Viera volleyball player Amelia Talbott named BSN Defensive Player of the Year
MELBOURNE, Fla. — To those outside the volleyball community, the libero is typically known as “the girl in the different colored jersey.”
However, since its creation in international competition in 1998, and then in NCAA play in 2002, the libero has evolved into one of the most unique and important positions in the sport of volleyball.
The libero is intended to be the leader of the back row, specializing in defense and serve receive and this past season, the Viera Hawks Amelia Talbott was, in our estimation the best in the county.
We’ve had the opportunity to watch Amelia’s game develop since she played club volleyball prior to her arrival at Viera High. In fact, Talbott played her club volleyball back then for our sponsor of these awards, Beach Wave Volleyball Club.
Talbott has come a very long way and her hard work off the court has paid off on it as she was a key member on not just this years state runner-up team at Viera, but last years state runner up team as well.
If we gave out a most improved player of the year award, Amelia would have captured that in 2022 but this year the senior wins the honor as she led the Hawks with 434 digs.
She was second in the county, fifth in 6A and 35th in the state in digs. The thing about digs is that each of them saves the other team from winning a point at that moment in the match but there are certainly digs that are bigger than others which happen at critical times in a match and Talbott made a lot of very big digs in big moments this season for Viera.
Many of her point saving plays not only came at critical moments in matches but many of them came against some of the toughest teams in the state of Florida.
The Hawks played one of the toughest schedules in the state and Talbott seemed to stand out in these matches. The fact that Viera finished the season No.7 overall in the state by MaxPreps and still No.1 in 6A proves just how tough their schedule was.
How tough was Viera’s schedule in 2023 you ask, well consider this. Viera was 9-1 during the regular season against teams that reached the final four or better in their respective state.
The Hawks went 3-0 vs. two teams that reached the FHSAA Final Four in Merritt Island and Bishop Kenney.
Viera was unbeaten, 4-0 against Westminster Christian, Barron Collier, Bishop Moore and Winter Park all who finished as state runners-up this season.
The Hawks were 2-1 vs. state champs losing to FHSAA 3A title winner Carrollwood Day but they defeated Georgia’s 3A state champ and Pennsylvania’s 4A state champ in straight sets in a tournament during the early part of the season.
How one performs against the best of the best factors in our voting as Talbott had 126 digs in 32 sets played against these teams including 28 digs against Bishop Moore, 27 and 19 vs. Merritt Island and 15 combined in four sets vs. the Georgia and Pennsylvania state champs.
In the final four and state championship matchup against Chiles and St. Thomas, Talbott had some of her best efforts of the season as she registered 24 and 34 digs respectively.
Talbott played in 93 of the 96 sets the Hawks played in this season with 4.7 digs per set and 14 digs per match.
Talbott received a total of 577 serves with a success rate of .918. On ball handling opportunities Talbott had 295 chances with a success rate of .980.
She also added 91 assists, which was third best on the Hawks this past season.
Talbott rounds out her career at Viera with 694 digs.
Congratulations Amelia on this award.
Last year’s winner Maya Collins nearly repeated winning again as she finished just behind Talbott for the 2023 award. Collins led the Tigers with 424 digs in 81 sets and had a success rate of .984 in handling 255 balls and in 329 serves received had a success rate of .903 with just 35 errors.
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