Photo Courtesy of MP Sports Social Media (Nicole Miller)

When it comes to River Valley Conference volleyball in 2023, there was no one better than Dakota Mitchell. Mitchell, a junior libero for the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks was voted RVC South Division Player of the Year by the league’s coaches. The numbers would agree. She led not only the conference, but the state in Class 3A with 639 digs. The second straight season she has led 3A defensively, after posting the highest digs per set number of anyone in 2022. She was also an All-District and All-State pick a year ago.

Along with her defensive prowess, Mitchell had 55 aces, the eighth highest total in 3A and pitched in with 105 assists. She is a verbal commitment to join the Division I North Texas Mean Green volleyball program in Denton after her time as a Golden Hawk. She spoke this week with KCII Sports about what it means to be named Player of the Year. “It means a lot, knowing how much work I’ve put in since I don’t even know how old, knowing that it’s paying off. It felt really good. The amount of All-Conferences we got as a team was crazy. It shows that our girls worked so hard this season to get where we were. I’m so proud of them. It felt good that their hard work is paying off and it’s showing.”

Keyed by Mitchell’s play in the back row, Mid-Prairie put together a 31-11 overall record this season, earning a share of their first conference title since 2002.