Sacred Heart Cathedral may have had the best girls’ volleyball season in The City this year, but no player quite meant as much to her team as St. Ignatius outside hitter Claire Healy.

The senior, headed to Division I Bucknell University next season, was not only the Wildcats’ best hitter, but was also their most consistent defensive player.

She also carried St. Ignatius with standout performances throughout the Central Coast Section Division III tournament and was the lone Wildcat in the elite company of the All-West Catholic Athletic League first team.

That’s why she’s The San Francisco Examiner and SanFranPreps.com City Player of the Year.

“We had our award ceremony last week and she got our ‘Fighting Spirit Award,’” St. Ignatius coach Michelle Rybka said. “That award is indicative of her as a player. She’s a hard worker, but on top of that she inspires the rest of her team to play with her passion. It’s no surprise she is in the same category as the other elite WCAL hitters.”

The rival Irish are well-represented on our All-City team, though, with junior outside hitter Courtney Wong and junior libero Amanda Lee on the first team, freshman middle blocker Madison Murtagh and junior outside hitter Sarah Jones on the second team, and senior middle blocker Daniella Crismani earning honorable mention.

The rest of the first team is littered with deadly hitters, including Bay Counties League West MVP Katherine Evers from University, first-team All-West Bay Athletic League selection Courtney Sabahi from Mercy and maybe The City’s best pure hitter in St. Ignatius middle blocker Michellie McDonald-O’Brien.

Convent setter Emily O’Reilly rounds out a dynamic first team, as the senior is not only a standout setter, but was also dangerous as a hitter and in the service game for the Cubs.

The private schools dominate the first and second teams, but Balboa junior outside hitter Cynthia Ngan (also a first-team All-AAA pick), who played such a key role in the Buccaneers’ historical season, is the Academic Athletic Association’s lone second-team selection.

The All-City team is senior heavy, but the presence of 15 underclassmen should bode well for San Francisco teams in the next few years.

The most notable young face is Murtagh, a towering net presence that is not only a force on the Irish attack, but also a dominant force on the block. Ngan and the Bucs will also figure to be formidable again, with the return of first-team All-AAA sophomore setter Maribel Matos (honorable mention).

All-City girls’ volleyball

Player of the Year: Claire Healy, senior, outside hitter, St. Ignatius

First team

Katherine Evers, senior, University

Amanda Lee, junior, Sacred Heart Cathedral

Michellie McDonald-O’Brien, senior, St. Ignatius

Emily O’Reilly, senior, Convent

Courtney Sabahi, senior, Mercy

Courtney Wong, junior, Sacred Heart Cathedral

Second team
Antonia Alegria, junior, Mercy

Sarah Jones, junior, Sacred Heart Cathedral

Maria Kemiji-McDonald, senior, St. Ignatius

Madison Murtagh, freshman, Sacred Heart Cathedral

Emily Lee, senior, University

Cynthia Ngan, junior, Balboa

Honorable mention

Karina Berry, senior, Waldorf

Cathy Cai, senior, Lincoln

Daniella Crismani, senior, Sacred Heart Cathedral

Kassi Encinas, sophomore, International

Sofia Fors, junior, International

Monica Garrett, senior, Mercy

Florencia Hasson, senior, Jewish Community

Vivian Lei, senior, Lowell

Maribel Matos, sophomore, Balboa

Ada May, junior, Mercy

Chelan McGinty, senior, Lowell

Bayley McMillan, senior, Bay

Shayna Prochovnick, senior, Balboa

Iris Qasevakatini, junior, Drew

Pauline Ryan, senior, University

Briana Silvestre, sophomore, Leadership

Jade Sparks, sophomore Lick

Lauren Tom, senior, Mercy

Lagitau Vae, senior, Burton

Leah Wesolek, senior, St. Ignatius

Sara Wojciechowski, junior, University

Kara Wong, senior, Lincoln

Zoe Wong, sophomore, St. Ignatius

Teams selected by the editors of The San Francisco Examiner and SanFranPreps.com.