Nya Bunton (12, HSU) knew volleyball was for her when she was 13 at a club tryout. Her love for the sport has continued to grow ever since. 

Bunton, a current senior at Manual, started playing volleyball at the age of eight. She explained that her mom made her choose a sport to play: tennis, basketball, volleyball, or swimming.

“I tried out volleyball and I really enjoyed it and actually eventually got good at it,” Bunton said. 

Bunton recalled that at a club tryout when she was 13, a coach approached her and suggested that she play travel ball, leading her to try out for a national team at Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Association (KIVA). She made that travel team and her love for the sport has blossomed since then.

“It was really fun like traveling and getting to meet new people and then like eventually growing and getting good at the sport,” Bunton said.

Bunton recalled her 14U KIVA club year as her favorite volleyball memory when the team won the AAU National Championship. Bunton had broken her leg earlier that year but bounced back and was able to play for most of the season. She explained that she learned one of the most important things volleyball taught her that season: perseverance. 

In 2019, Bunton’s journey at Manual began. She applied to Manual for academics but explained that volleyball played a part in it since she knew about the program. 

In her four years playing for Manual, Bunton, alongside her team, set many historic records, such as a 32-8 record for the 2022 season. 

“To like set new records for the school, winning records, and making it to the regional finals, and then beating Sacred Heart and Mercy. That’s the best thing that’s happened here before,” Bunton said.

This year alone, Bunton was named Miss Kentucky Volleyball by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association and Under Armour All-American. Her most recent accomplishment is being named Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year.

“I’ve been dreaming of that since I got here,” Bunton said about her Gatorade award. 

On top of all of these accolades, Bunton committed during her junior year to play volleyball for the University of Texas. There were many factors that led her to choose Texas, one of which was the prestige of the program and its past success with middle blockers, the position Bunton plays. 

More importantly, Bunton praised the culture of the program, as the team can compete against each other while helping each other grow as players and become friends. She also said the Texas program reminded her of the camaraderie she felt as part of the Manual volleyball program. 

Bunton believes the most important thing Manual volleyball taught her is the mental aspect of the game such as how to be a good teammate and support the team through ups and downs. She also praised the coaches and players for helping her become a better player.

“They are some of the reasons why I have these accolades and doing these big things,” Bunton said.