CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — The Virginia High School League announces its 2025 Class 1 All-State volleyball team. Giles senior outside hitter Sophie Taylor is the Class 1 Player of the Year, and Giles head coach Mandy Havens is the Class 1 Coach of the Year.
A dominant force for the past four seasons, the 6’1” Taylor finished the season with 668 kills, 33 aces, 50 blocks, 324 digs, a .389 hit efficiency, and a 91% serve percentage. For Taylor, who will attend and play at Ole Miss next season, it is her fourth straight selection to the all-state first team and her third straight Player of the Year award. Taylor’s 2,498 career kills are the most in VHSL history, and her 46 kills in a game are tied for the VHSL single-game record.
Havens led Giles to a 26-2 record and its second Class 1 championship with a 3-0 (25-5, 25-15, 25-16) win over Middlesex in the state finals. For 11 seasons, she has directed the Spartans program, collecting a 214-60 career record. In the semifinals, her Spartans halted defending champion Auburn 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18), which ended the Eagles’ bid for a seventh consecutive Class 1 title.
The all-state volleyball team consists of nine position players and one libero. Only those players selected to the all-region first-team are eligible for selection to the all-state team. The all-state selection committee comprises eight coaches, with two from each region.
