Meredith Norris, right, of Corunna was named Michigan’s Miss Volleyball Monday.
CORUNNA – Meredith Norris became fully conscious of the Miss Volleyball award as a sophomore in high school.
Since then, the 6-foot-2 Corunna High School hitter has worked toward the goal of being the state’s most heralded player — breaking state records and pushing her team to heights it had never reached previously.
The senior was rewarded for her stellar season, and career, with the highest honor.
Norris was awarded Michigan’s Miss Volleyball award during a surprise assembly at Corunna High School on Monday, becoming the school’s first athlete to be given the honor.
With 160 points, she beat out Novi’s Alyssa Cummings by one point, which is the smallest margin of victory in the history of the award. DeWitt’s Lexi Nordmann finished third in the race with 127 points.
“By sophomore and junior year, I knew I really wanted it,” said Norris, the State Journal’s reigning volleyball player of the year. “It’s not the best thing in the world, but it’s really special. It’s really special for Corunna and my team.
“Everyone who’s won this are tremendous athletes. … I think it’s really special that I won it and I’m from Corunna. Not a lot of people know about Corunna, and I think it puts us on the map.”
Corunna senior looking to put cap on career with Miss Volleyball honor
According to the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s record book, Norris currently holds the state record for most kills (56) in a five-game match, a feat she reached last season as a junior. She held the previous record after posting 53 kills against Goodrich as a sophomore. She’s currently second all-time in career kills with 3,093.
Last week, Norris signed her National Letter of Intent to play at Michigan State University next season.
“She’s been playing for a very long time and has really worked on her game and her craft,” MSU volleyball coach Cathy George said. “We’re proud to have her be at Michigan State. We love that she’s a local kid, because I think it’s awesome that everyone has been following her for years and years.
“She’s a part of a really strong class that’s coming in here. We’re looking for her to be a valuable player in the future. I think her experience is going to help us to continue to move our program in the direction that it’s going.”
Norris still has unfinished business with the Cavaliers before she departs for East Lansing. Last week, the senior helped Corunna capture its first Class B regional title in school history, a day after she tore the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in her right knee.
Norris still led the Cavaliers in kills in their three-set victory over Saginaw Swan Valley. And she plans on playing each of Corunna’s final games as the program tries to win its first-ever state championship.
“It’s been a very crazy couple of weeks, very emotional.” Cavaliers coach Kari Carnell said. “(Meredith) has been absolutely amazing. She’s a phenomenal player, and she’s probably the most well-developed high school player that I’ve ever seen.
“She helps us so much as a team, and she’s a great teammate. She really buys into the idea of a team.”
State volleyball schedule
CLASS B (at Milan)
Tue.: Lakewood vs. Adrian, 7 p.m.
CLASS B (at Grayling)
Tue.: Corunna vs. Cadillac, 7 p.m.
CLASS C (at Portage Central)
Tue.: Laingsburg vs. Bronson, 7 p.m.
CLASS D (at Lake Fenton)
Tue.: Portland St. Patrick vs. Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, 7 p.m.
Contact James L. Edwards III at jledwards@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @JLEdwardsIII.