Meet The Fresno Bee’s volleyball Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and All-Stars
Jayden Xiong led a Clovis East High volleyball turnaround.
Her work ethic was a big reason for a change in results, Timberwolves coach Kaycee King said.
“She was so determined,” King said. “She plays with a little bit of a chip on her shoulder. Like, ‘I’ll show you that I am this good.’ I like that kind of attitude and it gives her more drive to push and I’m really going to miss having her on my team. She gets out there and gets after it. She does the work that needs to be done.”
A year after going 2-8 in the ultra-competitive Tri-River Athletic Conference, Clovis East won the TRAC with a 9-1 record and was the top seed in the Central Section Division I playoffs. The Timberwolves were 36-6 overall.
Xiong’s all-around senior season was at the center of that turnaround, and she is The Fresno Bee Player of the Year.
“This season, we all had a common goal. We all came together and really wanted to do the best for each other,” Xiong said. “I think that’s what matters most: team chemistry. There were a lot of leadership roles. Everyone had something to say all the time and no one had pressure. I think being a leader on the team was easy because the girls made me feel like I was good enough to (help lead the team).”
Xiong led the team with 1,054 assists and 94 aces. She also had 330 digs, 57 kills and 15 blocks.
She will play for Fresno State next season. Xiong said it’s “heartwarming that I’m going to be playing in the place that I grew up in. ... It was something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
Clovis East fell short of a section title, bit Xiong won three tournament Most Valuable Player awards and was named TRAC Player of the Year.
“It was truly the best season I could ever have,” she said. “I think what played a big part in that was all the girls are really close and we have a tight bond and chemistry. It made playing the sport more fun because we wanted to win for each other. Making those memories, even though we didn’t end up where we wanted to, it was still a memorable season.”
Coach of the Year: Steve Guglielmana, Fresno Christian
Steve Gugliemana came to Fresno Christian last season and the Eagles went 15-22.
He had a plan, however. He knew what his team was capable of: winning the school’s first section volleyball title.
“This is 15 months in the making,” he said.
Fresno Christian won the section D-IV championship and finished the season 30-14, and Gugliemana is The Bee’s Coach of the Year.
“My job coming in was to help build the program; focus on success,” he said. “It’s been something new for the girls volleyball program at Fresno Christian, as far as the level we want to achieve heading into the future. There was a little bit of a learning curve from myself, not only myself, but the Fresno Christian atmosphere. They turned it around. That’s been remarkable. We were able to go from where we were to Division IV champs in 15 months.”
Gugliemana, who led Madera South to the 2018 section D-II title, said the “plan wasn’t to be here” but God’s calling led him to Fresno Christian.
He shared his secret to success: “Having prepared the girls to focus on a goal to have the right priority; honoring God, honoring each other, win or lose on the scoreboard, they were always winners coming off the court.”
He continued, “I’ve built programs before and put that experience with a great coaching staff who bought into the philosophy. The girls bought into our philosophy. We were fortunate to end up on top.”
Large School Player of the Year: Morgan Wilson, Clovis North
The senior middle hitter finished with 63 blocks in helping the Broncos to a 28-11 record and 8-2 in the TRAC.
Wilson had at least eight games where she posted more than 10 kills.
For the season, she tallied 234 kills and 495 attack attempts.
Medium School Player of the Year: Hannah Baker, Exeter
Baker led the Monarchs with 408 kills and had 36 aces and 328 digs.
The senior outside hitter was named the Tri-County Conference Kings Canyon League Most Valuable Player.
Exeter finished the season 28-9 overall and 8-0 in league.
Small School Player of the Year: McKenna Brady, Fresno Christian
The senior middle blocker totaled 176 kills, 134 blocks and 38 digs.
Brady was named Northwest Sequoia League MVP.
Fabulous 40 All-Stars
Summer Alberta, Jr., OH, Yosemite
Allison Azevedo, Sr., OH, Kings Christian
Natalia Baldenegro, Sr., Laton
Avery Barber, Jr., S, Exeter
Peyton Bitter, Sr., OH, Clovis North
Morgan Castaneda, Sr., OH, Redwood
Jolina Castaneda, Jr., S, Farmersville
Jordyn Chavez, Sr., libero, Monache
Ashlyn Cooper, Sr., MB/S, Riverdale Christian
Kennedy Cutler, Jr., OH, Redwood
Faith DeGroot, Jr., MB, Fresno Christian
Karlee DeGroot, Sr., MH, Central Valley Christian
Savanna FauntLeroy, Sr., S, Buchanan
Maddie Feramisco, Soph., OH, Clovis East
Nailea Fields, Sr., MH/MB, Caruthers
Aidan Goodrich, Sr., OPP/OH, Clovis West
Grace Goudy, Jr., OH, Buchanan
Sarah Guglielmana, Fr., MB/S, Fresno Christian
Natalie Herrera, Sr., MB, Sanger
Audrey Hyde, Jr., S, Redwood
Jordyn Kwalwasser, Sr., OH, Clovis East
Kennedy Lingenfelter, Soph., MH/OH, Clovis North
Kiley Lish, Sr., Dos Palos
Lillian Martinez, Sr., MH, Reedley
Marissa Merrell, Soph., Dos Palos
Kyra Miller, Sr., S, Clovis North
Kinnedy Miller, Jr., OH/MH, Hoover
Aryam Munoz, Sr., OH/libero/DS, Washington Union
Sophia Neely, Jr., libero, Yosemite
Brandy Penberthy, Sr., S/libero, Fresno Christian
Madison Rey, Sr., DS/libero, Clovis West
Marissa Sanchez, Sr., libero, Kerman
Elizabeth Schadle, Sr., S, Lemoore
Makayla Smith, Jr., OH, Hoover
Lilinoe Spencer, Jr., OH, Central Valley Christian
Claire Toliver, Sr., OH, Kingsburg
Sydnie Vanek, Sr., MH/OH, Clovis
Ashlan Vangronigen, Sr., OH/MB, Sierra Pacific
Sarah Wold, Sr., S, Minarets
Allison Wood, Jr., libero/DS, Immanuel
This story was originally published January 28, 2023 at 9:14 AM.
