FAYETTEVILLE -- Haley Warner came within a point or two of helping the U.S. youth national team bring home the NORCECA U18 Continental Championships in early September.
The 6-foot-2 junior made sure her Fayetteville Lady Bulldogs had no problems winning their second consecutive Class 7A state volleyball title almost two months later.
NAME Haley Warner
SCHOOL Fayetteville
CLASS Junior
HEIGHT 6-2
POSITION Right side hitter
BIRTHDAY Feb. 11, 2000
NOTEWORTHY Daughter of Paula Warner-Hale and Morris Warner Jr. … Named Most Valuable Player of the Class 7A state tournament. … Led Fayetteville to its second consecutive 7A state title. … Racked up 421 kills in 98 sets with a .342 hitting efficiency to go with 68 blocks, 274 digs and 20 aces. … Three-time all-state selection and was named Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year as a freshman. … Orally committed to play volleyball at Florida prior to the start of this season. … Named to the U.S. youth national team and helped lead the U.S. team to a runner-up finish in the NORCECA U18 Continental Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was named to the all-tournament team.
Warner hammered a match-high 26 kills to lift Fayetteville to a 3-1 victory over Springdale Har-Ber to earn MVP honors. She also garnered the All-Arkansas Preps Volleyball Player of the Year award.
Fayetteville (30-6) dropped just one set in three state tournament matches.
Fayetteville Coach Jessica Phelan has watched Warner's skills improve, but she also saw a mental transformation this season.
"I think Haley emerged as someone who maybe became a little more comfortable in that go-to role," Phelan said. "She was really, really wanting the ball in that final. She had the hot hand and just had the confidence to make plays down the stretch. She's just grown into a comfort level with that."
Warner's a three-time all-state selection and earned Arkansas Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year honors as a freshman.
Not only is she among the best in the state but she's also highly regarded nationally. She was one of 12 chosen, including Fayetteville teammate Ella May Powell, as part of the U.S. team that competed in the U18 Continental Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Florida commit earned all-tournament honors as the U.S. team fell 3-2 to the Dominican Republic in the finals.
Warner, 16, said facing players at or above her talent level in international competition was a great challenge.
"It's hard to describe what it was like to be on a team with so much talent," Warner said. "It pushes you to work hard every practice and show yourself off in a sense."
She finished the season with 421 kills in 98 sets (4.30 avg.) with a hitting efficiency of .342, but Phelan said Warner has improved in many phases of the game. She added 68 blocks, 20 service aces and 274 digs to her stat line.
"She and Ella put up a huge block on the right side," Phelan said. "But she's steadily improved in all areas. Her passing has improved. You saw a lot of teams that didn't serve Haley. That's something else she's really grown into."
Warner acknowledged she took on more of a leadership role this season.
"The older you get, the more respect you get," Warner said. "Looking back, it's hard to respect a freshman's leadership no matter how much playing experience they've had. A junior or a senior doesn't want to ask a freshman a question."
As Warner looks forward to her senior season, Phelan said there's a chance she could set some next year with several seniors graduating.
Warner did some setting as a 13-year-old, so it's something she's used to. She also will be shooting for a third consecutive state title with only herself and Powell returning with big experience.
"The pressure might come on a little bit," Warner said. "But we're veterans. We've won two state titles."
All-Arkansas preps volleyball teams
FIRST TEAM
NAME POS. HT. YR. SCHOOL
Maddie Brown OH 5-9 Sr. Cabot
Annalee Parker OH 5-9 Sr. Marion
Ella May Powell S 6-0 Jr. Fayetteville
Canaan Richardson RH 5-8 Sr. Valley View
Lauren Thompson OH 5-9 Jr. Springdale Har-Ber
Haley Warner RS 6-2 Jr. Fayetteville
SECOND TEAM
Sara Betts OH 5-10 Sr. Marion
Samantha Brandt S 5-4 Sr. Jonesboro
Aly Brinkley OH 5-10 Sr. Conway
Emily Doss L 5-6 Sr. Springdale Har-Ber
Lycia Peevy OH 6-0 Sr. Paris
Faith Waitsman MB 6-2 Sr. Fayetteville
FRESHMEN & SOPHOMORES
Zoey Beasley OH 6-1 So. Paragould
Mikayla Johnson MB 6-1 Fr. Jonesboro
Abbigail McGee S 5-6 So. Valley View
Clara Parker OH 5-11 Fr. Jonesboro
Loren Payne OH 5-9 Fr. Brookland
Lexie Richards MB 5-11 So. Shiloh Christian
Sports on 11/13/2016