Bailey Key of Suffolk has been the very definition of superb — athletically and academically — during her senior year at Isle of Wight Academy, earning the school’s 2014-15 Female Athlete of the Year award.

Presented to her earlier this month at IWA’s annual assembly for recognizing its student-athletes, the award is voted on by IWA coaches and athletic department staff.

“It was such an honor,” she said of receiving the accolade, noting she felt like all of her hard work and late-night practices had paid off.

“She’s well-deserving of it,” said her Lady Chargers softball coach, Chris Hooper. Additionally, he noted, “She had an excellent year in volleyball, from what I was told.”

Key’s father, Bud Key, speaking for himself and her mother, said, “Obviously, we were excited for her. It was a great, great five-year career for her.”

Bailey Key has started at shortstop for the Lady Chargers since her eighth-grade year, and she has been consistently great, earning a spot on the all-state first team five times in a row.

She also was used as a pitcher during her first three years with the team, Hooper said.

Key has helped lead the Lady Chargers to five consecutive Metro Conference championships, with IWA going undefeated in the conference each time.

She also has helped her school reach the state playoffs every year and the state championship game three different times, including this season.

Isle of Wight took on Greenbrier Christian Academy in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state final earlier this month in Dinwiddie. Key generated two hits, but the Lady Chargers ultimately fell 1-0.

She was strong at the plate as IWA’s lead-off batter this season. She scored 32 runs and possessed a .493 batting average. She was walked 13 times, and in 71 at-bats, she struck out only three times.

This year also marked the third in a row that she has been chosen as her team’s most outstanding defensive player.

Reflecting on what she has accomplished on the diamond in high school, she said, “I’m just extremely blessed, and I have a love for the game, and it makes practice and playing fun. Everything is totally worth it for me.”

Outside of IWA, Key played for Galaxy Fastpitch from the age of 9 to 17.

In the fall of 2014, Key made the All-Metro Conference first team in volleyball and also was selected as the MVP for her team.

She has played on the varsity volleyball team since her sophomore year.

Key has also shined in the classroom and is the salutatorian at Isle of Wight Academy. She will graduate with a 4.18 grade point average.

Last summer, she was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Academy’s Leadership Program in Annapolis, Md. and the U.S. Coast Guard’s AIM Program in New Haven, Conn.

She was offered and accepted early decision to North Carolina State University in December. She is an Army ROTC AD national scholarship winner and plans to double major in communications and political science.

Key said her dream job would be to be an ESPN sports announcer.

Of her double major, she said, “As for right now, I’m not sure where it will lead, but that would be the goal.”

While softball has been a major part of her life until now, she expects to dedicate more of her time to academics once in college.