By Rubin E. Grant
For four years, Mountain Brook coach Maddie Gardner watched Hannah Parant grow and mature as a volleyball player, becoming one of the best in the state.
“She’s something special,” Gardner said. “She has a passion for volleyball that is unmatched. As she got older, she learned how to handle pressure situations and not be so stressed out. This year, she had a season where she played with so much confidence and with such ease.”
Parant, the Spartans’ 6-foot-1 senior setter, was at her absolute best on the court, leading Mountain Brook to a 46-5 record and the Class 6A AHSAA state championship. She recorded a staggering 1,170 assists, 311 digs, 224 kills, 91 aces and 53 blocks.
Over the Mountain volleyball coaches took notice, voting Parant as the 2023 OTM Volleyball Player of the Year.
“I’m not surprised,” Gardner said. “I think she earned it. She proved it by being the most dominate player on the court and performing so consistently.”
Parant greeted the recognition enthusiastically.
“It’s a really big deal,” she said excitedly. “I know how hard it is to get an honor like this. I’m proud of my teammates who helped me and I’m proud of myself for playing the way I did.
“This was the best season ever. It couldn’t have been any better, winning state, beating Bayside and winning HeffStrong (a challenging regular season tournament).”
Mountain Brook defeated Bayside Academy in the semifinals of the state tournament, ending the Admirals’ national record of 21 consecutive state championships.
The season did bring to end something very special for Parant — playing alongside her twin sister, Paige, an outside hitter. Hannah Parant is headed to the University of Alabama to play collegiately, but Paige’s college plans are uncertain.
“I loved playing with Paige so much,” Hannah Parant said. “These three years together on the varsity we really bonded and played so well as teammates.
“It’s going to be hard next year not playing together. She definitely plans on playing in college. She’s looking at some Division II and Division III schools, trying to make the best decision.”
Hannah Parant is looking forward to playing at Alabama and especially, the Southeastern Conference.
“There’s a good volleyball culture at Alabama and I love the coach, and it’s in the SEC, so the competition is going to be high,” Parant said. “I’m excited to go on to the next level, but it’s already hitting me that I am not going to play with these girls again.
“I’m proud of what I’ve done here and what we accomplished, winning three state championships with me on the varsity.”
Gardner said she’s going to miss Hannah Parant’s unabashed enthusiasm for the game.
“She loves the sport and it doesn’t matter the situation, whether it’s practice or a game,” Gardner said. “She just enjoys playing.”
Spartans Spearhead All-OTM Team
Parant is one of six Spartans voted to the 2023 All-OTM Volleyball Team in balloting by Over the Mountain coaches. The others are senior middle hitter Alice Garzon (16 aces, 330 kills, 72 blocks, 15 assists, 40 digs), senior outside hitter Mae Mae Lacey (190 kills, 77 blocks, 41 digs), senior right side hitter Annie Lacey (321 kills, 52 blocks, 48 digs), junior outside hitter Mae Mae Beatty (39 aces, 331 kills, 32 blocks, 56 assists, 316 digs) and junior libero Ella Kate Wright (51 aces, 106 assists, 500 digs).
Hoover, which reached the Class 7A Elite Eight, landed four players on the team – senior outside hitter Kendyl Mitchell, senior middle hitter Kenzie Richards, junior libero Sydney Durban and junior defensive specialist Olivia Guenster. Mitchell recorded 435 kills and 392 digs; Richards had 172 kills, 119 digs and 59 blocks’ Durban had 730 digs and 81 assists; and Muenster had 709 digs, 56 assists and 88 aces. Mitchell surpassed 1,000 kills for her career and Durban surpassed 1,000 career digs.
Spain Park, which also reached the Class 7A Elite Eight, placed three players on the team – sophomore outside hitter Megan Ingersoll, who had 536 kills to lead Class 7A for the season, 286 digs, 57 aces and 30 blocks; sophomore setter Cailyn Kyes (865 assists, 153 digs, 52 aces) and senior right side hitter Reagan Gilbert (316 kills, 264 digs, 92 aces, 14 blocks). Ingersoll and Kyes both broke school records for kills and assists against James Clemens in the North Super Regional. Ingersoll had 35 kills and Kyes had 57 assists.
Oak Mountain also has three players on the team: senior outside hitter Mabrey Whitehead (316 kills, 284 digs, 81 aces, 22 blocks), senior setter Lauren Schuessler (364 assists, 358 kills, 69 aces, 45 blocks) and middle hitter Aubrie Lay (116 kills, 42 blocks, 28 digs).
Vestavia Hills, Homewood and John Carroll Catholic all had two players voted to the team.
Representing the Rebels are senior libero Audrey Vielguth (538 digs, 138 assists, 59 aces) and sophomore outside hitter Millie Burgess (409 kills, 119 digs, 47 aces, 24 blocks). Vielguth surpassed 1,000 digs for her career.
Sisters Mira McCool, a senior outside hitter, and Ellis McCool, a sophomore middle hitter are the Patriots’ representatives. Mira McCool recorded 246 kills to surpass 500 for her career and had 191 digs. Ellis McCool had 137 kills, 125 digs, 91 aces and 52 assists.
The Cavaliers’ two players are senior defensive specialist Meredith Davis (249 digs, 35 aces) and sophomore right side hitter Marion Haskell (234 kills, 55 blocks).
Briarwood’s versatile senior right side hitter Stella Helms rounds out the team. She had 330 kills, 345 digs, 92 aces and 20 blocks, and she surpassed 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for her career.
Coach of the Year
Mountain Brook’s Gardner was the runaway choice as the 2023 OTM Volleyball Coach of the Year after guiding the Spartans to their seventh state volleyball championship since 2014 and the second in her third year as head coach. Mountain Brook claimed the title in her first season in 2021.
“I am very honored,” Gardner said. “I wasn’t expecting it. I also am humbled because there are some tremendously talented coaches in our area.
“I wanted the team to win again, but the main thing I focused on was how could I best them as players and people.”
Gardner considers the award a shared honor with her assistants.
“It’s absolutely a staff award,” she said. “We really had some unsung heroes for all the success we’ve had because of our freshmen and junior varsity coaches, Avery Long and Tien Le. They do a tremendous job of supporting what we do and my two assistants, Alana Schouten and Erin Godwin, do a great job.”
