As the whistle blows and the crowd swallows the noise of the gym, sophomore Sam Andrade calmly stands in the backcourt, eyeing his competition. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and bounces the volleyball twice on the court. As he exhales, he glances up and tosses the ball in the air. Floating above the court, he smashes the ball over the net. His opponents dive for the ball, but to no avail. As the crowd erupts, he maintains his composure, nonchalantly pumping his fist — the point is no surprise for Andrade, who has one of the most lethal serves in the Prep League.
Andrade’s sister introduced him to volleyball when he was nine years old, and he fell in love with the game immediately. He attributes much of his success on the court to his mother’s constant encouragement and unwavering support.
The varsity hitter is also a leader, holding his teammates accountable with his experience and competitive edge.
Sophomore and teammate Cashel Barnes said, “Everyday the team walks into the gym with the goal to be better than Sam because nobody wants it more than him.”
With the departure of many seniors from last season, Andrade has stepped up for the young team. Coming off of a stunning freshman year, when he earned Second Team all Prep League honors, won an undefeated Prep League Championship and went to the CIF Southern Section Division Four Semifinals, Andrade has only improved.
With his skill and competitive attitude, Andrade hopes to win three CIF Championships. He has also already completed his goal of three-peating as a Prep League Champion with the Panthers’ dominating win against the Providence Pioneers on Thursday, Apr. 17, which pushed their Prep League record to an undefeated 11-0 and overall record to 12-3, crowning themselves as 2025 Prep League Champions.
With his unique serve, the hitter gives his team the leg up in their matches.
“Sam is such a dynamic player, and the team looks to his strong serve behind the line and his offense at the net to get the crucial sideout,” shared coach Katrina Damasco.
Leading the Panthers with an astounding 11.5 kills per game, Andrade, the Prep League’s most well-rounded player, is one of his team’s go-to hitters and can get points from any position.
“Sam is a favorite target. He carries a lot of our offensive load,” said coach Jack Prater.
An ideal teammate, Andrade is full of energy and is already one of his team’s leaders as a younger athlete in the volleyball program. It’s safe to say that Andrade can do it all on the volleyball court.
The Panthers always look at Andrade to get them out of tough situations. His high vertical jump, powerful hitting and volleyball skill make him a dangerous opponent for the rest of the Prep League. In the years to come, Andrade’s versatility will be a frightening facet for opponents to encounter during their matchups.