Merritt Sliwa: Athlete of the Week #5

Merritt Sliwa of Girls Volleyball on Her Athlete of the Week Nomination, Experience with Girls Volleyball, and Future Plans Post Graduation.

Daphne Gillam

Athlete of the Week #5, Merritt Sliwa.

Violet O, Staffer

Merritt Sliwa, the 6”0 senior outside hitter, has dominated the HSE Girls Volleyball court since joining the Varsity team her sophomore year, in 2023. Having been selected for the IndyStar Girls Volleyball Super Team in August, it was clear that her strength and skills on the court were being noticed. With almost 400 career kills Sliwa was nominated, and won, Southeastern Sports Network’s Athlete of the Week, Week #5.

Merritt Sliwa accepting her award for Athlete of the Week, Week #5, at Hamilton Southeastern High School on September 17th. (Lila Oliver)

Sliwa, who hadn’t been aware that she had been nominated till she had pulled ahead in the Instagram poll, was shocked to learn that she had been nominated for such an award.

“I didn’t see [that I was nominated] until a bunch of my friends texted me and told me about it,” Sliwa reported. “Once I saw it, I was super excited and hopeful that I would win.”

Its only halfway through the season but Merritt is already on track to beat-out her junior year stats, having already played 50 sets in 16 matches, racking up almost 150 kills so far. Additionally, her hitting percentage is also up from her previous seasons, standing at a .314, landing her #300th in the nation for hitting percentage.

Merritt Sliwa, left, blocking while playing Benton Central Jr-Sr High School, at home, on August 23rd. (Carson Trotter)

Not only has Sliwa been a dominant power on the court, but she has shown true leadership off the court, too.

“[I think] our team is very split, there’s 7 seniors and 7 juniors, so I feel like it’s been really easy for us [seniors] to take up leadership roles. The juniors are also such big leaders, too.” Sliwa reported.

Not only has Sliwa shown excellence in leading her teammates, but in leading her underclassman sister, Maggie Sliwa, through her first year on Varsity, too.

“We’ve all been friends for so long, it just feels like I’m hanging out with all my friends,” Sliwa commented. “[This year], my sisters on the team too, so it feels even more like I’m just hanging out with my sisters.”

Meritt plans to graduate early, in December of this year, and is going to play volleyball at Ball State University. She announced her verbal commitment to play at the University on her public Instagram on July 15th, 2024. Previously, Sliwa had played for the Rev Volleyball Academy, located in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Merritt Sliwa, playing against Pendleton High School, away at Pendleton High School, on September 15th. (Violet O)

When asked about advice for the future of HSE Girls Volleyball, and for her underclassmen teammates, Sliwa commented that,

“My motto this year is kind of ‘Leave everything better than you found it.’ So, whether it’s working extra hard in Student Athletic Council and practice, or just taking the steps towards the hard conversations that need to be had to be a leader. This year I’ve been trying to impose that onto the girls. Somebody needs to step up, somebody always needs to be leading.”.

But being that leader isn’t always easy nor fun, Merritt leaves off with.

“Leading, a lot of times, isn’t fun. Sometimes you have to have a difficult conversation with a coach, or another teammate, but at the end of the day it’s for the best. It’s all for the greater good of the team.”

Merritt was recognized and accepted her award for Southeastern Sports Network’s Athlete of the Week, Week #5, on September 17th, 2025.