MVP, coach honors for Buchanan girls volleyball after D-I title; plus Bee All-Stars
Grace Goudy led the way for the Buchanan High volleyball team all season.
The senior gathered her teammates and set a goal, among others, to win championships.
“I just think our chemistry just made the vibe on the court to play our best every game,”
And it started in the offseason, after the Bears finished 28-17 overall a year ago but fourth in the Tri-River Athletic Conference at 3-7.
Buchanan didn’t want any part of that kind of record this season.
The Bears made an offseason habit to run miles once a week.
“It was our goal,” Goudy said. “We had a lot of goals.”
All Buchanan did in 2023 was to dominate from the start of the season to the end.
The Bears won the TRAC at 9-1 and followed with a Central Section Division I title in a four-set win over San Luis Obispo.
In that title match, Goudy finished with 12 kills with 64 attack attempts. She also had 24 digs.
For the season, Goudy had 434 kills, 1,172 attack attempts and 361 digs.
Goudy, The Fresno Bee Volleyball Player of the Year, describes herself as a “leader for my teammates and that’s what I work to be as the captain every single day.”
“I put a lot of time in three or four years,” she said. “It paid off.”
Buchanan coach John Jay calls Goudy the “face of our program for this year, and she’s carried us for the last couple of years.”
Jay pointed to the wall where former Bears are recognized for earning Player of the Year honors from The Bee and other publications.
“That’s been one of her goals,” Jay said. “She’s obviously going to be missed, but she won’t be forgotten.”
Coach of the Year: John Jay, Buchanan
It had been a while since Buchanan won a section title. Going back to 2018, when the Bears held off Central in four sets.
Buchanan hadn’t even reached the finals since.
This season, Jay wanted different results.
It ended with the ultimate section prize, but he’s not taking full credit.
“It’s all teamwork,” he said.
“You got your captain here, who led the team. ... It’s not just me. It’s all of them. It’s Grace leading all of them and they’re putting in all the work. They actually have to execute and play.”
Jay has coached the Buchanan girls program for the past three seasons and has a 71-51 record, according to section historian Bob Barnett.
He has coached boys volleyball from 2001 through 2023 with a record of 562-183 with 11 league and seven section titles.
“They’re the ones putting in the work,” Jay said. “So very thankful for what they’ve done and their accomplishments.”
The Bee All-Stars
Samantha Aaron, Soph., Buchanan
Asia Allen, Sr., Kingsburg
Avery Barber, Sr., Exeter
Layney Bullard, Sr., Clovis
Devyn Castaneda, Sr., Redwood
Madelyn Feramisco Jr., Clovis East
Valeria Gamez, Jr., Mendota
Clara Garcia, Jr., Buchanan
Lyric Garcia, Sr., Clovis West
Cindy Garcia, Sr., Orange Cove
Gursimran Gill, Sr., Buchanan
Olivia Gleason, Jr., San Joaquin Memorial
Sarah Guglielmana, Soph., Fresno Christian
Spencer Horn, Soph., Immanuel
Audrey Hyde, Sr., Redwood
Macy Lake, Sr., Clovis
Jasmine Lupian, Sr., Orosi
Marissa Merrell, Jr., Dos Palos
Genesis Ocampo, Sr., Orosi
Emily Ramirez, Sr., Avenal
Kylie Roberts, Sr., Washington Union
Ava Rogers, Jr., Clovis North
Rachel Rojas, Sr., Farmersville
Sierra Ruiz, Sr., Orange Cove
Makayla Smith, Sr., Hoover
Lilinoe Spencer, Sr., Central Valley Christian
Avery Starr, Sr., Tulare Western
Jazmaine Stewart, Sr., Farmersville
Allison Wood, Sr., Immanuel
Bianca Zapata, Sr., Dos Palos
