Special season: Modesto’s Galloway is Bee’s Girls Volleyball Player of the Year
Tori Galloway sees a lot of similarities between her current school (Modesto High) and future school (Cal State Los Angeles).
“I really like underdog schools,” the senior outside hitter said. “Modesto High is a great, diverse school and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. At first, I didn’t like it (Cal State LA) but they have great academics and newer facilities but also old buildings just like MoHi.”
Galloway, who signed with Cal State LA on Nov. 30, said she liked how diverse the school is and it’s “not too big or too small.”
After leading the Panthers to their third straight season of at least 20 wins, Galloway is the Bee’s Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.
The Panthers went 29-8 and 8-2 in the Central California Athletic League. Galloway was named the MVP and her mom, Traci Harris, was named the Coach of the Year.
“I didn’t think this season was going to be as amazing and as special as it was,” Galloway said. “It was probably the best season of my life.”
Galloway also said the Coach of the Year award was “well-deserved” for her mom, who Harris was a big reason for Modesto’s success in the last three years.
The 5-foot-10 former soccer player led the Panthers with 330 kills and added 237 digs and 86 blocks.
The Golden Eagles signee’s favorite moment of the season came in the first league match of the year against Pitman. Modesto came back from an 11-9 deficit in the fifth set to win 18-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13.
“I will remember that game for the rest of my life,” she said. “It was insane. Every minute of that game was intense.”
At Signing Day, Galloway had her entire family there to support her and she said there were a lot of emotions throughout the day.
“I was really excited, nervous, and anxious,” she said. “It was so crazy. I couldn’t stop smiling.”
About 315 miles separate MoHi and Cal State LA and Galloway said it will be tough to be away from her family, including her mom.
“I am a big homebody so it’s going to be really hard,” she said. “I have never been away from home. It will be nice for her (Traci) just to be my mom and not my coach anymore (because some points during matches were a little stressful).”
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Name: Tori Galloway
Sport: Volleyball
School: Modesto
Year: Senior
Major in college: Undeclared. Would love to study medicine
Favorite Food: Mac and Cheese. Loves to go to Panera Bread to get mac and cheese with a side of bread and a salad
Favorite TV Show: Friends or Grey’s Anatomy
Favorite Movie: Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Favorite Color: Aqua Blue
Hobbies: Sleeping, working out at The Performance Lab, hanging out with friends and family, trying to do something to see who can laugh the hardest
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Dec. 21: Girls Cross Country (Madison Kackley)
Dec. 22: Boys Cross Country: (Alan Guerrero)
Dec. 23: Football (Dawaiian McNeely and Michael Kamps)
Dec. 24: Girls Golf (Madison Blanc)
Dec. 25: Girls Tennis (Colleen Ballatore)
Dec. 26: Volleyball (Tori Galloway)
Dec. 27: Girls Water Polo
Dec. 28: Boys Water Polo
This story was originally published December 25, 2018 at 6:05 AM.
