Girls volleyball: Wysocki’s experience, talent leads Stevenson to NSC, regional championships
Stevenson senior outside/right side hitter Ava Wysocki was headed down the soccer path until she hit a fork in the road four years ago.
“I was burnt out with soccer,” she said. “It felt like more of a chore and not something I wanted to do.”
Enter a right turn to volleyball.
“My mom always pushed me to volleyball because I was super tall,” the 6-foot Wysocki said. “I always said I didn’t want to do it. I did a camp and then did another camp and started playing club. I love the team aspect of it because you are super reliant on your teammates. I love the competitiveness of it and the winning. I’ve stuck with it ever since. The experiences this sport has given me, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
In a short four years, Wysocki has gone from 0-100 miles-per hour in the sport — this fall helping lead Stevenson to a share of the North Suburban Conference title, a Class 4A regional title and a 22-win season. Her efforts have led to her being named the Captain of the 2024 Daily Herald Lake County All-Area girls volleyball team.
“Ava was 100% a tremendous game changer for the team,” Stevenson sophomore outside Abby Inman said. “This year, we only had two returning varsity players. The rest of us have never played on a varsity-level team before. Having Ava there and showcasing her amazing skills definitely helped encourage the rest of the team to work harder. Not only was she a game changer in helping the team improve, she was substantial in helping us win games. Whenever we were down point-wise, Ava never failed to score the next couple points, helping us come back greatly.”
The University of Illinois-bound Wysocki, who touches in the 10-2, 10-3 range, racked up 357 kills, 97 digs and 71 blocks on her way to being named the NSC player of the year. Wysocki also was recently named to the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association (IVA) Class 4A all-state second team, the only player in the Daily Herald Lake County coverage area to appear on either the first or second teams in 4A.
“Ava is very skillful on the court and always finds the holes on the other side to score more points,” Inman noted. “She has a very fast arm swing and a high vertical so her hits go down and are difficult for the other team to return.”
Wysocki, a three-year starter for the Patriots who leaves the program with 667 career kills and 233 blocks, was set a workmanlike 704 times this season and hit a highly notable .359 as a pin hitter.
“Ava Wyoscki was, by far, the best player in our conference,” one North Suburban coach not affiliated with Stevenson said.
Wysocki said she was gifted with God-given jumping ability, but has not rested on her laurels.
“I have been working on my vertical for a while,” she said. “I’m in the gym all the time with my dad grinding it out with box jumps. It’s, for sure, one of my strengths. I have the ability to jump high above players, see all the shots while I am up there and place the ball. With blocking, I get above and can press over and get much higher. I always had a good starting point with jumping, but I worked my butt off and it has led me to where I am now.”
Wysocki started the season as a three-rotation right side hitter but moved to the pin midway through the season and played all 6 rotations — something she’s proud of. In 19 matches as a 6-rotation, she recorded 96 digs and 19 service aces.
“One tournament, we were missing a setter so we couldn’t run a 6-2,” she explained. “Coach (Tim Crow) put me on the pin outside and it worked really well. I had a good connection on the outside. My back row still definitely need work. With time it will come. I have always worked hard with my hitting and blocking and now I’m incorporating the back row to my game to step it up big. I plan on working at that really hard during the club season (Wysocki plays for the Sky High club).”
Wysocki also stepped it up on the leadership end this season with the Patriots having four sophomores in their regular rotation.
“We lost 10 seniors from last year,” she pointed out. “This was basically a whole new team. Everybody put their best foot forward. Being a leader is an important role on the team, but at the end of the day we did this together. It wasn’t one individual. Everyone played a huge role. We got better together, developed as players together and had fun together. We all stepped it up and grew a lot throughout the season.”
Stevenson senior outside-defensive specialist Kierra Flynn said despite any situation, good or bad, Wysocki always found a way to ease the tension.
“Ava is bubbly and spreads positivity through her contagious laugh,” she said. “As a teammate, she uplifts and motivates others by recognizing their success, and as a friend, she is always there to listen.”
Crow said Wysocki cared about winning and playing at a high level and was none too afraid to let her play do the talking.
“Ava was willing to take on the burden of being the kid getting the ball when the game was on the line,” he said. “I have really enjoyed not just coaching her, but being around her the past three seasons. Ava is a free spirit who is fun, humorous and relational. I also appreciate her open communication with me over the years and her sense of reality. With four sophomores in the rotation, Ava was the main factor in our success this season.”