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Stella Swenson named 2021-22 Gatorade Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year
Stella (left) and Olivia (right) have been playing together since they started volleyball. (Courtesy: Stella Swenson)

Stella Swenson named 2021-22 Gatorade Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year

PLYMOUTH, Minn. (BVM) – Stella Swenson has always been around volleyball. Her mom, Vicki, coaches at Hopkins High School and played at Iowa State. Her older sister, Samantha, played at Minnesota and currently plays professionally. Stella’s twin sister, Olivia, plays alongside her at Wayzata High School.

“Being born into a volleyball based family, it’s definitely really helpful,” Stella said. “I know I wouldn’t be as far as I am without the people in my life.”

Stella was just named the 2021-2022 Gatorade Minnesota Volleyball Player of the Year after a spectacular sophomore season. The setter for the Trojans amassed 936 assists,145 digs, 93 kills, 58 service aces and 57 blocks. She led Wayzata to an undefeated season (34-0) and a Class AAAA state championship.

Stella is one of the best players in the nation for the Class of 2024. (Courtesy: Stella Swenson)

However, her love for volleyball came years early when she was first introduced to the sport.

“The second I went to my mom’s practices, I knew from the start that I wanted to play volleyball and I wanted to go somewhere for volleyball,” Stella said. “It’s just a fun sport and it’s something I’ve been around my entire life, I just love the sport.”

That love quickly turned into success. By the time she was a teenager, she had already proven to herself that she had what it took to play volleyball beyond high school. When she was 13, Stella played with the 14s team at her club and they took third at nationals.

“I think that was when I realized that I could definitely go far in volleyball and that I could definitely play at higher levels,” Stella said.

Around that same time, Stella and Olivia made the varsity team at Hopkins. Playing for their mother and with upperclassmen, Stella and her sister both learned a lot from the experience.

“It was so fun,” Stella said. “I had to mature of course. Being one of the only seventh graders on a team full of juniors and seniors, it was a hard transition at first because they’re all older and they all know way more than I do. They were super welcoming to a little seventh grader. That team was the best.”

“It definitely has shaped who I am as a player now.”

It taught her a lot, helping her become the type of leader and player that could take Wayzata to the state championship. In the title game, Stella had 10 digs, 55 assists and five kills against East Ridge.

“I think we knew from the start we had a really special team,” Stella said. “What was so special was our closeness. We all had a really fun time competing and everyone was laid back… we were a tight team and we all really liked each other and it was a lot of fun playing them.”

However, Stella and the team were without Olivia for the entire season due to injury. The rest of the Trojans stepped up in her absence, but the loss of her sister was definitely something that took Stella time to get used to.

“It was tough,” Stella said. “I’m so used to being able to look back at Liv and being like ‘OK we can do this. It’s you and me against the world. Let’s go kick some butt.’ It definitely felt like something was missing.”

It was a rare occasion where the two sisters didn’t play together, but all it has done is motivate them to defend their title together next season and showcase how dangerous they can be when on the court together.

Stella helped lead the Trojans to a state title this past season. (Courtesy: Stella Swenson)

“We got that twin connection,” Stella said. “We’re on the same wavelength.”

As teammates, it has made them a dynamic duo and as competitors, they have also pushed each other to be better. For now, it is all about club and high school, but soon they will set their sights on college.

“We’ve talked about it… I think that the goal is to play somewhere together on the same team,” Stella said.

For Stella, that will also be another chance to pave her own path in the sport she loves. Growing up in a volleyball family meant she has always had all the help and advice she could ever need. But it has also come with comparisons.

“I would like to pave my own way and make a name for myself,” Stella said. “I don’t mind being compared to Samantha but I’m not always going to be her ‘little’ so I want to make a name for myself.”

“Seeing her go play pro and play Big Ten games is really inspiring to me. I look up to her a lot.”

It’s a path she would like to follow but in her own way on her own terms. Luckily being a sophomore means she will have plenty of time to make sure everyone in the volleyball community knows the name Stella Swenson.