Three local athletes garner All-State volleyball honors

Three San Juan County student athletes earn volleyball All-State honors
Three high school student athletes representing San Juan County were named to All-State volleyball teams for the 2022 fall sports season that recently came to a close.
The Deseret News released its list of honorees on November 30 based exclusively on coaches’ votes from a list of nominated players from each team.
The Record is proud to present each of the local honorees along with photos and comments from their coaches.

2A SECOND TEAM
Kinley Noyes ~ San Juan Senior Outside Hitter
151 Kills, .083 Hitting Percentage, 110 Digs
107 Serve Receptions (Statistics are partial season)

Head Coach Misty Perkins: “Kinley is the daughter of Nephi and Heidi Noyes. Kinley not only enjoys playing volleyball, but also enjoys riding horses. When she wasn’t on the court you could find her competing in rodeos. I am very grateful to have been able to coach Kinley. She definitely deserves this recognition. Kinley was a great asset to the team and was our strongest offensive player. She was one that developed trust in her coaches and became very coachable. She never gave up and worked hard till the end. She definitely found herself throughout the season and became more confident and mentally stronger, which helped her become very successful on the court.
“She had a relentless attitude that helped hold the team together at times. Kinley learned how to put more pressure on the ball and place it. Once she figured that out, she realized she could do so much more and eagerly performed at the next level. Kinley has a big heart and always wanted to win. Her desire and determination helped get her and her team to the state tournament. Our coaching staff is very proud of her and the accomplishments she achieved. I will definitely miss her and I am very grateful for the friendship we developed. I wish her the best of luck in all her endeavors!”
Assistant Coach Swayzi Jack: “Kinley definitely matured over the season as far as being a good player and listening to what we taught her. She has a very hard-headed attitude that she’s not giving up and that’s what I liked about her.”
Assistant Coach Caitlyn Shumway: “Kinley grew throughout the season with her shots and matured as an all-around player. After dealing with her shoulder injury and transitioning to having mostly front-row court time she adjusted well and kept a great attitude. When she was in the back row she was smart and read the ball really well in order to make impossible defensive plays. She was an emotional leader and when she was on she brought a whole new level of excitement for her team to feed on.”
In addition to the All-State honor for Kinley Noyes, Coach Perkins also wanted to point out that the San Juan girls team took third in Region 19 and Noyes and Averie Gilson were named to the All-Region Team, which is an outstanding accomplishment.

1A THIRD TEAM
Ali Barry ~ Monticello Senior Middle Blocker
179 Kills, .110 Hitting Percentage, 51 Blocks, 83 Digs
148 Serve Receptions (Statistics are partial season)

Assistant Coach Erin Barry: “Ali is a kind young woman and an energetic volleyball player. She brings lots of positive energy and smiles to the court. She is a hard-working athlete who spends many extra hours outside of practice and matches working on her skills. She is exceptionally coachable and determined to always be improving. Her quick feet and hops made Ali an essential blocker on our defense. She has great court sense and knows where every player should be on the court at all times. Her powerful hitting is a force to be reckoned with; when she’s on, she’s on. She loves this game, and it shows in her playing, her attitude, and her work ethic. She’s the kind of athlete who coaches love to coach. It has been an absolute pleasure to be one of Ali’s coaches throughout her volleyball career.”

1A HONORABLE MENTION
Shimequa Hudson
Monument Valley Junior Outside Hitter

Head Coach Misty Cly: “Shimequa Hudson is an all-around skilled volleyball player who can play every position on the volleyball court. Shimequa is respectful to her coaches and her teammates. She kept team spirits up even during our away games and on the bus. I would regularly hear laughing on the way home from games.
“What really surprised me was during our last practice. I wanted the girls to do a group run together and yell, ‘Let’s go Cougars,’ or whatever they were feeling they needed to let out. I asked the girls who wanted to lead the team and Shimequa stepped up to lift up the girls’ spirits.
“It was encouraging to hear the girls run together as a team to not leave each others’ side. This type of team building I learned from my military training to support each other with positive encouraging words as well as leaving no one behind.
“Shimequa’s character is one of a kind and she’s also very coachable. She never causes conflict and she has the utmost respect for everyone. As a new coach for the Monument Valley Cougars it is hard to find players who are willing to learn different types of practice drills.
“I am thankful for the opportunity to coach Shimequa Hudson because she greatly helped me improve teamwork and camaraderie.