By Lee Davis
The third time was a charm for Mountain Brook in 2016, as the Lady Spartans won the state 7A volleyball championship.
Of course, the first and second times were charms as well, as Mountain Brook also claimed the crown in 2014 and 2015. Three titles in a row? Some people might call that a dynasty.
Whatever you call the winning streak, it’s an incredible run of success. With a record such as that, it’s no surprise that the Lady Spartans dominated the 2016 All-Over the Mountain team, chosen by an exclusive vote of the head volleyball coaches.
Four Mountain Brook players were chosen for the squad, and veteran Lady Spartan coach Haven O’Quinn was named Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season. Additionally, Mountain Brook’s outstanding junior libero Lacey Jeffcoat was named 2016 Player of the Year.
For the season, Jeffcoat played 148 sets with 858 digs and 73 aces. For a career she has a whopping 1,832 digs with 184 aces and 106 assists.
“Lacey is the definition of what you want in the libero position,” O’Quinn said. “She is fearless and is the ultimate competitor. Lacey brings a lot of confidence to our roster and was the game changer for us last season.”
O’Quinn is the most successful volleyball coach in Mountain Brook history, leading her team to the Elite Eight in 2013 before going on the three-year championship run. “It’s an honor to be named Coach of the Year by my peers, but it’s really a reflection on the hard work of our players,” she said. “I’m just proud to be a small part of it.”
Also chosen from Mountain Brook were Caroline Davies, Libby Grace Gann and Emmy Kilgore.
Other players on the All-Over the Mountain team were Anna Donohue and Grace Patterson, Briarwood; Morgan Adamson, Mary Catherine Hart and Sophia Ragusa, John Carroll Catholic; Venice Sanders, Homewood; Kyra Hunter, Olivia Portera, Paige Shaw and Nora Webster, Hoover; Torie Denkers, Kendall Sharbert, Jacoby Sims and Ashley Treace, Oak Mountain; Marlee Johnson and Karlee Moss, Spain Park; Hannah Vines, Vestavia Hills.
