Bob Jones Volleyball Earn State And National Awards- “Big Energy” Team Nationally Ranked With All-American Players
MADISON- The self-proclaimed “Big Energy” Bob Jones volleyball team has reaped the accolades from a fabulous season with several post-season awards. The Lady Patriots completed their 2023 season at 54-3 and were runners-up in the Class 7A State Tournament losing to McGill-Toolen in the finals for the second consecutive season. Early in the just completed season the Pats were ranked No. 1 in Alabama and No. 11 nationally.
The post-season awards include those from the Alabama High School Volleyball Coaches Association and its listing of the All-State Team. Kennedy Vaughn, a junior, was named 7A Player of the Year and second-year head coach, Jenny Jarrett was named 7A Coach of the Year. Additional selections for First Team All- State were Vaughn (OH, 5-11, Jr.), Meg Jarrett (L, 5-8, Sr.) and Eliza Tyrrell (OH, 5-9, Sr.).
Besides its early-season national ranking, Bob Jones has received additional national recognition from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The AVCA selected Meg Jarrett Second Team All-American with both Tyrrell and Rachel Mecklenburg (OPP/S, 5-9, Sr.) as Honorable Mention All-Americans. Abby Harbin (DS, 5-4, Sr.) received special recognition from the AVCA by being named to the elite First Team Best and Brightest. The award is presented to seniors who played in at least 50-percent of their team’s sets and carry a 4.0 or higher grade point average. She currently has a 4.21 GPA.
Tyrrell (Montevallo), Mecklenburg (Wallace State) and Jarrett (UAB) recently signed college scholarships to continue their play on the next level of their education.
Not only did the team have a banner year on the court, the individual efforts by these Lady Patriots were just as impressive. Tyrrell posted season stats of 53 aces, 339 kills, 127 blocks, 15 assists and 107 digs. Mecklenburg posted 40 aces, 274 kills, 46 blocks, 543 assists and 269 digs in the 2023 season. Jarrett In 2023, had 63 aces, 175 assists and 625 digs with a 2.34 serve receive rating. Vaughn had 21 aces, 542 kills, .309 hitting percentage, 71 blocks, 17 assists and 127 digs. Harbin was just as superior on the court as she is in the classroom by having 48 aces, 234 digs, 17 assists and a 2.0 serve receive rating.
For the elder Jarrett, she captured her first Coach of the Year honor after leading her teams to the finals of the State Tournament each of her two seasons at the helm of the program. She knows her daughter, Meg, is an outstanding player on the team, but sees there are others with so much talent. In the two campaigns with the Lady Patriots, Jarrett has posted a record of 105-10 as head coach. She was at Bob Jones as assistant coach from 2015-1019 while being head coach of the Discovery Middle School program for one season and led the junior varsity squad for two seasons at Bob Jones.
