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<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right"><a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – </span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">January
12, 2022<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor VB’s Carlson Named Gatorade Player of the Year<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Incoming freshman Averi Carlson is the first Bear to earn the national accolade for volleyball<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Madelon Allen, 254-252-7168, </span><a href="mailto:Madelon_Allen@Baylor.edu"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Madelon_Allen@Baylor.edu</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> <b> </b><br>
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CHICAGO –</span></b><span style="background:white"> Baylor volleyball incoming freshman Averi Carlson has been named Gatorade National Player of the Year, the organization announced Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">In winning the national accolade, she is also the Gatorade Texas Player of the Year. The national and state honors for volleyball have only been
awarded since 1995-96.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">“We are incredibly proud of Averi and all she has accomplished throughout her high school career,” said Baylor head coach Ryan McGuyre. “We know
her to be a very humble yet competitive Christ-like warrior who reflects the values and principles important to us at Baylor. I admire how quickly Averi gives the credit to the Lord, her coaches, her family and her teammates. She clearly knows how to win and
has the work-ethic, determination and grit to follow through on her dreams and goals. More championships will be in her future as Averi continues to grow and impact others here at Baylor. She is the type of athlete our fans will fall in love with and want
to see on the court. Averi’s skill and character shine incredibly bright. We are blessed that we can share in the joy of this special award with her.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Carlson, a setter from Lucas, Texas, earns the honor after finishing her senior season at Lovejoy High School with 4,416 career assists at nine assists
per set. She played 493 sets overall in her career, with 130 this season. She has also totaled 1,121 digs and 479 kills and 206 aces in her four years on varsity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">She is the No. 4 recruit by PrepVolleyball.com, making her the highest-ranked recruit in program history for Baylor. Carlson was the top-ranked setter
in the 2022 class overall, and is a four-time All-American as well as being state champion for three-straight seasons in 2019, 2020 and 2021. She has also been invited to the 2022 Under Armour All-American Match.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Carlson joins the likes of Kerri Walsh on the volleyball National Player of the Year list, along with Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith for football
and LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for basketball.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">She is just the third Gatorade Player of the Year for Baylor, with Kirsten Shortridge of Keller, Texas, earning it in 2006 for softball, and Trayvon
Bromell earning it in 2013 for track and field from St. Petersburg, Fla.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor volleyball, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorVball.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i>- BaylorBears.com -<o:p></o:p></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#385623">Madelon Allen</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#385623"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">| </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Associate
Director of Athletics Communications (VB, MTEN, A&T)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">C: 254-252-7168<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="159" height="44" style="width:1.6562in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D80795.067A4EB0" alt="signature_1168979740"><o:p></o:p></p>
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