ESPN to televise volleyball tourney featuring defending state champion Hamilton

by Adnan Alam
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By Harrison Zhang
Cronkite News

CHANDLER – The Hamilton High School volleyball team is led by a senior trio of Division I-bound players, but before they head off to college, the group has its eyes set on another AIA 6A state title.

And Friday night, a national audience will have the opportunity to see the team on its quest.

The Huskies are one of four elite teams from around the country invited to the Geico Girls Volleyball Invitational at Hamilton. The event is part of a newly launched ESPN Girls High School Series, and the tournament games will air on ESPNU and ESPN+.

Also participating are Hamilton’s opponent Friday, Assumption High School in Louisville, Kentucky; Mountain Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati; and Marymount High School in Los Angeles.

Last season, the Huskies topped Perry, 3-1, to win their first state championship in school history. The team has only dropped two sets this season in matches it has won, outscoring opponents 52-2 during that 22-match stretch.

Outside hitter Jordan Middleton is headed to Los Angeles to join the USC Trojans. Middleton, the No. 2 ranked player in PrepVolleyball.com’s Top 150 Class of 2022 players, also competed with the USA Volleyball U20 team this summer.

Middleton’s counterpart, Micah Gryniewicz, who’s also an outside hitter, is set to enroll at the University of Alabama in the spring. Gryniewicz is seeking to follow up her second-team all-conference season with another run for the 6A state title.

Rounding out the trio is libero and team captain Tatum Thomas, who’s staying in town to attend Grand Canyon University. She also was named to the second-team all-conference list last season.

The Huskies are 22-3 and on a 20-match win streak. Their last loss came on Sept. 4. They play Assumption at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

Among the leaders on the Hamilton High School girls volleyball team is senior outside hitter Jordan Middleton, who is PrepVolleyball.com’s No. 2 ranked player in the Class of 2022. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
Middleton had a variety of offers but is committed to play volleyball at USC. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
The Huskies are the defending state champions and have swept every match they have won this season. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
Before Tatum Thomas and Micah Gryniewicz head to college, both are looking to repeat as 6A state champions. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
Senior libero Tatum Thomas is committed to play volleyball at Grand Canyon University. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
Thomas is the team captain for the Hamilton Huskies. Leadership has been one of the key’s to Hamilton’s success. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
To help keep their win streak alive, the Huskies swept the Basha Bears – 25-15, 25-6, 25-9 – at home on Sep. 29. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)
Senior outside hitter Gryniewicz will play volleyball in the South and is committed to the University of Alabama. (Photo by Harrison Zhang/Cronkite News)