NorStar Athlete Named 2025 JVA AthLeader!

We're proud to share that Lila Ozdemir, a freshman on our 15s team, has been named a 2025 JVA AthLeader—one of only 27 junior volleyball athletes recognized nationwide by the Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) for outstanding achievements beyond the volleyball court.

The JVA AthLeader Award honors players in the 15s–18s divisions who exemplify academic excellence, leadership, responsibility, and community service. Lila was selected for her exceptional record in all of these areas. From top-tier academic performance and advanced coursework to founding a global service club and contributing to her school’s STEM, writing, and medical communities, Lila’s commitment to excellence is matched only by her compassion and drive to lead with purpose.

“These athletes portray the values of learning, leadership, and generosity while setting a meaningful example for everyone in our sport,” said JVA Executive Director Lisa Wielebnicki.“We are inspired by each of these athletes.”

Lila was one of six NorStar athletes nominated for the 2025 JVA AthLeader Award through our Student-Athlete Spotlight initiative. We extend our congratulations to all of these nominees for earning national-level recognition for their work off the court:

2025 JVA AthLeader Nominees

16s:

• Megan Chiu

• MollyAnn Caulfield

• Kimberly Lai

15s:

• Ilsa Carlson

• Lila Ozdemir

• Rucha Patil

We also want to thank the families who took the time to submit nominations. Your stories helped shine a light on the incredible depth of talent, heart, and leadership within our NorStar community.

To learn more about the award and see the full list of national recipients, visit the official JVA announcement here.

We also invite you to read more about Lila, our JVA AthLeader nominees, and other exceptional student-athletes who were recently featured in our NorStar Student-Athlete Spotlight. Their stories reflect the values we strive to build in every player—dedication, leadership, academic excellence, and service.

Explore the full spotlight feature here.

Congratulations again to Lila and all our nominees—we are so proud of you! #NorStarPride #JVAathleader #StudentAthleteSpotlight #ThriveOnAndOffTheCourt