Reese Warren signs to play volleyball at Southern Miss

North Bay Haven senior Reese Warren officially signed to continue her volleyball career at the University of Southern Mississippi, capping a standout high school career.

Warren, recently named the Bay County Volleyball Player of the Year, led North Bay Haven with 363 kills, 233 digs and 22 blocks during her senior season. Her all-around play helped anchor the Lady Buccaneers on both offense and defense throughout the year.

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During the signing ceremony, North Bay Haven head volleyball coach Emersonn Cabatu praised Warren not only for her accomplishments on the court, but also for her intelligence and leadership.

“Her smarts and how she plays is just out of this world,” Cabatu said. “There are many times that she just comes up to me and goes, ‘Hey coach, have you maybe thought about this?’ Most of the time, it’s actually a pretty good idea.”

Cabatu said Warren consistently demonstrated a team-first mentality while pushing herself and her teammates to improve every day.

“She’s the type that just wants to go out there and prove and show what she is on the court every single day,” he said.

Reese Warren signing day celebration

Cabatu also compared Warren’s style of play to boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

“You float like a butterfly, but sting like a bee,” Cabatu said. “Every single time I see you, your head and shoulders above that court, and you’re picking out exactly where you want to sting that other team.”

Adebanji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.