Tatum Brandt, Randall volleyball, Sr.
On the court: Brandt was a key cog helping the Randall Lady Raiders win the UIL Class 4A state volleyball championship in a sweep of Aubrey last Saturday. The Libero had a tremendous state tournament. Though her numbers don’t always show it, Brandt is the heart and soul of Randall’s team with her valuable senior leadership on and off the court. In a sweep of Huffman Hargrave in the state semifinals, Brandt hit the floor for seven digs. During the state championship win over Aubrey, Brandt had 11 digs with three big aces, and a kill. Brandt has overcome two knee surgeries since her eighth-grade year and was recently named District 4-4A Defensive Player of the Year.
Coach Haleigh Burns: “Tatum is one of heck of player. Being her coach has been an honor. I have watched her grow and become a servant leader and be the right person for our team this year. She was in the gym everyday finding ways to be better to help others get better. I never had to ask for her to be more, she just did it and could tell when I needed her to be the calm on the court. Tatum has a great presence on the court, and it is felt by her teammates. She is smart and a dominant player in serve receive and defense. Watching her play her heart out this weekend was incredible. She may have not got some of the awards, but our team knows that she is a huge part of our success and the reason we are who we are. I am so proud of Tatum, and I have loved coaching her. What a way to come back on the court and finish out her senior year. She made waves and set a legacy for others behind her.”
Brandt: “It’s such a rewarding feeling to win a state championship and being a senior. I’ve been through two different ACL surgeries in four years so this is definitely worth it. I couldn’t ask for anything better in my playing career. I’ve switched positions, I’ve done everything asked and I feel I’m a completely different player than I was in August. I’m a defensive Libero and I’ve really come far in my serve-receive and I’m proud of myself for that. But nothing was more special than getting to share this with my teammates. We’re all so close and have great chemistry, and we all just love coach (Haleigh) Burns. She is the best and will do anything for us. She sacrifices so much so it was amazing to win one for her.”
About Brandt
Favorite band or musician: Taylor Swift
Favorite social media platform: Instagram
Favorite athlete: Misty May-Treanor
Bet you didn’t know: She wants to be an orthopedic surgeon
Parents: Cory and Shellie Brandt