Mercy High Volleyball Standout Honored by Gatorade

In its 27th year of honoring the nation's best high school athletes, the Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Maddy Doyle of as its 2011-12 Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Player of the Year.

Doyle is the first Mercy player to receive the award, which recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.

Past state volleyball award winners include USA Volleyball players Kim Glass (2001-02, Horseshoe, PA), Kim Willoughby (1998-99, 1999-00, Assumption, LA) and Ogonna Nnamani (1999-00, University, IL). A 5-foot-9 senior outside hitter, Doyle recorded 717 kills, 501 digs, 121 assists, 107 blocks and 55 service aces this past season, while posting a hitting percentage of .387 and leading the Marlins (65-4) to the Class A Regional Final.

A two-time First Team All-State selection, Doyle is the 2011 Michigan Miss Volleyball award winner. She has maintained a 3.51 GPA in the classroom, is a member of her school's French Club and Science Club, and has volunteered locally as a Catholic Youth Organization camp counselor and as a youth volleyball coach.

"Maddy Doyle has the ability to completely take over a game," Mercy High head coach Loretta Vogel said. "Her knowledge of the game is well beyond that of most college athletes. She is a true leader on and off the court."

Doyle has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at George Washington University beginning in the fall of 2012. She joins recent Gatorade Michigan Volleyball Players of the Year Alex Lovell (2010-11, Marian), Rachel Charles (2009-10, Marian) and Megan Hendrickson (2008-09, Jenison) among the state's list of former award winners.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.