Bear to a Bronco: Chey Jones graduates from Tahoma to Boise State
MAPLE VALLEY, Wash. (BVM) — For the first-time in Tahoma High School history one of their very own was named the Gatorade Washington Volleyball Player of the Year. Chey Jones, a 2020 Tahoma graduate, led the Bears to a sterling 35-3 record as a senior and went out on top as the 2019 WIAA 4A state volleyball champions.
The 6-foot-4 outside hitter asserted her dominance on the court posting 473 kills, 229 digs and 57 blocks in her final prep season. For her efforts, she was also named the 2019 Seattle Times Player of the Year.
“Chey was a huge difference-maker for Tahoma this year,” Puyallup head volleyball coach Tony Batinovich said in a Gatorade press release. “She was the girl who they could go to when they needed to begin or end the other team’s run. She was the best all-around player in the state of Washington.”
A four-year member of the Tahoma Bears varsity volleyball team, Jones finished her high school career with 1,221 kills. Those numbers do not include her time in the sand. Jones is also a beach volleyball player and plans to continue both beach and indoor volleyball at the next level.
Committed to Boise State University since her sophomore season, Jones will play her college volleyball for the Broncos about 500 miles from home in Idaho. Boise State lost just two seniors to graduation after finishing the 2019 season with an 18-12 record going 10-8 in Mountain West Conference play. With her size and volleyball IQ, Jones could make a splash immediately this fall as a freshman.
“Chey has elite size as a 6-4 outside hitter who also plays beach (volleyball),” Broncos head volleyball coach Shawn Garus said when Boise State announced their recruiting class. “She competes hard day in and day out, and is comfortable playing a big role for her team.”
Jones will try to fill in the void left by graduating outside hitter, Janell Walley.
The Broncos beach volleyball team had a shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, but they’ll look to get back in the sand next spring with Jones in the mix.
When she’s not racking up kills, Jones will focus her academics on engineering at Boise State.
BVM Sports’ Mike Cianciolo contributed to this article.
