Pope John Paul II junior Norah Busch has been named the 2024-25 Gatorade Pennsylvania Volleyball Player of the Year. She is the first student-athlete from PJP II to receive this honor.
Gatorade Player of the Year is a top honor in high school sports, annually recognizing one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media, and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.
Busch, a 6-foot-1 middle hitter, led the Golden Panthers to a 26-0 record and a third straight PIAA Class 3A state title this past season. She compiled 426 kills and 72 service aces, including an 18-kill, five-dig effort to earn match MVP honors in a 3-1 win over Mars Area High School in the state final. She also recorded 77 digs and 58 blocks in addition to posting a .514 kill percentage and a .374 hitting percentage. A two-time First Team All-State honoree, she concluded her junior season with 632 kills and has led the program to a 79-0 record in a Golden Panthers uniform. Busch has made a verbal commitment to play volleyball at North Carolina State University.
The honor not only celebrates the nation’s best high school athletes for their success on the court, but also in the classroom and the community. Busch, a top student at PJP II is a member of the school’s student council and National Honor Society. She also spends time volunteering in the community with Morgan’s Message, which battles mental health within student-athletes.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $5.6 million in grants to winners across more than 2,000 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, click here.
Share this story