Cleveland’s Lauren Hurst Named Gatorade State Volleyball Player of the Year…Again
(press release) CHICAGO (January 8, 2024) — In its 39th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes, Gatorade
today announced Lauren Hurst of Cleveland High School is the 2023-24 Gatorade Tennessee Volleyball Player of
the Year. Hurst is the first Gatorade Tennessee Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Cleveland High
School.
The award, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the court, in the classroom
and in the community, distinguishes Hurst as Tennessee’s best high school volleyball player. From CEOs and
coaches to star athletes, Gatorade Player of the Year winners showcase the power of sport, touting an all-star
group of alumni that includes Harper Murray (2022-23, Skyline High School, Mich.), Kerri Walsh Jennings (1995-
96, Archbishop Mitty High School, Calif.) and April Ross (1999-00, Newport Harbor High School, Calif.)
The state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, the 6-foot-3 junior outside hitter led the Blue Raiders to a 42-8
record and a second-straight Division I, Class AAA state championship this past season.
Hurst amassed 773 kills and 309 digs, including 27 kills in Cleveland’s 3-0 win over Nolensville High School in the state final. Hurst also
compiled 85 assists, 82 service aces and 32 blocks while posting a .470 kill percentage and a .315 hitting
percentage. She was a MaxPreps.com Second Team All-American selection for a second straight season and
concluded her junior year with 1,929 kills in her prep volleyball career.
Hurst has volunteered locally as a youth volleyball and basketball coach, and she has donated her time to multiple
community service initiatives through her church. “Lauren is one of the best players I have coached against in 29
years,” said Christie McElhaney, head coach of Bradley Central High School. “She is a true athlete and competitor.
No matter the defense you have, she is hard to stop, even from the back row.”
Hurst has maintained a 3.76 GPA in the classroom. She will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
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.
The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection
Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and
determine the state winners in each sport.
Two-time winner Hurst joins recent Gatorade Tennessee Volleyball Players of the Year Devyn Dunn (2021-22,
Knoxville Catholic High School) and Shaye Eggleston (2020-21 & 2019-20, Brentwood High School), among the
state’s list of former award winners.
