Curtis’ Avery Cukjati is The News Tribune’s 2024 All-Area volleyball Player of the Year
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Before the state bracket’s first round officially began, Avery Cukjati grabbed a Sharpie, her pair of tournament sneakers, and called her shot. “State Champs 2024-25,” she wrote, along with a bible verse and words of motivation.
“Just breathe. … Focus and fight. … Keep going.”
“And my favorite quote,” Cukjati proudly said Thursday, sneakers in-hand: “You are your biggest competitor. I’ve told myself that my whole life.”
The powerful outside hitter of No. 1 Curtis, Cukjati and the Vikings ran the table and completed perfection: league champs, district champs, and the coveted 4A state title, along with an unblemished 27-0 record. Curtis lost seven sets all season, much to the benefit of their star senior’s offensive prowess.
“We all wrote on our shoes,” smiled Cukjati. “We just believed.”
All along, Cukjati knew this was the team to reach the summit, whether it was written in Sharpie or not.
She called her shot, and now ours: Cukjati is The News Tribune’s All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year.
“I’m so honored,” Cukjati told The News Tribune. “I’m so grateful just because I know in the back of my mind… I couldn’t be here in this position without my supporters, my team, and my coaches throughout the whole journey. … It’s incredible.”
Good luck finding a way inside the head of this scrappy and resilient outside hitter, a nightmare on the perimeter with 323 kills (4.3 per set), 169 digs, and 33 aces across 76 sets. Cukjati refused to let a ball hit the floor and accentuated the best in her teammates with an “infectious, positive, fun attitude” impossible to replicate.
After nearly every match, someone — an opposing player, parent, or coach — would approach head coach Taylor Bautista with words of praise for her star outside hitter: “Oh my gosh, that No. 1 is incredible. Where did that No. 1 come from? She’s amazing!”
“She’s someone that everyone is drawn to,” Bautista said. “Coaches, managers, players. She steps in the gym every day with a smile on her face wanting to work hard.”
When did the four-year varsity veteran know this special of a season was in the cards?
“The first practice,” Cukjati replied quickly. “I walked in the gym, and the vibe, the atmosphere… It just felt so comfortable.
“It was weird, because I’ve played on this team for four years, and I’ve never felt this comfortable and (trusting of) the team.”
Everyone was a weapon, Cukjati said. Curtis libero Elaina Duong was named 4A SPSL Defensive Player of the Year alongside Cukjati, the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. Three first teamers — Peyton Ensign, Selana Morales, and Ariana Medchill — joined them in a stacked rotation.
“I think that’s what helped us push each other through practice, because we knew our spot wasn’t secure,” Cukjati said. “You had to work, and work hard.”
By age six, Cukjati had a volleyball in her hands. At age 12, she pivoted to beach volleyball and never looked back. And the story’s not over yet: Cukjati committed to Santa Clara University’s beach program in 2023 and will arrive next summer.
“I just felt like I could release whatever I had in me when I was playing volleyball,” Cukjati said. “I love the competitiveness. I love the energy and the fierceness of the sport, and I think that’s what has attached (to) me still to this day.”
This story was originally published December 15, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
