17-year-old Jess Mruzik captained the 12-girl American team and led them to victory at the U-18 World Championships in September. After finishing high school early in December, Mruzik enrolled early at the University of Michigan.
Jess Mruzik was named the 2019-20 Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year at a ceremony at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, Mich., on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old has already matriculated to the University of Michigan a semester early to prepare for the upcoming volleyball season. She committed to Michigan her freshman year of high school.
The 6-foot-1 outside hitter led Mercy to a 59-1 record and the state championship this past season, which earned her Michigan’s Miss Volleyball award. Mruzik also captained the 12-girl American team and led them to victory at the U-18 World Championships in September, the first time the U.S. has ever won the tournament. Naturally, she has her sights set on the Olympics.
Sports Illustrated briefly chatted with Mruzik on Wednesday after the ceremony. The following Q&A has been edited for clarity.
Sports Illustrated: What does today and this honor mean for you?
Jess Mzurik: It’s an unreal experience. Walking into today, I wasn’t even expecting this to happen, I thought I was just coming here to see some of my teammates. When I opened that door and saw everybody, it was just such a special moment for me.
SI: What were you expecting coming into it?
JM: I thought I was just coming here for another interview with my teammates about winning a state championship this year but, apparently, that was not the case!
SI: So you cried when you were awarded Michigan’s Miss Volleyball award. Did any tears arise this time around?
JM: Yeah, I was definitely crying. Again. [Laughs.]
SI: Was it more or less emotional? Different? What was the difference in emotion between the awards?
JM: I would say it’s more emotional just because there have been so many athletes that have been named National Gatorade Player of the Year that have gone on and done such amazing things with their careers, whether they’ve gone pro or gone to the Olympics.
SI: Are the Olympics your ultimate goal with volleyball?
JM: Definitely. I’ve been dreaming of playing in the Olympics for as long as I’ve been playing volleyball so I’m just working toward that.
SI: What’s the next step for you in that process?
JM: Me and a couple of my Michigan teammates are going to the U.S. open tryouts in February. It’s going to be good for us to get in the gym with [U.S. Women’s National Team head coach] Karch [Kiraly] and I think that will be my tryout for the Junior [Olympic] National Team.
SI: When did you know you were good at volleyball?
JM: Oh, gosh. I have no idea. There have been a lot of people who have talked to my parents and I and kind of just hyped me up and everything but I don’t really listen to outside noise or all the hype that surrounds me, I just play my game and have fun with it.
SI: When you were younger, were you ever aware that you were better than all of the other kids your age?
JM: [Laughs.] Oh, gosh. I don’t know, probably in my eighth grade year, that’s when the recruiting process really picked up. That’s when I started to get looks from all these other colleges.
SI: What factored into you choosing Michigan for school?
JM: I’ve been around that program for such a long time. I was a ball girl there when I was younger. So, I was around all the teammates and all the coaches and faculty there. They’ve just built such an amazing environment and a family atmosphere. When I was picking a college that was one of the biggest things for me. I’m just really happy that I love it there.
SI: When you were a ball girl there were they recruiting you actively then, too?
JM: They started recruiting me in eighth grade. And I was a ball girl starting in sixth grade. So, a little bit before then. But, being around that program showed me why Michigan was the right choice for me.
SI: How are you liking your first few weeks in Ann Arbor?
JM: I love it there. From the moment I stepped foot on campus, it was super welcoming and it’s such a great atmosphere and environment to be in.
SI: How do you feel about the current state of affairs with Michigan’s football team, especially since they’ve lost their last eight games against Ohio State?
JM: I don’t really like to talk about Ohio State that much. [Laughs.] I actually have a ton of friends that go to Ohio State so I’ll support them, but not necessarily the university as a whole.
