Walton’s Gonzales wins second Gatorade volleyball player-of-year award

Gabby Gonzales of Walton is the Gatorade state volleyball player of the year for the second time. She has signed with Ohio State.

Gabby Gonzales of Walton is the Gatorade state volleyball player of the year for the second time. She has signed with Ohio State.

Gabby Gonzales of Walton is the 2018-19 Gatorade Georgia volleyball player of the year for the second straight season, The Gatorade Company announced on Tuesday.

Gonzales, a 6-foot-4 senior outside hitter, led the Raiders to a 41-3 record and the Class AAAAAAA championship this past season. Gonzales recorded 539 kills, 237 digs, 34 service aces and 27 blocks.

Gonzales is an Under Armour first-team All-American and an All-American by PrepVolleyball.com, FloVolleyball and MaxPreps.

Two-time winner Gonzales joins Gatorade Georgia volleyball players of the year Gabby Curry (2016-17 and 2015-16, Buford), Paige McKnight (2014-15, Dunwoody) and Haley Templeton (2013-14, Chattahoochee) among the state’s list of former award winners.

The Gatorade award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence and also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field. Gonzales has maintained a 3.94 GPA in the classroom. She has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at Ohio State.

As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Gonzales has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of her choosing.