Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball 2009 and Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year Announced
Martin County High’s senior middle hitter Elise Walch was named the 2009 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school volleyball coaches and media representatives.
Walch was honored this afternoon during a school-wide assembly in Martin County High’s auditorium. Bob Rydzewski, a local dairy farmer with McArthur Farms, Inc., was in attendance and presented the Miss Volleyball trophy to Elise and a commemorative banner for the school gym.
Bob also led the entire volleyball team in a milk toast as the Florida High School Sports Awards program also emphasizes to youth the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet and overall nutrition plan. McArthur Dairy provided over 300 flavored milk chugs to the students in attendance.
Walch is the 18th winner of the annual award sponsored by Dairy Farmers, Inc. and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, who also honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all 26 FHSSA-sanctioned sports. She finished the 2009 season with 547 kills and added 58 digs, 151 blocks and 29 aces, helping her team to a 31-1 record on its way to capturing the Class 5A state title. In her career at Martin County, she finished with a school record 1,244 kills plus 225 blocks and most kills in a match (32). Walch was named an AVCA first-team All-America in 2009 and named 2nd team All-State in 2008. She plans on attending the University of Wisconsin next fall.
Martin County High’s volleyball coach, Marty Bielicki, was also honored in the assembly as he was named the 2009 Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year.
Coach Bielicki’s team finished the regular season as district champ on its way to a 31-1 record and the Class 5A state title. In 28 years his teams have won 18 district titles, made five Final Four appearances, had two state runner-up finishes and won two state titles (1994, 2009). Coach Bielicki has a career record of 636-191.
For more information on the Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards program or to see previous standouts, click here!
