Blaire Bayless, senior, competed in the All-America Volleyball Game, consisting of twenty-six of the nation’s best high school players, on January 2nd, 2023 in Orlando, Florida.

“Being alongside some of the top players in the country was an absolute dream,” Bayless said. “I have looked up to a lot of them for many years…I was so honored to be considered an elite athlete alongside these girls.”

The annual All-America Game, sponsored by Under Armour, started in 2021 to honor some of the most elite athletes in the nation. Bayless was hand selected as one of these athletes by a panel of UA judges and received an invite to this exclusive high stakes Volleyball game, streamed on ESPNU.

“…Being on ESPNU was…a dream of mine. I wanted to really soak in this opportunity and not let the nerves get to me. I naturally put a lot of pressure on myself to perform well… however, I trust my abilities as an athlete and I was excited to prove myself in front of the nation and compete at a high level,” Bayless said.

Under Armour divided the twenty-six girls into two teams, Phantom and Speed. Bayless competed on team Phantom as an Outside Hitter.

“[In addition to Outside Hitter], I also played back row. I feel like I helped my team by being a reliable, consistent player,” Bayless said. “I always push to minimize my errors and my team can trust me to make a big play in a tight match.”

In the days leading up to the game, Bayless flew to Orlando, Florida to train.

“I flew out to Orlando on December 30th with another athlete from Dallas who was also invited. They paid for every part of this trip, including the travel,” Bayless said.

In addition, Bayless’ family flew down to Orlando to support her.

“It was really awesome to see them in the crowd cheering me on,” Bayless said, “A lot of my friends and teammates tuned in from home and were sending me pictures and videos of me on their TV which was crazy to me. I’m truly thankful for everyone’s support throughout this experience and them watching me really meant a lot.”

Although Bayless’ team ultimately lost the game, Bayless shared her favorite memory, getting the set winning kill in the third set.

“It kept my team alive in the match and it was overall a big moment for me,” said Bayless, “If you were to tell me three or four years ago that I would’ve been selected to play in the UA Next game alongside some of the best athletes in the nation, I would have never believed you. It was a huge moment for me to see all my training and work pay off and it motivates me to keep pushing myself physically and mentally as I go into my freshman year at Pitt.”

Highlights and more information on the game can be located at: https://underarmournext.com/volleyball/all-america/