Cox Mill’s Taylor Rowland named NC volleyball player of the year

Cox Mill’s Taylor Rowland is the 2016 N.C. Gatorade volleyball of the year.

The 6-foot-3 junior outside hitter led the Chargers to a 34-0 record and the N.C. 3A state championship last season. She was named the Charlotte Observer volleyball player of the year. Rowland had 451 kills, 179 digs, 43 service aces and 21 blocks while posting a kill percentage of .605 and a hitting percentage of .495. A MaxPreps Medium School First Team All-American, she was a member of the 2016 USA Volleyball Girls’ Youth National Team, which placed second at the North, Central American and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Girls’ U18 Continental Championship this past September.

Rowland has a 3.18 GPA and is an Auburn recruit. A talented artist, Rowland has volunteered locally as part of multiple fundraising campaigns to benefit cancer research, and she has donated her time both as a youth volleyball coach and as a nursery care provider at her church.

“Taylor brings more to the court than just her hitting power,” said Patti Chason, head coach of Hickory Ridge High. “She is a smart player who knows when to hit her power shots but also when she can drop in an off-speed hit or even a tip.”

As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Rowland will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. There will be 12 spotlight grants – one for each sport – announced throughout the year.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 10:36 AM with the headline "Cox Mill’s Taylor Rowland named NC volleyball player of the year."