Danilynn Schell of Kelly Walsh Wins 2018 WY Gatorade Volleyball Award

In its 34th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, announced Danilynn Schell of Kelly Walsh High School as its 2018-19 Gatorade Wyoming Volleyball Player of the Year.

Schell is the fifth Gatorade Wyoming Volleyball Player of the Year to be chosen from Kelly Walsh High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Schell as Wyoming’s best high school volleyball player.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award to be announced in January, Schell joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners in 12 sports, including USA Volleyball players Kayla Banwarth (2006-07, Wahlert High School, Iowa), Alisha Glass (2005-06, Leland Public High School, Mich.), Jordan Larson (2004-05, Logan View High School, Neb.) and Foluke Akinradewo (2004-05, St. Thomas High School Fla.).

The 5-foot-10 junior setter and right side hitter led the Trojans to a 35-2 record and the Class 4A state championship this past season.

Schell recorded 630 assists, 220 kills, 84 digs, 61 service aces and 45 blocks. Schell is a three-time All-Conference and three-time All-State selection.

Schell has volunteered locally on behalf of the Metro Animal Control Center, the Salvation Army and river clean-up initiatives.

“Danilynn Schell is one of the best all-around volleyball players I’ve seen in a long time,” said Nicole Quigley, head coach at Cheyenne East High School. “She’s very dominant and very consistent. She’s got all the skills and could play any position.”

Schell has maintained a 3.62 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 work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Schell joins recent Gatorade Wyoming Volleyball Players of the Year Madison Vinich (2017-18, Kelly Walsh High School), Kalina Smith (2016-17, Cambell County High School), Cosette Stellern (2015-16 & 2014-15, Cheyenne East High School), and Sydney Matheny (2013-14, Campbell County High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.

As a part of Gatorade’s cause marketing platform “Play it Forward,” Schell has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of her choosing.

She is also eligible to submit an essay to win one of twelve $10,000 spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be announced throughout the year.

Since the program’s inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators.