Lynney Tarnow always stood out among other girls her age.

The 6-foot-5 Benet senior middle hitter was always tall. Tarnow said she was about four inches taller than girls her age, going back to kindergarten.

But she is a gentle giant.

Her parents, her biggest role models, taught Tarnow humility as one of the most important values in life. Carry yourself with humility, and respect will follow.

“I feel like I’m doing it the right way. Carrying myself with grace is huge for me,” Tarnow said. “I am different because of my height. I always have eyes on me.”

Tarnow’s been impossible to miss the last four years.

She was 6-4 by the time she got to high school. She was a varsity starter by midway through her freshman year on a Benet team that had two older middles that would play in college.

Tarnow committed to Wisconsin, a school she’s attended camps at since she was an 8-year-old, on June 15, 2024, hours after she was offered a scholarship.

She led Benet to four consecutive Class 4A state championship matches and a 155-13 record.

As a senior Tarnow had 227 kills, 55 digs, 40 blocks, 22 aces and 15 assists. She finished her career with 944 kills and 222 blocks.

“Freshman year, nobody could stop her in the gym,” Benet coach Brad Baker said. “She hasn’t looked back.”

A two-time All-American, MaxPreps Illinois Player of the Year as a senior, Tarnow ranks with Meghan Haggerty, who played at Nebraska, as the best middle to play at Benet.

She is the Suburban Life Girls Volleyball Player of the Year.

Baker noted that yes, Tarnow hits the ball with power as one would expect a 6-5 middle to. But she has coordination rare for a girl that tall.

“She got put in the middle because she was super tall,” Baker said, “but if she was shorter and had a growth spurt I believe she could play multiple positions. That is how athletic and coordinated she is.”

Tarnow, a Downers Grove native, said she was an outside hitter for one tryout before she was moved to middle for good.

“I wasn’t happy about it at first, but I’d say it was probably the best decision,” she said.

Tarnow said that it was about age 15 when she realized she wanted to pursue volleyball further. She had received attention from lower-level colleges, but she kept growing.

In 2022 she was selected to be part of the USA Volleyball national team development program. She got to travel to places she never thought she would, like California and Florida.

“Club volleyball is such a grind,” Tarnow said. “Those years of going to practice, getting those reps and just being surrounded by great players and great coaches and the family support made me addicted to the grind.”

Playing middle, Tarnow led Benet in kills in both her sophomore and junior seasons.

“To be really good, you have to have a range, hit every shot and hit with power,” Baker said. “She is able to hit them all and hit them hard. People think it’s easy. It’s really hard to do. She’s going to continue to get better. She’s already ahead of 99% of high school kids.”

But Tarnow never has let success get to her head.

Baker said his Benet program has had some strong personalities the last few years. Tarnow, though, has a calming effect. People watching her see a mature, modest girl who never gets too high or too low.

“She has won a million awards, but you’d never know it. She doesn’t talk differently and she doesn’t act differently,” Baker said. “She has a humble approach. If you didn’t know she’d won a million awards you’d never know it. That doesn’t always happen. Girls like that think they’re better. Lynney has never been like that.”

Tarnow is now weeks away from her next challenge. An early enrollee at Wisconsin, she leaves officially for Madison January 13.

“Lots of good nerves,” she said. “So excited but the sadness is creeping in.”

She leaves Benet with no regrets, even the unrealized goal of a state championship.

“It was just an incredible four years for the program and myself, playing alongside four very different groups but all super great girls and great coaches. I feel like it shaped me and made me a better player,” Tarnow said.

“I’m so thankful to Benet volleyball. I wouldn’t change anything about those four years except maybe a gold medal, but losing is a lesson. I look back with nothing but happiness and respect for the program.”