The finalists for the 2025 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball and Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year have been announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school volleyball coaches and prep media representatives.

Following its first volleyball state title in program history, Branford setter/middle blocker Mylie Fernandez has been named the Rural Class Player-of-the-Year.

The senior helped lead the Bucs to a 24-4 record and a state title with 781 assists, 136 kills, 200 digs, 53 aces, 47 blocks and a .311 hitting percentage.

She has committed to Warner University.

Her coach, Lachelle Sikes, was named the Rural Class Coach-of-the-Year.

The Branford alum was an assistant coach on last year’s Rural state runner-up team under her mom, Mendy, but she switched places with her this year, going from assistant to head coach.

The Sikes family was back in the final four, where they swept Williston, followed by a 5-set win against Chipley in the title game.

It’s the first state title in program history, after three straight championship game appearances, and the second state championship of any kind for Branford High School athletics (the 1966 Branford boys track team won the school’s first title).  

Columbia (Lake City) outside hitter/middle blocker Sinei Wood finished third in the voting for the Class 5A Player of the Year.

The Rollins College signee finished with 409 kills, 344 digs, 65 aces, and 26 blocks for the Tigers (13-13).

Gainesville’s Jerica Carter-Mitchell was third in the voting for the Class 5A Coach of the Year after leading the Hurricanes to their first final four since 2011.

GHS finished 20-9 with a 3-1 loss to Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale) in the Class 5A state semifinals.

The eight individual class finalists were the leading vote-getters in their classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in their respective class. The two overall winners will be announced next week following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.

2025 Miss Volleyball Award finalists

Amelia Mancino, Senior, Outside Hitter, Winter Park, Class 7A Player-of-the-Year

Mancino helped her team to a 31-1 record and the Class 7A state title with 318 kills, 219 digs, 71 aces, 26 blocks and a .269 hitting percentage. She has committed to play volleyball at Appalachian State University.

Delaney Sloane, Junior, Setter, Oviedo, Class 6A Player-of-the-Year

Sloane helped her team to a 25-6 record and the Class 6A state title with 948 assists, 224 digs, 71 aces,

53 kills and 33 blocks.

Natalie Gibson Senior, Setter, Chiles, Class 5A Player-of-the-Year

Gibson helped her team to a 31-1 record and its second straight Class 5A state title with 664 assists, 280 digs, and 39 aces. She has signed to play volleyball at Lock Haven University.

Dasia Johnson, Senior, Outside Hitter, North Broward Prep, Class 4A Player-of-the-Year

Helped her team to a 26-2 record and the Class 4A state title with 326 kills, 222 digs, 40 blocks, 58 aces

and a .384 hitting percentage. She has committed to the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC).

Samantha Karjala, Senior, Outside Hitter, Calvary Christian, Class 3A Player-of-the-Year

Karjala helped her squad to a 31-1 record and the Class 3A state title with 342 kills, 103 digs, 56 blocks and a .379 hitting percentage. She has committed to Indiana University.

Leilani Lawrence, Senior, Outside Hitter, Tampa Prep, Class 2A Player-of-the-Year

Lawrence helped her team to a 22-7 record and the Class 2A state title with 427 kills, 279 digs and 43 aces. She has committed to Old Dominion University.

Mackenzi Vanzwieten, Junior, Setter, Boca Raton Christian, Class 1A Player-of-the-Year

Vanzwieten helped her team to a 16-11 record and the Class 1A state title with 293 assists, 167 kills, 164 digs, 32 aces and 26 blocks.

Mylie Fernandez, Senior, Middle Blocker/Setter, Branford, Rural Class Player-of-the-Year

Fernandez helped her team to a 24-4 record and a state title with 781 assists, 136 kills, 200 digs, 53 aces,

47 blocks and a .311 hitting percentage. She has committed to Warner University.

Following are the finalists for the 2025 Girls’ Volleyball Coach of the Year:

Stephanie Gibson, Winter Park, Class 7A Coach-of-the-Year

Led her team to a 31-1 record and a second straight Class 7A state title. In 26 years at Winter Park, she has compiled a 573-196 record with six state titles (2004-06, 2013 and 2024-25). Her 37-year overall record is 902-239 with two additional state titles at Miami Sunset (1993 and 1995).

Jen Darty, Oviedo, Class 6A Coach-of-the-Year

Led her team to a 25-6 record and the Class 6A state title by defeating reigning champion St. Thomas

Aquinas after losing the first two sets in the title match. It was Darty’s third state title (2013 and 2016).

Kaitlin Jahn, Chiles, Class 5A Coach-of-the-Year

In her 17th season as head coach, Jahn led her squad to a 31-1 record and a second straight Class 5A state championship.

Brian Coughenour, North Broward Prep, Class 4A Coach-of-the-Year

In his first year as head coach at NBP, Coughenour led his team to a 26-2 record and the Class 4A state

championship, the school’s first state volleyball title.

Kim Whitney, Calvary Christian, Class 3A Coach-of-the-Year

Led her squad to a 31-1 record and the Class 3A state title. In eight years at Calvary, Whitney has posted

a 190-43 record, with another state title in 2021.

Leanna Taylor, Tampa Prep, Class 2A Coach-of-the-Year

Led her squad to a 22-7 record and the Class 2A state title, the school’s first since 2004 and the 16th

championship in school history. Taylor won five straight state titles from 2006-10, coaching Tampa Plant

and returned to her alma mater eight years ago to help lead the school back to title-winning status.

Len Visser, Boca Raton Christian, Class 1A Coach-of-the-Year

Led his squad to a 16-11 record and the Class 1A state championship, the school’s first state title. After

losing to Seacrest Country Day in the state final the past three years, BRC knocked off Seacrest in this

year’s state semifinal on its way to earning Visser his first title in his 23-year coaching career at the school.

Lachelle Sikes, Branford, Rural Class Coach-of-the-Year

The Branford alum switched places with her mom, Mendy, this year, going from assistant to head coach and led her squad to a 24-4 record and the Rural state title, the school’s first state volleyball title.

Final voting numbers by class – top three (area players/coaches in bold)

Class 7A

Player School Points

Amelia Mancino Winter Park 95

Sophie Dostic Plant 73

Cate Palmi Osceola 69

Coach School Points

Stephanie Gibson Winter Park 180

McKensie Herold Plant 115

Carrie Palmi Osceola 45

Class 6A

Player School Points

Delaney Sloane Oviedo 102

Natasha Casey Lake Howell 68

Emmi Merhi St. Thomas Aquinas 59

Coach School Points

Jennifer Darty Oviedo 170

Lisa Zielinski St. Thomas Aquinas 113

Elyse Garcia-Zapata Sunlake 44

Class 5A

Player School Points

Natalie Gibson Chiles 137

Julia Lugo Archbishop McCarthy 64

Sinei Wood Columbia (Lake City) 39

Coach School Points

Kaitlin Jahn Chiles 167

Robert Perez Archbishop McCarthy 94

Jerica Carter-Mitchell Gainesville 44

Class 4A

Player School Points

Dasia Johnson North Broward Prep 125

Maci Jones South Walton 86

Reece Loggins Merritt Island 53

Coach School Points

Brian Coughenour North Broward Prep 162

Angie Patrick Merritt Island 110

Meaghan Allen South Walton 59

Class 3A

Player School Points

Sam Karjala Calvary Christian 85

Sophia Puleo Calvary Christian 81

Isa Umpierre Lake Highland Prep 54

Coach School Points

Kim Whitney Calvary Christian 162

Katie Gallagher Lake Highland Prep 111

Eric Rivera Pine Crest 25

Class 2A

Player School Points

Leilani Lawrence Tampa Prep 104

Gigi Artiles Westminster Christian 72

Adriana Garcia First Baptist Academy 47

Coach School Points

Leanna Taylor Tampa Prep 160

Marci Walker First Baptist Academy 92

Diane Langmo Orangewood Christian 34

Class 1A

Player School Points

Mackenzi Vanzwieten Boca Raton Christian 92

Sarah Bradley Community Christian 50

Grace Clemente St. Edwards 45

Coach School Points

Len Visser Boca Raton Christian 160

Jill Clemente St. Edwards 94

Jenna Williams Harvest Community 54

Class Rural

Player School Points

Mylie Fernandez Branford 131

Whitlee Harvey Liberty County 87

Cheyenne Risinger Chipley 76

Coach School Points

Lachelle Sikes Branford 161

Wayne Risinger Chipley 126

Jennifer Sewell Liberty County 45