We featured Lydia Chinchar as our Player of the Week just weeks after she led Carrollwood Day to the Florida 3A state championship. We learned how she got her start in volleyball, the team’s approach to the season, the emotions of winning a state title and lots more. You can read all about it here.

Given the freshman right side’s terrific season, she not only emerged as a top Freshman Player of Year contender, but she proved herself as more than worthy of earning our award for Freshman Player of the Year. The 4-star recruit’s powerhouse season featured a team-leading 573 kills, nearly 250 more than the next leader. She averaged a whopping 6.3 kills per set while hitting a remarkable .428. On top of that, she was second in digs (266) and blocks (67) and third in aces (37). If that wasn’t enough, she had her best match with a season-high 37 kills in the state championship match. It was one of two times she had at least 31 kills. She also had nine additional matches with at least 20 kills or more.

“There are a lot of great freshmen and it’s really an honor to have this award,” Lydia said. “It’s absolutely amazing that you picked me as the top freshman. It’s really cool.”

The state championship campaign was a family affair. Lydia’s sister, Naomi, is a senior and the starting setter. Their dad, Douglas, is the head coach. The foundation of success was laid down a season ago, when Lydia was able to play varsity as an eighth-grader. The Patriots’ run, however, ended in the regional quarterfinals.

Naomi feels that played a role in Lydia’s improvement her freshman season.

“I think she started taking volleyball a little more serious,” said Naomi, who is committed to West Point. “She saw me being recruited and I think that drove her to saying yes, I really want to do this. She started working out more. She practiced with more confidence and more strategy.”

Lydia grew up setting and hitting. She was part of a 6-2 this past club season for No Name 16 Sarah. Yet, she’s strictly been a right side in high school. For her dad, it was an easy choice to keep her on the right and resist the urge to put his best player on the left side.

“A lot of people ask that question,” Douglas said. “She’s always set a 6-2 in club, so she’s comfortable on the right side. There are very few players in college who are great right side players and I feel she can be a great right side player instead of just another outside. Another huge advantage in that decision is Naomi can get her the ball. She can set behind her with the best of them. A lot of setters can’t get them the ball. Naomi can find Lydia on bad passes. She can get her swings. She can get her into a rhythm.”

Since Lydia has been playing up two age groups in club, Douglas didn’t feel being a young player on varsity mattered too much since Lydia was used to playing with girls older than her. Still, his daughter was shouldering a huge load, especially with opponents game planning to stop her every match.

“Of course, I love Lydia,” Naomi said. “She’s a great person and a great teammate. I admire her so much with the pressure she’s had. Everyone relied on her. If Lydia had a bad game we were going to struggle. I know she felt that pressure in the state playoffs, but she continued to carry herself with such confidence. I know I couldn’t have done that my freshman year.”

Selecting the Freshman of the Year was not an easy process. Lydia was hardly alone with turning in a fabulous season, one deserving of major recognition and respect. She beat out talented players such as Peyton Heatherly and Gentry Barker.

Heatherly ran a 5-1 and helped Mother McAuley repeat as the Illinois 4A state champion. Barker led Lovejoy in kills as the Leopards brought home the Texas 5A state title. However, the decision in selecting Lydia over them came down to the fact she was the undisputed best player on her team and arguably the most dominating player in the state of Florida regardless of class.

That she produced a season-high 37 kills in the state championship victory over Westminster Christian only solidified her being named vballrecruiter.com’s Freshman Player of the Year.

“It was incredible,” Naomi said. “She kept finding new spots to hit and switching it up. She was reading the block so well. She even tipped on certain balls. It’s amazing how smart she is and her court awareness. It was great to cheer her on in such a big moment.”