Haylee Doty Ready to Make Her Mark in Her Senior Season

 

August 19, 2026
The Nest, Inside Orchard View Athletics

Justin Troyer

Presented By: Cadena Brothers Pizzeria

Muskegon, MI -- For senior Haylee Doty (pronounced “Doe-Tee”), the wait is over.

Doty has been playing volleyball since eighth grade, and after spending last season on a senior-heavy Orchard View squad without seeing much playing time, she enters her final season ready to make an impact.

For a player who has competed in volleyball year-round, earning a spot on this year’s varsity squad—and hearing her name called out by the coaching staff as a key player—means something.

“It’s validation,” Doty said.

She has put in the work, continued developing her game and stayed committed to the sport she loves. Now, she gets the opportunity to show what that work has produced.

But Doty understands that this season is about more than individual opportunity.

The Cardinals are entering a rebuilding year, and Doty knows there will be challenges. For her, the answer is grit.

“This team has to have grit,” Doty said. “We have to show the effort.”

That mentality lines up closely with what head coach Alceia Miller wants from her team.

Miller’s message is simple: the Cardinals need to control their controllables.

That means focusing on the things the players can influence every day—most importantly, their attitude and effort.

For Doty, those two things can go a long way.

She knows the Cardinals are still developing, gaining experience and learning how to play together. In a rebuilding season, she believes the focus can’t simply be on wins and losses.

“It’s not really about wins and losses,” Doty said. “It’s about growth and experience.”

That doesn’t mean she isn’t confident in what the Cardinals can accomplish.

Doty believes that if the team consistently shows the grit and effort Miller is demanding, the wins will follow.

“As long as we show the grit and effort, we can win a decent amount of games,” she said.

One thing Doty is especially excited about this season is the opportunity to help grow the game of volleyball in the community.

A self-described “nerd for the game,” Doty is proud to see volleyball gaining popularity and attention across the country.

She points to one example that stands out to her: the University of Nebraska hosting a volleyball match inside Memorial Stadium, a setting normally associated with football.

Doty knows Orchard View volleyball isn’t quite at that level yet—and she says that with a smile—but she loves seeing the sport grow and is excited to help introduce more people in the community to a game she has invested so much of herself in.

For Doty, that means welcoming fans into the gym and giving them a reason to come back.

And her teammates already know what she brings with her onto the court.

They describe Doty as someone full of energy, but more importantly, as a teammate who is constantly

encouraging those around her. She works to keep the team’s spirit and energy high, whether things are going well or the Cardinals are facing adversity.

That role fits naturally with how Doty defines being a Cardinal.

She is proud to wear the Orchard View uniform because, to her, being a Cardinal means supporting
each other, working hard and giving your best no matter what.

After years of playing the sport, a year of waiting for her opportunity and an offseason spent continuing to compete and improve, Doty finally gets her chance to take center stage.

The Cardinals are young in some places, experienced in others and still figuring out exactly what this team can become.

But they have players like Haylee Doty who understand that progress starts with the things a team can control.

Attitude. Effort. Grit.

And for a senior who has been waiting for her opportunity, she’s ready to bring all three.

Cardinal Supporters: Poo Patrol Muskegon