Volleyball Player of the Year: SHP's Cate Desler
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All season long, Sacred Heart Prep volleyball’s senior outside hitter was focused on one thing — elevating her team to championship status, a goal she hadn’t realized in league, section or state postseason play in her three previous varsity seasons.
And the story of how Desler led the Gators to their first title of any kind since 2012 — beyond her ranking first in total kills in the state of California, or her being named West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division Most Valuable Player — is why she has been named the Daily Journal Volleyball Player of the Year.
“She was a pinnacle part of our team, both on and off the court she did her best to include everyone to get the team bonding,” Sacred Heart Prep senior setter Haley Martella said. “That’s such a huge aspect of our amazing team dynamic, is it started off her willingness to help out everyone.”
When the Gators were at their best, Desler carried them as well. Even through a postseason bout of influenza heading into the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs.
“I just knew I had to push through no matter what was happening,” Desler said. “No matter what happens to me, you’ve just got to keep playing.”
Sacred Heart Prep had already missed in its pursuit of the league title, finishing in third place in the WBAL Foothill.
Then after suffering through two CCS playoff victories, Desler arrived for the championship match coughing, sniffling and white as a sheet. Once again, Sacred Heart Prep was denied a title, as WBAL rival Notre Dame-Belmont seized the CCS Division IV crown with a four-set victory.
But with the Gators advancing to the CCS championship game, they earned a berth in the CIF Northern California Division II playoffs. And it was there a recuperated Desler led Sacred Heart Prep’s redemption, scoring victories over Del Oro-Loomis and Nevada Union-Grass Valley before prevailing in a rematch with Notre Dame-Belmont in the Nor Cal semifinals.
Then, by the most dramatic of margins in the Nor Cal championship match — a 25-16, 25-20, 18-25, 14-25, 17-15 thriller at Carlmont — Sacred Heart Prep earned its first banner of any kind since two years prior to Desler’s arrival, and the first since coaches Ali Magner and Ali Taufoou took over the program in 2014.
“I just knew since freshman year, Ali and Ali said we’re going to get something on the wall,” Desler said. “And last year we came so, so close.”
Indeed, the 2016 postseason was a heartbreaker. The Gators entered the CCS Division IV bracket as the No. 1 seed, but ultimately fell in the championship match to Monte Vista Christian.
The silver lining was the marked improvement the program saw in 2016.
When Desler was the lone freshman to make the varsity cut in 2014, Magner — then in her first season — recognized the talent in the tall, powerful outside hitter, and that she was a player upon whom to build the program.
“We saw Cate and we knew she was so special,” Magner said. “She dedicated herself not just this year, but since the moment she walked into that gym she bled Gators volleyball.”
The Gators posted an 18-14 overall record in 2014, then in Desler’s sophomore season improved to 19-11. Last year, in earning CCS Division IV runner-up and CIF Northern California final four status, Sacred Heart Prep went 26-12.
And through a club season with Vision Volleyball Club between her junior and senior seasons, Desler resolved to keep the Gators improving. Already a franchise player, she took it to another level as a senior, leading the Gators to a 29-9 record.
“She’s consistent and she executed,” Magner said. “You know you’re going to put the ball in her hands and she’s going to get the job done. She really understood this year you have to have a diverse game. … She really truly blossomed as a strategic player.”
What distinguished Desler this season was her ability to vary her shots. Already a daunting terminator with a powerful swing, the 6-1 outside hitter added finesse to her attacking game. It helped her total 725 kills on the year, over 100 more than the state’s second leading kill getter, James Logan-Union City senior Tatiana Toleafoa with 609. Desler also ranked sixth in the state with 5.8 kills per set.
Then, there was the leadership, which was second to none, according to Magner.
“Cate is a very silent leader, if you will,” Magner said. “She’s quiet, she’s very humble as an athlete, which I think when you have that level of skillset is rare.”
Next season, Desler will take that star-quality skillset to Tufts University, a Division III program in Massachusetts where she will have the opportunity to be an impact presence from the get-go.
As for her legacy as one of the Sacred Heart Prep all-time greats?
“I hope I left a good legacy of continued leadership,” Desler said. “Somebody who brings a lot of smiles and happiness to the court. … Volleyball is a sisterhood and we all love each other so much. We’ll all do anything for each other.”
Back
Soldiering through the postseason was no easy task for Cate Desler.
All season long, Sacred Heart Prep volleyball’s senior outside hitter was focused on one thing — elevating her team to championship status, a goal she hadn’t realized in league, section or state postseason play in her three previous varsity seasons.
And the story of how Desler led the Gators to their first title of any kind since 2012 — beyond her ranking first in total kills in the state of California, or her being named West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division Most Valuable Player — is why she has been named the Daily Journal Volleyball Player of the Year.
“She was a pinnacle part of our team, both on and off the court she did her best to include everyone to get the team bonding,” Sacred Heart Prep senior setter Haley Martella said. “That’s such a huge aspect of our amazing team dynamic, is it started off her willingness to help out everyone.”
When the Gators were at their best, Desler carried them as well. Even through a postseason bout of influenza heading into the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs.
“I just knew I had to push through no matter what was happening,” Desler said. “No matter what happens to me, you’ve just got to keep playing.”
Sacred Heart Prep had already missed in its pursuit of the league title, finishing in third place in the WBAL Foothill.
Then after suffering through two CCS playoff victories, Desler arrived for the championship match coughing, sniffling and white as a sheet. Once again, Sacred Heart Prep was denied a title, as WBAL rival Notre Dame-Belmont seized the CCS Division IV crown with a four-set victory.
But with the Gators advancing to the CCS championship game, they earned a berth in the CIF Northern California Division II playoffs. And it was there a recuperated Desler led Sacred Heart Prep’s redemption, scoring victories over Del Oro-Loomis and Nevada Union-Grass Valley before prevailing in a rematch with Notre Dame-Belmont in the Nor Cal semifinals.
Then, by the most dramatic of margins in the Nor Cal championship match — a 25-16, 25-20, 18-25, 14-25, 17-15 thriller at Carlmont — Sacred Heart Prep earned its first banner of any kind since two years prior to Desler’s arrival, and the first since coaches Ali Magner and Ali Taufoou took over the program in 2014.
“I just knew since freshman year, Ali and Ali said we’re going to get something on the wall,” Desler said. “And last year we came so, so close.”
Indeed, the 2016 postseason was a heartbreaker. The Gators entered the CCS Division IV bracket as the No. 1 seed, but ultimately fell in the championship match to Monte Vista Christian.
The silver lining was the marked improvement the program saw in 2016.
When Desler was the lone freshman to make the varsity cut in 2014, Magner — then in her first season — recognized the talent in the tall, powerful outside hitter, and that she was a player upon whom to build the program.
“We saw Cate and we knew she was so special,” Magner said. “She dedicated herself not just this year, but since the moment she walked into that gym she bled Gators volleyball.”
The Gators posted an 18-14 overall record in 2014, then in Desler’s sophomore season improved to 19-11. Last year, in earning CCS Division IV runner-up and CIF Northern California final four status, Sacred Heart Prep went 26-12.
And through a club season with Vision Volleyball Club between her junior and senior seasons, Desler resolved to keep the Gators improving. Already a franchise player, she took it to another level as a senior, leading the Gators to a 29-9 record.
“She’s consistent and she executed,” Magner said. “You know you’re going to put the ball in her hands and she’s going to get the job done. She really understood this year you have to have a diverse game. … She really truly blossomed as a strategic player.”
What distinguished Desler this season was her ability to vary her shots. Already a daunting terminator with a powerful swing, the 6-1 outside hitter added finesse to her attacking game. It helped her total 725 kills on the year, over 100 more than the state’s second leading kill getter, James Logan-Union City senior Tatiana Toleafoa with 609. Desler also ranked sixth in the state with 5.8 kills per set.
Desler also blossomed into a complete player, ranking second on the Gators in aces (71), blocks (71) and digs (6.7 per set).
Then, there was the leadership, which was second to none, according to Magner.
“Cate is a very silent leader, if you will,” Magner said. “She’s quiet, she’s very humble as an athlete, which I think when you have that level of skillset is rare.”
Next season, Desler will take that star-quality skillset to Tufts University, a Division III program in Massachusetts where she will have the opportunity to be an impact presence from the get-go.
As for her legacy as one of the Sacred Heart Prep all-time greats?
“I hope I left a good legacy of continued leadership,” Desler said. “Somebody who brings a lot of smiles and happiness to the court. … Volleyball is a sisterhood and we all love each other so much. We’ll all do anything for each other.”
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12
