.

Exemplary Character


Lanier donated countless hours over nine days in the summer of 2014 working in an orphanage in Komga, South Africa. Her duties in the village near the continent's southeast coast centered around teaching preschool-aged children. She has also volunteered o

THE INTERVIEW


G: What is your team motto?

KL: We always have a bunch of different team mottos, but this year our big one was "turn the dial." A couple years ago the whole team talked to a sports psychologist and she would say the same thing in reference to getting into the right metal state. So this year, we thought that would be perfect for this team because that was a big thing that we needed to focus on. If we were ever having trouble getting a point or even if the focus wasn't right, we would say that to get us mentally checked in again.

G: What one piece of advice do you have for freshman about being a successful high school student athlete?

KL: My one piece of advice to freshman is to remember to have fun and take in everything. High school is going to be a crazy experience - whether it is keeping up with school, or the sport you are playing, or just dealing with the troubles of life. The important thing is to continue to move on. At times it is going to seem like everything is moving too fast, but remember to take a step back, get some perspective, and appreciate everything you have been through and where those experiences have taken you. Now, as a senior, the whole high school experience seems to have moved too fast; so remember, every once in a while, take a moment to respect your own accomplishments.

G: What is your favorite highlight from this year?

KL: I think one of my favorite highlights from this year would be winning the Semi-Final game during the State Playoffs. Even though the crowd was ridiculously rowdy, adding to the "big-game jitters," we managed to pull out a win in 5 intense sets. I can't even begin to explain the feeling of going to the finals with those group of girls. Our season was marked with injuries and emotions that were constant obstacles in the way of a state title. But being able to put everything aside and earn a chance to go to the State Championship was truly amazing.

G: What training habit has the most impact on your performance?

KL: I think getting in the gym a little early and taking the time to prepare for the game or practice has the most impact on my performance. I like to really get warmed up and ease into things in the right, positive state of mind. Something that is really fun that we would do before games is have dance parties; it would allow everyone to have fun and loosen up (both mentally and physically) before we played.

G: What have you learned from your coach that you will never forget?

KL: Though Coach Bryant has taught me many invaluable lessons, I think the one that will stick with me the longest is her unique concept of being a "hot mess express." I know it's not the most conventional, or serious thing to say, but it truly helped this season in being comfortable with not being perfect. After a long day of school, sometimes we would walk into practice and just start venting all of the stresses of the preceding day. After listening to the cathartic feelings of over 15 girls, she would honestly say what she thought of our dispositions - we were a hot mess express. It might not have been what we wanted to hear, but it was candid and what we needed to hear to get over our personal struggles. It put us in the mind set to be a team, and that practice was a place to get away from those individual obstacles.