Emmaus High School senior volleyball player Macy Van Den Elzen was named the 2019-20 Gatorade Pennsylvania Volleyball Player of the Year.

It is the 35th year of the award and the first time a Green Hornets student-athlete received the honor.

“I’m really humbled by it,” said Van Den Elzen. “It’s an incredible honor to be a part of this 35-year prestigious award. Gatorade’s Pay it Forward program gave me the opportunity to donate a $1,000 grant to Special Olympics. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Van Den Elzen as Pennsylvania’s best high school volleyball player. She is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award, which will be announced in January.

Van Den Elzen had been a prominent player in front of the net for Emmaus the last three years, starting nearly every match along the way. This past season she had 410 kills, 144 digs, 71 service aces and 50 blocks.

“I always try to develop all aspects of my game not just on the court but also off the court,” Van Den Elzen said. “As I got older the mental part of the game became more important as well as conditioning while improving my on-court skills.”

The Green Hornets ended their 2019 season at 22-9-2 overall, finishing as semifinalists in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference playoffs, runner-up in the District 11 Class 4A tournament, and qualified for the state tournament. A two-time All-State honoree, Van Den Elzen posted a hitting percentage of .372 last season. She was also selected as the EPC and District 11 MVP, and was named a 2019-20 Under Armour First-Team All-American.

“I am proud of our accomplishments this season,” said Van Den Elzen. “I feel like we honored our past teammates our school and our legacy as players. We have certainly come a long way. At the end of the day though, it’s really not about the wins. It’s more about how much we’ve grown and how much we still love to play the game that matters. I’m so thankful for the memories and the sisterhood. I wish all the best to Emmaus volleyball.”

Even though the high school season wrapped up over two months ago, Van Den Elzen will still be competing at a high level before she heads to State College, where she will begin her freshman year this fall.

“I am currently starting my final club volleyball season,” Van Den Elzen said. “I will train and practice with this team prior to heading to Penn State this summer. I grew up watching Penn State volleyball as most girls in the state do. They have such a rich history, the winningest coach in NCAA volleyball and an incredible university. I’m grateful to be a part of the Penn State family.”