Burroughs High senior outside hitter Danielle Ryan, who will be attending San Francisco State where she will play volleyball, was honored twice after being named to the All-CIF Southern Section Division II-A first team, and also tabbed the Pacific League co-Player of the Year along with teammate Marin Grote, a sophomore who plays middle blocker and outside hitter.
This is a well-deserved honor for the soft-spoken, but always reliable and steady Ryan, who became the first Burroughs girls’ volleyball player to be named to the All-CIF first team since middle blocker Caitlin Cottrell in 2012.
Cottrell is currently an assistant coach on the junior varsity squad and the varsity to Edwin Real.
Ryan and Grote formed a dynamic duo and was an almost unstoppable offensive force as the Indians went 20-10 overall and undefeated in league play at 14-0.
This was the first time in three years that the Indians claimed the league title.
Burroughs advanced to the quarterfinals but fell to Serrano in five games.
The Indians began their playoff run with sweeps over Bonita in the opening round and Pacifica Oxnard.
Ryan, who was named to the Pacific League second team in 2014, had 125 kills in league action, while the 6-foot-4 Grote, who plays center on the basketball team, chipped in with 115 kills in league play. Grote made the first team last season as a freshman.
Other first teamers include the Indians’ senior defensive specialist Samantha Sullivan and sophomore setter Payton Jensen, while Burbank had sophomore setter Melissa Daniel, who finished with 299 assists, also made the team.
Burroughs junior middle blocker Caleigh Paster was selected to the second team, while Burbank, which went 15-13, 8-6 in league for fourth place and lost in the opening round to Palm Springs, had junior libero Carly Palmisano make the squad.
Honorable mention went to Burroughs sophomore outside hitter Julianna Cottrell, and Burbank junior outside hitter Hailey Heath.
