Highland Park’s libero, Gigi Whann, performs her magic but gives all credit to her teammates
By Chuck Licata, Big Daddy Media CEO/Co-Owner
I had a chance recently to have an in-depth chat with Gigi (Georgia) Whann, the outstanding 5-foot-7 senior libero for state-ranked Highland Park who will head to the University of Arizona to continue her education and volleyball career. As of this writing, Gigi has 1,665 career digs for her high school career. Below is part of that conversation. But first, a list of Gigi’s many awards and honors (among others):
Overall:
Club Volleyball: 9 National Championship medals in highest division for each age group of USAV &AAU (2 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze) Clubs: Madfrog 2018-19; Frisco Flyers 2021-22; Dallas Skyline 2023-24; TAV Dallas 2025
2025: All-Tournament Team: NISD Classic and Volleypalooza
2024: Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) 5A All-State; Texas 5A All Area; 11-5A Libero of the Year/ First Team All District
2023: 7-6A Libero of the Year/First Team All District
Current 2025 stats (as of 9/12): 87 sets played, 472 digs (10th in Texas, according to Maxpreps stats), 2.37 passer rating, 97 assists; 38 aces; 91.5% serve percentage.
Chuck Licata: So what makes Gigi Whann a great defensive player?
Gigi Whann: Honestly, I give the credit all to my hitters and my blockers when they put up a good block. It’s easy for me to read on defense. So all credit to them. I just put my body on the floor and everything. I make sure I’m set and ready to go and make a move towards the ball.
Chuck Licata: But when you get to the level you are, there has to be an instinct that you can’t teach. What is your instinct?
Gigi Whann: I just tell myself they’re going to hit the ball. You just have to have your hands, like, straight up and just go for it. (You can’t) be scared of the hitter on the other side. It doesn’t matter. I mean, you can just get a touch on it and get it high enough for the setter.
Chuck Licata: What’s it like to be the libero for this team?
Gigi Whann: Oh, it’s great. It’s been so much fun. I love getting to lead my team and we’re working hard a lot right now in practice.
Chuck Licata: What’s it like to put the Highland Park Scots uniform on.
Gigi Whann: Oh, it’s amazing. I wear it proudly every day – Let’s go Scots!
Chuck Licata: Talk about Head Coach Michael Dearman and him picking up career win number 900 (earlier at the NISD Classic Tournament).
Gigi Whann: It was a really good win against Southlake Carroll. It was great. And that was a team we actually lost to twice. But then we came back around for the 900th win. The fact he’s got 900 wins – most coaches, when they get to that point, you ask him about it and he just says it just means I’m all right (as a head coach). Oh – he doesn’t look old at all! He’s a great coach.
Chuck Licata: What are your expectations for this team?
Gigi Whann: To just always work our hardest in practices; we’re great teammates to each other, we always have communication on the court. We really just want to build our program to be one program – we don’t think of JV as less than us or the freshman team as just freshmen. We’re trying to build it as one program.
Chuck Licata: What makes you tick? What gets you going?
Gigi Whann: My teammates, they hype me up. They have me up (and running). And before the game, we always do these dance circles; we just all dance in a circle and have so much fun
