Byron Nelson junior Sophee Peterson was awarded her biggest accolade yet when Gatorade named her the National Volleyball Player of the Year.
According to Northwest ISD, Peterson was surprised when Byron Nelson head coach Brianne Groth led her to the gym, where she thought she was getting fitted for her second state championship ring.
Instead, Peterson’s family, teammates and three-time Olympic medalist April Ross awaited to give her Gatorade National Player of the Year trophy.
Peterson was also named Gatorade’s Texas Player of the Year, but took it one step further, being selected out of more than 500,000 other high school volleyball student-athletes considered for national recognition.
“Joining the elite group of Gatorade Player of the Year alumni means being part of a community of athletes who have gone on to define their sports,” said Jennifer Schmidt, the senior director for Gatorade brand marketing. “Sophee has proven that she belongs in this group of greats and we can’t wait to watch her continue on to greatness in the years to come.”
Future greatness will be Peterson’s senior year, where she will vie for a third consecutive state and national title.
Peterson is just the fourth Texas volleyball player to earn the award. She is the first to earn it before her senior year.
The Bobcats finished the 2025 season 42-0 and will enter the 2026 season on a 78-match winning streak.
According to Northwest ISD, Byron Nelson is just the second team in Texas to win back-to-back titles while losing one match in the span in the UIL’s top classification.
Following her high school career, Peterson is committed to play in the Southeastern Conference for Texas A&M University, the reigning NCAA National Champions.
In addition to her trophy, Gatorade will provide Peterson with support from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) so she can perform and recover at her best.
According to Gatorade, Player of the Year athletes are not just the best of the best in their sports, they also serve as a role model for the next generation of athletes.
Gatorade recognized Peterson for her commitment to community and academics.
She is a member of Byron Nelson’s BioMedical Academy and earned her “white coat” rating this year. She has also donated her time to the Byron Nelson Youth Volleyball Camp as a program leader throughout the year.
Peterson has also maintained a 4.64 weighted GPA.
Southern Denton County athletes have a history of excelling in their sports, including gaining national recognition.
In 2023, Denton Guyer quarterback Jackson Arnold was awarded the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year before he continued his athletic and academic career at the University of Oklahoma and Auburn University.
Before that, in 2022, Flower Mound had two nationally-recognized athletes. Soccer star Sydney Becerra and cross country/track star Natalie Cook both earned the Gatorade award in their respective sports.
In 2016, Flower Mound basketball star Lauren Cox was named the 2015-2016 Gatorade Texas Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
