MARCH 2023

SPORTS
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
Ava Sarafa (second from left) shares a laugh with fellow University of Kentucky signees (from left) Brooklyn DeLete, Brooke Bultema, Molly Tuozzo and Jordyn Dailey.
Set Up for Success
Ava Sarafa heads to the University of Kentucky
BY STEVE STEIN
Ava Sarafa’s storied volleyball
career at Birmingham Marian
High School is over. Now she’s
getting ready for the next stop in her
journey.
Soon, she’ll be off to the University
of Kentucky to play volleyball for the
national powerhouse Wildcats.
“Time has gone by so quickly since
I verbally committed then signed, especially
since I signed,” she said, referring
to September 4, 2021, when she
made a verbal commitment to Kentucky
just one day after completing an
official three-day visit, and November
9, when she signed her national letter
of intent.
“It’s weird. It’s hit me that I’m getting
close to graduation,” she said.
“Marian has been great to me. The
school is like one big old family. Everyone
has your best interests at heart
and are rooting for you so you can be
your best self.”
Sarafa, a setter, was a member of
three state championship teams at
Marian. The Mustangs won titles in
2020-22, Sarafa’s sophomore, junior,
and senior seasons.
Those are team accomplishments.
She has some impressive individual
ones, too.
She finished second in the voting
for the 2022 Miss Volleyball award to
Ann Arbor Skyline’s Harper Murray,
the No. 1-ranked player in the country,
but she was named player of
the year in the state by Max-
Preps, an All-American by
MaxPreps, and the Division I
Player of the Year in the state
by Prep Dig Michigan. Recently,
Sarafa was named one of
the 25 All-USA Team members
who will be honored as nominees
for national Girls Volleyball
Player of the Year. The
winner will be revealed this summer.
Marian, ranked No. 7 in the country,
defeated Northville 22-25, 25-23, 25-
23, 25-11 for the 2022 state championship
at Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek,
averaging its only loss of the season
and finishing 49-1.
Ava Sarafa won three state volleyball championships
at Marian.
When Northville beat Marian at
the Beast of the East Tournament, the
Mustangs were missing two starters
because of injuries. They had something
to prove in the rematch.
Sarafa had 45 assists and 10 digs in
the championship match.
As a setter, she was in charge of or-
38 CHALDEAN NEWS MARCH 2023