Lafayette's Shaye Witherspoon Named Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year

Lafayette High junior Shaye Witherspoon earned the 2025-2026 Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year award, celebrating her as the top state athlete in her sport for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.

She is the fourth Gatorade Missouri Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Lafayette, following her older sister, Maya (2024-2025), Stephanie Campbell (2012-2013) and Lily Johnson (2013-2014). This marks four years in a row that a Lancers athlete has earned state Gatorade Player of the Year honors, following girls cross country runners Grace Tyson (2022-2023) and Natalie Barnard (2023-2024), Maya and softball player Abby Carr (both 2024-2025).

Shaye, an outside hitter, led the Lancers to a 40-1 season and a fourth straight Class 5 state championship this past fall. The Lancers ended the season ranked No. 14 nationally, according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/USA Today poll.

She amassed 636 kills and 274 digs, including a 32-kill, 12-dig effort in Lafayette’s 3-1 win over Lee’s Summit North High in the state final. She also recorded 94 service aces, 94 blocks and 32 assists while posting a .502 kill percentage and a .395 hitting percentage. An AVCA First Team All-America selection, she has participated in the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program training series for the past three years.

She has volunteered locally as a youth volleyball coach and has committed to continue her academic and athletic career at the University of Nebraska beginning in the fall of 2027.

“Shaye is the type of athlete who completely changes the dynamic of a match,” Lee's Summit North volleyball coach Aubri Janes said in a Gatorade press release. “Her skill set is exceptional — she can take over a point at any time. But what truly sets her apart is her leadership and composure. She plays with an intensity and confidence that elevates everyone around her.”

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.