There were over 350,000 votes cast in the week-long race for the Victorville Chevrolet 2024-25 Multisport High School Athlete of the Year polls.
Granite Hills’ Isabel Villa garnered 41.97% of 244,269 total votes in the girls poll.
Villa received 102,528 votes, beating out eight other high school girl athletes from across the High Desert.
Hesperia Christian’s volleyball and basketball standout Kailey New received 36.07%, with 88,108 total votes.
Villa is a sophomore and a four-sport athlete, including participating in two sports during the same season, running cross-country and playing on the volleyball team.
She then turned to water polo during the winter season and wound up the team’s MVP with 62 goals, 11 assists and 14 steals, before wrapping up the school year as part of the swim team.
One of Villa’s most memorable moments of the season came during the cross-country season as she thought she might lose her varsity spot. She ended up leading the Cougars with a time of 20:49.5 at the Desert Sky League Cross-Country Finals, which was good for second place overall.
Want to get to know our winner a little better? Check out what Villa had to say.
- How long have you played each of your sports and how did you get started in each: Volleyball, I have been playing for over seven years. My mom played volleyball throughout her school years and she signed me up for my first class as one of her attempts to get me into sports. After that she signed me up for soccer and many other sports but I fell in love with volleyball. The joy I had in the game and the rush you feel for every ball. I fell in love with it. After that, she signed me up for more beach volleyball training practices and my journey began. Later, I became an All-league player as well as Division 4 champions with my club team called Rancho. Cross-country, I have been running for two seasons now. I knew I needed to get conditioned and faster for volleyball now that I was playing high competitive volleyball in club so I decided to join cross-country. I met amazing people, and when I got my first medal at my first invitational race, the excitement took over and the pure joy of seeing improvement had motivated me to stay in the sport. Water polo, this was my first season. I got into it because of swim and my swim coach had encouraged me to join. I was already a strong swimmer with a strong arm because of volleyball and high endurance because of cross-country. It brought out my competitiveness in me and the adrenaline you get with every goal was the best feeling ever. I ended up with 63 goals for the season and became an all-league player my first year. Swimming, I have done for two seasons now. I have always been a good swimmer due to my past activities of surfing and swimming lessons. I decided to try competitive swimming and I wasn’t half bad. I became a fly and freestyle swimmer and I later progressed to become a 200 IM swimmer.
- Which sport would you say is your favorite to play and why: I honestly cannot decide which sport I love the most. I love volleyball for the game, and the people I meet along the way. I love cross-country for the results and the constant desire and drive to get better. I love water polo for how it brings out my competitive and aggressive side. I love swimming for the environment and the people. If I had to pick just one, it would be volleyball. This sport has taught me so many lessons on and off the court. I have given sweat and tears into this sport and it has seen me at my best and my worst. I have met incredible people along the way, even some that I’m still close with after two to three years. I love this sport and I hope to continue to play in my future years.
- What do you like most about playing a different sport year-round: The changes in environment. I have met many different amazing people. I also learn so many different life lessons through each of these sports. Playing all these different sports has brought out the athlete in me in many different ways.
- Do you have a pregame ritual: Before every game, tournament, race or swim meet, I always pray to God. I do prayers to myself before each event to calm myself in the moment as I get ready to perform. Sometimes I will lead the prayers for others. I also have to blast my playlist to escape the world around me as I focus on the game and envision how I will play.
- What’s your most memorable sports moment: When I came back off of injury towards the end of my cross-country season after missing almost all the races. In my last league race, I was worried for my spot in varsity and I knew I had to perform well. You could call it adrenaline or competitiveness but I had cut two minutes off my P.R and ran a 20:47 3-mile time that race, coming in second place for league and first for my school.
- If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be and why: I would be a professional athlete like Simone Biles. A woman of such power, success and drive. I want to see how they train and what goes on mentally for them as an athlete and how they overcome it.
- Someone hands you $1 million, how would you spend it: I would save it up for college if I don’t go for a full-ride. If I didn’t have to pay for college then I would save up to buy my very own veterinarian clinic.
- Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world and why: I would go to London because that is where my mom spent her 20s as she went to college there. Her and I dream of visiting London in the future where she can show me where she lived, ate, worked and where she went to school. It truly would be an exciting experience.
- If you had an extra hour every day, how would you spend it: If I had an extra hour every day, it would provide me with more flexibility in balancing my extracurricular activities and academics. Maintaining a 4.7 GPA is something I’m proud of, but I’m always striving for even more. Having an additional hour would ease the pressure of my time management, allowing me to dedicate more time to both my studies and personal life. Most importantly, I would use this extra time to be with my family.
- What is something interesting or unique that most people don’t know about you: I like listening to murder podcasts on my way to tournaments or races.
- Do you have any hobbies: I really like to paint flowers and people. I am also a lifeguard at my local Apple Valley pool and I spend a lot of time there. I also really like to read.
- What superpower do you wish you had: I wish I could fly.
- Favorite sports team: Nebraska women’s volleyball team
- Favorite athlete: Sha’Carri Richardson
- Favorite superhero: The Flash
- Favorite show: “Grey’s Anatomy”
- Favorite movie: “13 Going on 30”
- Favorite song: “Hairdresser on Fire” by Morrissey
- Favorite meal: Pizza everyday, all day
- Favorite snack: Fruits like mango or strawberries
- Favorite restaurant: Chipotle
- Favorite app: Instagram or Pinterest
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Isabel Villa voted the 2024-25 Multisport Female Athlete of the Year