Apple Valley’s Madison Rizzardi is the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week

There were 63,691 votes cast in the race for the Joe Orthodontics High School Athlete of the Week poll.

Apple Valley volleyball player Madison Rizzardi ended with 52.3% of the total votes cast by Daily Press readers.

The senior received 33,281 votes, beating out 17 other high school athletes from across the High Desert.

To earn a spot on the ballot, Rizzardi recorded six kills, four aces, five blocks, five digs and 16 assists in a 3-0 victory over Serrano on Sept. 15. She added four kills, seven aces, two blocks, 11 digs and 11 assists in a 3-0 victory over Hesperia on Sept. 17.

In the voting, Rizzardi beat Sultana's Leila Pele, who received 28.6% at 18,193 total votes.

The nominees were selected based on performances between Sept. 14 through Sept. 19.

Nominations are based on information available to the Daily Press. All high school varsity players from the High Desert can be considered for the ballot.

Nominations must be received for consideration by Sunday morning following that week's games. Anyone can nominate an Athlete of the Week for every varsity sport.

Want to get to know our winner a little better? Check out what Rizzardi had to say.

How long have you played volleyball, and how did you get started: I've played volleyball for five years. I got started from helping my older sister try out for her volleyball team, and I just fell in love with it too.

What do you like most about volleyball: I like the team spirit that we have and just the atmosphere that I've had on all the teams that I've played on.

What's your pregame ritual: I think just from my last club season, we've been praying before every game, and that's just been getting us ready for every game.

What's your most memorable sports moment: Probably when I beat my older sister at our JV tournament when she was on the varsity team.

What's the most embarrassing thing that's happened to you during a game: So, I'm a setter for volleyball, and I made the mistake of setting the ball instead of serving it at my club tournament.

What are some of your hobbies: I mostly just bake and read when I'm not doing any volleyball or school stuff.

What's something you're really good at: Probably just volleyball and school. Probably math at school, actually.

What's something you're terrible at: I'm terrible at soccer or using my feet at all.

If you had an extra hour every day, how would you spend it: I would probably be reading my books if I had an extra hour.

What's your favorite subject in school: If I can't count my elective, I'd say math. But Medical and Health Science Technology is my favorite.

What's your least favorite subject: English.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go: I'd probably go to Italy just because it looks so pretty, and that's also where my family comes from.

What superpower do you wish you had: I wish I could read minds because I think it'd be cool to know what everyone's thinking.

What's the first thing you'd buy if you became a millionaire tomorrow: I would buy a coffee shop so I could have coffee whenever I want.

What's your favorite meal: My mom's pesto pasta.

What's your favorite restaurant: Vince's Spaghetti.

What's your go-to fast-food order: A No. 2 Animal Style at In-N-Out.

What food could you eat every day: Probably my dad's steak.

What's your favorite song: "Change of Heart" by Megan Moroney

What song gets you hyped up on game day: Either "On the Floor" by Jennifer Lopez or "No Scrubs" by TLC.

What song are you embarrassed to admit you know the words to: The whole "Sofia the First" theme song.

What's your favorite sports team: Los Angeles Angels

Who's your favorite athlete: Bergen Reilly, of the University of Nebraska volleyball team.

Who's your favorite superhero: Probably Wonder Woman. I've always liked Wonder Woman since I was little.

What's your favorite movie: "10 Things I Hate About You"

Be sure to nominate athletes for next school week's ballot through email to sports reporter Jose Quintero at JQuintero@VVDailyPress.com. Feel free to also reach out to him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @J0seQuintero, or on Instagram at @760Varsity. Please include a player's statistics and a photo if possible.