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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Lydia Chinchar (FREE)

November 21, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Lydia Chinchar. *** To say our latest Player of the Week burst onto the high school scene this season would be inaccurate. Lydia Chinchar – a 4-star setter/right side from the Class of 2027 – was part of Carrollwood Day’s varsity team last year as an eighth-grader. She had an incredible campaign, leading the squad in kills and blocks. However, the Patriots’ state championship aspirations ended with a regional quarterfinal loss to Tampa Prep. Chinchar was among a handful of returning players – including her older sister and senior setter Naomi. Combining with a couple of newcomers – including 3-star Purdue commit and junior libero Mattea Casale – Carrollwood Day was on a mission in 2023. “I remember the first day of practice and we said our goal was to win state and nothing else,” Chinchar said. “We set our minds to that and we just kept going to the very end. In practice, we worked so hard each and every day and we did a really good job of that.” Chinchar once again led the charge. The freshman right side powered the offense with 573 kills – averaging 6.3 per set and hitting .428 – as the Patriots captured the program’s second-ever state championship after defeating Westminster Christian in the Florida 3A final. Adding a punctuation mark to her fabulous season, Chinchar sent down a season-high 37 kills (9.3 per set) and hit .301 in the four-set victory over the Warriors that helped Carrollwood Day finish the fall 31-2 overall. “Our mindset was to walk in confidently and just play our game and not worry about anyone else’s game,” Chinchar said. “That was the most important thing. We never had a doubt in our mind that we were going to lose. We always knew we had each other and that was the best part of it. “The emotions were everywhere on the last point when the ball hit the ground. There was so much excitement and a weight off our shoulders. Finally, all that hard work paid off. Everything we all put it, winning it with your best friends is a pretty awesome feeling.” Carrollwood Day emerged as the team to beat in Florida this fall after its run to the finals of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in early September. The Patriots suffered their first setback in a sweep against Cornerstone Christian of Texas in the championship match. Along the way Carrollwood Day downed eventual Nebraska Class B state champion Skutt Catholic and eventual Florida 6A runner up Viera. Later in the season, Carrollwood Day notched a victory over eventual 7A state champ Plant. “After the Nike tournament, it was pretty early in the season and we made it to the final and I just remember people saying ‘Oh my goodness, who is this CDS team,’” Chinchar said. “We knew teams were targeting us and coming for us after that.” Chinchar grew up immersed in volleyball. Her parents – Douglas and Sarah – both played. Chinchar’s father is her coach at Carrollwood Day and both parents are directors of No Name Volleyball, where Chinchar will suit up as part of the top 17s team this coming club season. For Chinchar, volleyball was the only sport she ever wanted to play. “I started really young,” she said. “I was six and playing on a 12-and-under team. My parents got me into volleyball and I didn’t really want to do anything else. They were pushing me to try something else but I just wanted to pursue volleyball. I was around it every day. My sister Naomi was in love with volleyball so we decided to do it together.” With both her parents being setters, Chinchar naturally developed at that position as well as hitting. She did both this past club season for No Name 16 but she’s been purely a hitter in high school. “I would say I enjoy hitting more than setting,” Chinchar said. “It is quite the job to run the court and I really appreciate all my setters throughout the years.” It’s not surprising that volleyball takes up much of Chinchar’s time, but she does like to scuba dive and sew sometimes when her schedule allows for it. “My sister and I do scuba diving together,” she said. “It’s always fun to go and we love being able to do it together.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Chinchar about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Chinchar: A role model I look up to is my sister, Naomi. I’m with her every day and she’s always been front and center for me. We do everything together on and off the court. She’s a great role model. She’s going to West Point, so there is no better role model than that. If you could choose to be or do anything for a day, what would you be or do and why? Chinchar: If I had the chance to do anything for a day I would probably drive to Disney World. It’s right here in Florida. I love all the Disney characters. Since I was a little girl it was always a place to go to. It makes me feel like a kid again with all the rides and all the characters there. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Chinchar: I would like to learn to sing. I have always tried to sing and it never works out for me. It would be fun to be up on a stage performing and singing. But, really I wouldn’t try to do anything else but volleyball. Do

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vballrecruiter.com’s Final Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 20)

November 20, 2023

It’s official! Mater Dei of California is the vballrecruiter.com 2023 High School National Champion. You can read about Mater Dei’s season and why the Monarchs finished this fall as the best high school team in the country. With most of the states wrapped up, there was very little movement in our final Top 50 of the year. With Mater Dei winning the CA Open Division state final and Grand Oaks taking home the Texas 6A state title, there was no change in the Top 10. The biggest change came with Cinco Ranch, which lost to Grand Oaks in the 6A state final, moving up from No. 29 to No. 13 after a strong campaign. Cinco Ranch was No. 29 last week because it had a prior loss to Harlan. But after beating Harlan in the 6A semis, Cinco Ranch shot up in our final rankings. There was only one new school cracking the rankings. With Mercy winning the Michigan Division 1 state final, it knocked Northville from the Top 50. As a result, Lake Travis TX ends the year in the Top 50. You can view the full final rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S FINAL TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA 43-2 (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN 33-0 (2) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX 36-4 (3) 4. Grand Oaks TX 50-1 (4) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA 34-5 (5) 6. Wayzata MN 34-0 (6) 7. Mira Costa CA 39-4 (7) 8. Assumption KY 37-5 (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL 37-5 (9) 10. Benet Academy IL 39-3 (10) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI 47-1 (11) 12. O’Connor AZ 34-1 (12) 13. Cinco Ranch TX 38-5 (29) 14. Lincoln Southwest NE 33-4 (13) 15. Middle Creek NC 26-1 (14) 16. Lake Catholic OH 29-0 (16) 17. Archbishop Mitty CA 33-5 (15) 18. Kings OH 28-1 (18) 19. St. Francis/Mountain View CA 35-6 (17) 20. Papillion-La Vista NE 26-16 (19) *** 21. Papillion-La Vista South NE 35-2 (20) 22. Mill Valley KS 37-5 (21) 23. Marist IL 33-5 (22) 24. Notre Dame Academy KY 35-7 (23) 25. Sierra Canyon CA 34-9 (24) 26. Blue Valley North KS 38-4 (25) 27. Harlan TX 44-6 (26) 28. Dike-New Hartford IA 50-0 (27) 29. Valor Christian CO 29-0 (28) 30. Oconomowoc WI 41-4 (30) *** 31. Seaman KS 38-6 (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS 31-9 (32) 33. Lafayette MO 36-2 (33) 34. Dripping Springs TX 48-7 (34) 35. Maize South KS 38-5 (35) 36. St. James Academy KS 33-6 (36) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX 34-7 (37) 38. Carrollwood Day FL 31-2 (38) 39. North Branch MI 56-4 (46) 40. Foothill CA 37-2 (40) *** 41. Branson CA 28-5 (41) 42. Lone Peak UT 28-5 (42) 43. Plant FL 25-3 (43) 44. Berkeley Prep FL 20-6 (44) 45. Pace Academy GA 37-3 (45) 46. Alpharetta GA 38-3 (47) 47. Skyridge UT 28-2 (48) 48. Glenbard West IL 35-4 (49) 49. Pope GA 39-4 (50) 50. Lake Travis TX 44-6 (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP Huntington Beach CA Mercy MI Forest Hills Northern MI Perry AZ Xavier Prep AZ St. Josepha Academy OH Olentangy Orange OH Winter Park FL St. Thomas Aquinas FL Kamehameha HI Punahou HI Bishop Gorman NV McGill-Toolen AL Mountain Brook AL Cox Mill NC *** Past vballrecruiter.com National Champions: 2022: Cathedral Catholic CA

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vballrecruiter.com’s 2023 HS National Champion: Mater Dei Monarchs

November 20, 2023

Anything short of a head-to-head result or results between the undisputed two top programs in the country means determining the high school national champion is completely subjective. A season ago Cathedral Catholic made it an easy choice given the Dons went undefeated and only dropped one set all year as they captured the Durango Fall Classic title and the California Open Division state championship. The only other team under consideration last fall was Cornerstone Christian of Texas. While the Warriors did hand eventual TAPPS 6A champ Prestonwood Christian its only loss as well as defeat Texas 6A state champ Dripping Springs, plus beat CA Open Division semifinalist Mira Costa, they suffered their only loss to Westminster Christian FL in the final of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament. That lone loss ended any heated debate between Cathedral Catholic and Cornerstone Christian in terms of the national championship. It would have been nearly impossible to pick between the pair had both ended the year undefeated. There are three important factors in determining a national champion. One is overall record. Another is strength of schedule. And lastly a team must capture its state championship, because if a team isn’t the best in its state how can it be the best in the nation? That leads us to our 2023 High School National Champion – Mater Dei of California. Mater Dei finished the year 43-2. While they did not go undefeated like Hamilton Southeastern of Indiana or Wayzata of Minnesota, the Monarchs strength of schedule was vastly superior. The Monarchs earned two major tournament titles in Volleypalooza and the Durango Fall Classic. And after defeating nationally-ranked Archbishop Mitty in four sets this past Saturday evening, they earned their second California Open Division state championship to match the one they claimed in 2018. “It’s amazing,” Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell said. “Winning tournaments is tough. I’ve had a lot of good teams and we didn’t win Durango. Playing those best-of-three tournaments is just a crap shoot. I don’t know if I would have believed anyone who said we would win two major tournaments, CIF and state and accomplish all of that. It’s really impressive. It’s a testament to the girls. Whenever they needed to be really good, they showed up.” The core of the roster was largely the same from a season ago. Senior outside and 4-star San Diego commit Isabel Clark, senior right side and 4-star Michigan commit Cymarah Gordon, sophomore outside and 5-star recruit Layli Ostovar, senior libero and 3-star Stanford commit Malyssa Cawa, junior setter Ayva Ostovar and senior defensive specialist and 3-star recruit Tessa Hurley all played key roles in 2022. The biggest turnover came in the middle, where Mater Dei leaned on sophomore and 3-star recruit Addison Coady and freshman and 3-star recruit Emma Kingston to start the year. Mater Dei was boosted by the eligibility of senior setter/right side and 3-star Brown commit Julia Kakkis, who had to sit out all last year after transferring due to a CIF ruling. The depth of the lineup was crucial in the team’s success.   “That was our strength,” O’Dell said. “We never really relied on just one kid every match. We had Izzy, Cymarah and Layli to carry us. If someone was off, there was someone else to shoulder the load. We had such balance and multiple players being part of our success. We have an amazing libero in Malyssa and a great setter in Julia to orchestrate it all. “Emma, our freshman middle, was massive at the end of the season. She really improved her blocking from the beginning of the season and by the end she was single-handily taking out middles and shutting down outsides. She had nine blocks in the CIF final. She had seven or eight against Cathedral Catholic in the semis and she had eight against Mitty. She was averaging about two blocks per set in that stretch. “Tessa Hurley, our DS, she made some outstanding plays. She would be a starting libero on so many teams but she happens to play with Malyssa.” A season ago, Cathedral Catholic overcame the loss of senior outside and Stanford commit Julia Blyashov and won four state matches without her. While Mater Dei didn’t lose its top player like the Dons, the Monarchs did deal with a couple of key injuries. The first was losing Coady to an ankle injury during Volleypalooza. She remained out past the Durango Fall Classic. Another was losing Ayva Ostovar the week leading into Dave Mohs and having to switch to Kakkis running a 5-1, which she did for the remainder of the season. “When we switched to a 5-1 it was tough,” O’Dell said. “We were trying something new and we were exposed by Cathedral Catholic. They were doubling up our outsides and we weren’t running the middles. We just weren’t great. After that, we started implementing Layli going to six rotations. She was hurt at the beginning of the year so we had been subbing her out back row. We wanted her in the back row so with her and Izzy we always had a back row attack to get more offense in the 5-1. Julia started getting more comfortable at the net and getting used to the 5-1. It also helped having middle depth because with Megan Rice and Sofia Walker we were able to mix and match. But the main change was Layli going six rotations so we had more offense.” Mater Dei didn’t lose the rest of the way after falling to Cathedral Catholic in the Dave Mohs final. That brings us to Mater Dei’s record. A pair of losses is usually enough to eliminate a team from the national championship picture. As we mentioned earlier, Cornerstone Christian was eliminated with just one loss in 2022, as was Prestonwood Christian, who only lost to Cornerstone Christian. As for Mater Dei, the Monarchs ended the year with a winning record against both opponents they lost to in Mira Costa

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HS Player Spotlight: 13 Impactful Freshmen

November 16, 2023

Once the high school schedule officially wraps up, we’ll start releasing our Player of the Year candidates for the 2024-2027 classes. It’s likely you’ll see many of the names below listed as our Freshman of the Year candidates for the 2023 season. What all 13 ninth-graders below have in common is that their respective seasons are completed and all made tremendous impacts towards their team success. Lauren Garcia S/RS Reagan TX: Garcia – a 3-star recruit – had a big freshman season in helping the Rattlers reach the regional quarterfinals. She finished off the year second in kills with 428, averaging 3.2 per set. She also led the team in assists with 798, averaging 6.0 per set. She was third in digs with 375 and first in aces with 54. She recorded a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Johnson. She twice reached a season-best 33 assists. The first came in a victory against Churchill in September. The next was in an October bi-district triumph over New Braunfels. Mallory Wandel OH Rockford MI: The Rams’ run came to an end in the Division 1 regional final. Still, it was a tremendous rookie campaign for Wandel. She was second in kills with 373. She averaged 2.8 per set. One of her best matches came in August when she had 13 kills and hit .647. She had a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Caledonia. Louise Neuhart OH Virginia Academy VA: Neuhart played a key role in the Patriots making it to the Virginia Division 2 state semifinals. The freshman outside led the offense with 366 kills. She averaged 2.9 per set and hit .290. Neuhart twice registered a season-high 17 kills. One was in a victory against St. Anne’s-Belfield as she hit .412. The other time came against Chelsea Academy, when she hit .406. McKenna McIntosh OH St. Mary’s CA: McIntosh – a 3-star recruit – made an immediate impact for the Rams, who captured the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 championship and qualifed for the CA Open Division state playoffs, where they fell to Foothill in the Round of 16. McIntosh led the attack with 362 kills. She averaged 4.5 kills per set and hit .350. She was also second in both digs (179) and blocks (22) and third in aces (48). McIntosh had a couple of her biggest outings late in the season. It included dropping 17 kills and hitting .308 as St. Mary’s beat Rocklin in the sectional final. In the sectional semis, she had a season-best 20 kills and hit .462. Marissa Jones S Woodward Academy GA: Jones – a 5-star recruit – guided Woodward Academy to the Georgia 6A state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champ Alpharetta. She dished out 702 assists, averaging 7.5 per set. She also finished first in blocks with 71 and third in digs with 239. She twice recorded a season-best 35 assists, as well as a season-high seven blocks in an August loss to McIntosh. Lauren Forelli OH Liberty AZ: With Forelli leading the charge on offense, the Lions advanced to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals this fall. The 4-star recruit sent down a team-leading 250 kills. In her best match of the season, she put away a high of 21 kills and hit .439 in a five-set victory against Pinnacle in October. Kendall Omoruyi MB Sunnyslope AZ: The Vikings also made it to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals. A 5-star recruit, Omoruyi was an important factor in the middle. She ended third in kills with 171, averaging 2.3 per set. She made a bigger impact defensively, sending down 83 blocks and averaging 1.1 per set. She amassed a season-high 14 kills in a five-set victory against Mountain Ridge in September. She also twice had a season-high nine blocks. It came against Lake Highlands Prep FL and Bishop’s CA during the Nike TOC Southwest tournament. Calli LeFevre OH Marian MI: LeFevre’s role in helping the Mustangs reach the Michigan Division 1 state quarterfinals cannot be overlooked. The 3-star outside wrapped up the year second in kills with 338. She averaged 2.7 per set and was third in digs with 300, averaging 2.4. She tallied a season-high 15 kills in a five-set loss to Lake Orion in September. Amelie Pankonin OH River Falls WI: The Wildcats advanced to the Wisconsin Division 1 state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion and nationally-ranked Divine Savior Holy Angels. Pankonin played a vital part on offense, finishing the year second in kills with 322. That was one short of tying for the team lead. She averaged 3.4 per set. Four times she totaled 20 kills or more, including a season-high 22 and hitting .388 in a four-set victory over Eau Claire Memorial in the second round of state. Ellyson Randolph OH Reagan NC: The Raiders suffered their only loss of the fall in the North Carolina 4A state semifinals when Cox Mill prevailed in four sets. It was quite the season for the 6-2 Randolph, who led the team in kills. She put down 311 and averaged 3.2 per set while hitting .314. She notched a season-high 15 kills in a four-set victory against East Surry in October. Caroline Ward OH Tri-West Hendricks IN: Ward – a 5-star talent – played a crucial role in the Bruins finishing on top of the Indiana 3A state playoffs. She finished second in kills with 312, averaging 2.8 per set. She was also third in blocks with 45. She had 19 kills and hit .640 in a victory against Westner Boone in mid-October. She set her season high of 24 kills while hitting .439 in a five-set triumph over Center Grove in early October. Addyson Avery MB Briarcrest Christian TN: The Saints came out on top of the Tennessee Division 2AA state playoffs. Avery contributed in a big way out of the middle. She finished fourth in kills with 166, averaging 1.6 per set and hitting .352, and led the way blocking with 139. That

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Vballrecruiter Elite ID Clinic: Atlanta Red Hat Invites and Standout Players

November 15, 2023

The Vballrecruiter team headed to Atlanta for the latest Elite ID Clinic hosted by TK Volleyball this past Saturday. With players representing Classes from 2024-2030, the energy in the building was both rocking and infectious. Below, we highlight two things: 1) the latest round of invites to The Red Hat Games (some players who attended have been invited previously) and 2) other standouts who showed what they are capable of. RED HAT GAMES INVITES 2025Laney Barnes S A5 17 Jaime: Barnes ran her court well. She has solid hands and showed great leadership. Maya Swenson L/DS Club Savannah 17 National: Swenson went all-out and was covering the court well. 2026Chloe Neal L/DS M2 16-2 Elite: Neal brings hustle and effort to the back row. She did well keeping rallies going. Alyssa Kato OH Roots 16 Green: Kato delivered her share of strong attacks and impressive plays. She stayed aggressive and kept coming with it. 2027Sullivan Lell L/DS Alabama Performance: Lell’s energy is contagious. She’s fast and quick to the ball and makes up ground in a hurry. Harper Sanders L/DS 575 15 National: Sanders showed a nice platform and was making lots of plays all over the court. Raquel Mina MB A5 15 Danielle: Mina flies under the radar but has plenty of potential to rise as she continues developing. She was making many plays on both sides of the ball at the net. Destinee Chukelu MB A5 15 Victor: Chukelu is another middle with lots of upside and a high ceiling. She made her presence felt with forceful blocks and getting up and putting balls down. Chloe Mosley L/DS/S Rio 14 Elite: Mosley brings a lot of hustle to the position. She moves around the court with ease and was getting a lot of balls up. Jasmine Mosley L/DS Rio 15 National: In similar fashion, Mosley flies around the court making plays all over and plays with a high level of confidence. Caroline Presswood L/DS Alliance 14 Ren: Presswood was among a solid group of defenders doing their things in the Class of 2027. She showed no fear and did well keeping balls in play. Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15 Kelly: Leonard handled business well with her ability to extend rallies and court coverage. McKenzie Wilkie L/DS A5 15 Kelly: Wilkie showed her defensive prowess with her hustle and reaction plays. 2028Addy Gosselin S/RS Atlanta Extreme 14-1: Gosselin moves the ball around well and gets her hitters involved. She also showed a lot of leadership on the court. Lauren Rivers S/RS SC Midlands 16 National Elite: Rivers was dishing well from pin-to-pin. She has a physical presence and has a bright future. Emily Childress OH TK 14 Glow: Childress was yet another young player doing her thing. She’s fearless on the attack and kept swinging away no matter the size of the block she was facing. Jentelle McNairl OH Alliance 15-1: McNairl doesn’t back down and is not afraid to challenge the block in front of her. She brings a lot of energy to the outside position. Charlie McDaniel OH Alliance 14 Ren: McDaniel was a fun outside to watch. She goes hard and is relentless on the attack. 2029Emily Rupeika L/DS A5 13 Karen: Rupeika is a smooth operator and plays under control. She doesn’t get rattled and her passing was on point. 2030Makenna Johnson S A5 12 LA: Johnson displayed solid footwork and did well getting to the ball repeatedly. She also has a nice touch on her sets. *** MORE STANDOUTS 2024Lily Kate Kenyon RS A5 17 Jaime: Kenyon showed up strong on the attack. She’s lanky with a nice range of shots. Sydney McCutcheon S TK 18 Fearless: McCutcheon did a solid job of locating with consistency and moving the ball around. Talia Anderson L/DS TK 17 Endgame: Anderson was getting after it and making hustle plays. She also played with lots of energy. 2025Sydney Frazier MB M2: Frazier made her presence known in the middle. She gets up well and was touching balls and putting them away consistently. Katelynn Mundy OH 575 17 Cheyenne: Mundy had her moments scoring and sending balls down. She was taking aggressive swings and attacking with authority. Alexandria Tookes OH Tsunami: Tookes is an athletic outside with upside. She was letting loose at times and flashing her potential. Haleigh Kamer OH/S/DS Xcel Performance: Kamer is a versatile player who was mainly setting. She has good hands and was connecting with her hitters well. 2026Mataya Orth L/DS A5 16 Pat: Orth was among the scrappy defenders getting after it and going all out. She’s not afraid to take balls overhead and play them with her hands. Samantha Bailey RS/MB Tsunami 16-1: A lefty right side, Bailey showed off a solid arm and her ability to put balls away. Kennedi White OH M2 16-1: White swung well from both pins. She gets off the ground nice and has a good arm. Emma Pastusic OH Triad United 16 Teal: Pastusic was another outside who was scoring with consistentcy. She has a lively arm and hits with plenty of pace. 2027Alina Phillips RS A5 15 Kelly: Phillips is a rising talent who extends well and was bringing it from the right side. She showed a wide range of shots and is a someone to keep tabs on. Hana Catic OH/DS A5 15 Kelly: Catic showcased her potential with solid attacking. She has a nice arm and moves the ball around sideline to sideline. Marissa Jones S A5 15 Kelly: Jones was the best player in the gym. She’s a 5-star talent with the ability to vary her sets from anywhere on the court with great accuracy. Kylee Evans MB A5 15 Kelly: Evans is another rising talent who is poised for a breakout club season. She’s a beast at the net on both sides of the ball. She gets up very well and can both hammer balls down as well as stuff them back at opponents. Kerrington Corbin MB Alliance 15 Ren:

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Keoni Williams (FREE)

November 14, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Keoni Williams. *** With a loss to Fossil Ridge in bi-district play at the end of October, the 2023 high school season came to a conclusion for Keoni Williams and her Boswell teammates. While the defeat came sooner then the Pioneers would have liked, it did shift Williams’ focus and attention fully to the upcoming club season. Williams – a 6-4, 5-star middle blocker from the Class of 2026 – has excelled during the club portion of the calendar in recent years. She’s coming off a gold medal performance in 15 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships this past summer playing with Skyline 15 Royal. The year before she finished runner up in 14 Open playing with Frisco Flyers. That was after winning it all with Frisco Flyers in 13 Open in 2021. “It’s been really great these past few years being on top teams,” Williams said. This past summer presented a rare occurrence where Skyline squared off with Mintonette Sports m.51 in both the 15 Open championship matches at AAU and USAV. While Mintonette captured the gold in Orlando, Williams and Skyline extracted revenge by claiming the gold in Chicago. “It was tough after AAUs because we felt good and were playing well,” Williams said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game and we felt we could’ve taken that one. After we just had to make sure we didn’t get distracted and look at what we did wrong in case we did face them again. Mintonette is a really good team. When we came to USAV we knew we had to stay calm and do what we needed to do to get the win. When we got that last point it was a crazy feeling. It felt great coming back and getting that win.” Williams will aim for a fourth consecutive Open finals appearance this coming season as she suits up for Skyline 16 Royal. One of the challenges is overcoming the roster changes that took place. Williams is one of six returners combining with seven newcomers. “I’m really excited for this club season,” Williams said. “I’ve been looking forward to it even during the high school season. I’m going to keep working on myself and focus on my conditioning and blocking and really closing out. We are ready to have a great run this year.” The high school season for Boswell kicked off at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii in August. The Pioneers faced a challenging slate, going against nationally-ranked teams in Sierra Canyon CA and Cornerstone Christian TX, as well as eventual California Open Division state quarterfinalist Huntington Beach, eventual Texas 5A semifinalist Lovejoy and host ‘Iolani. “I’ve never been to Hawaii before,” Williams said. “It was really fun. We went to the ocean everyday and took lots of pictures. The volleyball was something. There were crazy good teams who hit well and play great defense. The first day we played Sierra Canyon and they were pretty good. It was tough playing those teams but it was really good to see what we needed to work on for our season.” With her father, Mike, playing basketball oversees, Williams grew up around sports and “was always traveling with him.” Williams started settling down around 11 and was leaning more towards basketball at first than volleyball. “It was between basketball and volleyball, but I was talking with my aunties because they played volleyball in college,” Williams said. “When I started volleyball it was really hard at first. I just kept working and working at it and then I just played volleyball from there. I did some basketball in middle school a little bit but I stopped.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Williams about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Williams: I don’t really have a volleyball role model. But I do watch volleyball to see what other middles are doing like Asjia O’Neal. I watch how she’s fast out to the block and the ways she’s able to score. I try to look at it as though it’s me versus me. Every time I step on the court I’m just focused on working on improving. After the game, I’ll look at what I did and didn’t do, like not getting off the net quick enough or I wasn’t very effective on offense. Then the next time I’m watching to make sure I do get off the net quickly and working hard on making myself available so I am able to produce. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Williams: If I could do anything for a day, a while back I saw a massive go-kart place that opened in Massachusetts (Supercharged Entertainment). I would want to go there with my friends and ride go-karts with them. I really love going out and doing stuff. That would be fun. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Williams: I would definitely love to master the skill of basketball. To feel the energy and intensity and be a part of that I think it would be fun. I think it would be really fun to have the ball passed to me and I bully my defender a little bit then go up and get that point and score. Do you have any volleyball superstitions and if so what? Williams: The only superstition I have is I always wear two pair of socks, even with my ankle braces. I always have two pair of socks and my teammates make fun of me. They ask

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2023

The final week of the high school season is upon us. That’s the bad news. The good news is it has been a fun-filled and entertaining ride, one that is not over just yet. Major states like California and Texas wrap up this week. Not only is the national championship still up in the air, state tournaments also help shape and define who will be our Player of the Year for each class. Just like it’s impossible to be the national champion without winning a state tournament, it’s virtually impossible as well to be named a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior Player of the Year without hoisting the state trophy. As for the national championship puzzle, the pieces continue to fall into place. Top-ranked Mater Dei is still alive in the California Open Division state playoffs and is set to face Cathedral Catholic on Tuesday in the semifinals. The winner of that advances to face the winner of Archbishop Mitty–St. Francis/Mountain View in Saturday’s final. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic have split a pair of matches thus far, with Mater Dei beating Cathedral in the semifinals of Volleypalooza and Cathedral returning the favor by downing Mater Dei in the finals of the Dave Mohs tournament two weeks later. Cathedral Catholic knocked off Mira Costa over the weekend in the quarterfinals. That was a giant result because it ended any chance of Mira Costa finishing as the national champion. Mira Costa had a path to the title but would have needed to beat Cathedral Catholic, then Mater Dei then the Nor Cal representative in the final in order to make that claim. Cathedral Catholic went undefeated last year and claimed the national championship after winning the Open Division state championship. Despite losing a lot of talent, the Dons are interestingly in another position where they could possibly make an argument for once again being national champions. Should they win out, the Dons would have gone 2-1 against Mater Dei and 1-1 against Prestonwood Christian, which won the TAPPS 6A state championship. Cathedral Catholic did lose to Mira Costa at the Durango Fall Classic but avenged that loss in the state playoffs. The biggest obstacle is the loss to Grand Oaks in the third-place match at Volleypalooza. Grand Oaks is still alive in the semifinals of the Texas 6A state playoffs. Grand Oaks’ only loss remains to Prestonwood Christian in the semis of Volleypalooza. We’ll sort through all the results as the state finals conclude this coming weekend and will name a national champion next Monday. Until then, this week’s updated Top 50 can be viewed in its entirety below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 4. Grand Oaks TX (5) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 6. Wayzata MN (7) 7. Mira Costa CA (2) 8. Assumption KY (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL (10) 10. Benet Academy IL (9) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 12. O’Connor AZ (12) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (13) 14. Middle Creek NC (14) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (15) 16. Lake Catholic OH (16) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (18) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (19) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (20) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (21) 22. Marist IL (22) 23. Notre Dame Academy KY (24) 24. Sierra Canyon CA (23) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Harlan TX (n/r) 27. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 28. Valor Christian CO (27) 29. Cinco Ranch TX (n/r) 30. Oconomowoc WI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Lafayette MO (34) 34. Dripping Springs TX (33) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. St. James Academy KS (37) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 38. Carrollwood Day FL (40) 39. Northville MI (n/r) 40. Foothill CA (39) *** 41. Branson CA (41) 42. Lone Peak UT (43) 43. Plant FL (n/r) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (44) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (46) 47. Alpharetta GA (47) 48. Skyridge UT (48) 49. Glenbard West IL (49) 50. Pope GA (50) *** ON THE CUSP Lake Travis TXPerry AZXavier Prep AZSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CAWinter Park FLSt. Thomas Aquinas FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVHorizon AZMcGill-Toolen ALMountain Brook ALLas Cruces NMJenks OKWillowbrook IL

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HS Team Spotlight: 7 State Champions

November 7, 2023

We are under two weeks away from the 2023 high school season coming to a close. It’s that time of year when dreams are coming true and schools are raising state championship plaques and trophies. Below, we spotlight seven schools from our Top 50 National HS Rankings which finished on top of their respective divisions. ASSUMPTION: The Rockets added their state-record 23rd state championship by topping Notre Dame Academy in the Kentucky state final Saturday. Assumption handed NDA’s its first loss of the season by beating them in the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in early September and ended the season 3-1 against the Pandas. Assumption hadn’t won the state title since 2019. It was the longest drought since Assumption took home its first state title back in 1992. Senor Charlotte Moriarty led the way with 18 kills and tied junior libero Kristen Simon with a team-high 16 digs. Moriarty ended the season with 386 kills, followed by junior middle Bailey Blair with 323. Senior outside Chloe Smith (287 kills) and Emma Barnett (275) rounded out a balanced attack directed by junior setter Emilee Fuller (1,212 assists). Meanwhile, Simon wrapped up the year with 473 digs as Assumption finished the year 36-5 overall. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS: Led by 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest’s season-high 24 kills, Divine Savior defeated Oconomowoc in the Wisconsin Division 1 state final. It was the fourth time this season DSHA downed Oconomowoc in defending its state title. Senior outside and Creighton commit Sophia Wendlick added 22 kills. Four-star junior libero and Michigan State commit Olivia Durst put up 23 digs. Wendlick (556 kills) and Quest (515) combined for over 1,000 kills on the season. Junior setter and Belmont commit Jordan Czajkowski dished out 1,100 assists while Durst finished with 466 digs. DSHA went 47-1 this fall, with its only loss coming to Mother McAuley in the Asics Challenge tournament. LINCOLN SOUTHWEST: The Silver Hawks (33-4) ended the season on top of the Nebraska Class A state championship. Lincoln Southwest swept Papillion-La Vista in Saturday’s state final as 4-star and junior setter Malayah Long’s 31 assists. Senior outside Emerson Lionberger led the offense with 11 kills. Long directed a balanced attack on the year. Senior outside Julia Trost finished with a team-leading 274 kills. Senior middle Madison Rink had 265, while junior outside Shelby Harding (227 kills) and Lionberger (216) were also frequent contributors. MILL VALLEY: The Jaguars (37-5) were another school which ended the season on top of its respective division. Mill Valley swept Blue Valley North in the Kansas Class 6A state final two weeks ago. Senior outside Kaitlyn Burke put away 13 kills and sophomore setter Ella Florez delivered 24 assists. Mill Valley lost its first meeting of the year against Blue Valley North, but wound up 3-1 against after taking the state showdown. Florez racked up 943 assists this fall. Burke powered the offense with a team-high 349 kills. Freshman outside Riley Riggs played a key role, ending her rookie campaign with 299 kills. Junior middles Saida Jacobs (222 kills) and Ashlyn Blazer (203) were also an important part of the attack while sophomore libero Corinne Schwindt anchored the defense with 297 digs. DIKE-NEW HARTFORD: The Wolverines were stopped in last year’s Iowa Class 2A state final but weren’t going to be denied in 2023. Dike-New Hartford swept Hinton in last Thursday’s state championship match to cap a perfect 50-0 season. Senior outside and 4-star Louisville commit Payton Petersen registered 20 kills and hit. 368. Petersen ended her senior year with 616 kills and hitting .463. Senior outside Jadyn Petersen was next in line with 426 kills, followed by senior middle Maryn Bixby with 351. LAFAYETTE: Junior outside and 4-star Vanderbilt commit Maya Witherspoon recorded 21 kills to lift the Lancers to their second consecutive Missouri Class 5A state championship in a sweep of Howell last weekend. Senior setter Alyssa Nelson dished out 34 assists as well as Lafayette completed the year 36-2. Nelson amassed 1,036 assists to close out her career, while Witherspoon shined offensively with a team-leading 435 kills. Senior outside Allison Risley (303 kills) and freshman right side Shaye Witherspoon (252) were also favorite targets of Nelson. LONE PEAK: Freshman outside and 4-star recruit Ava Burgess waited until Utah’s 6A state final to deliver her best performance of the season. She totaled a season-best 17 kills as the Knights (28-5) took down Skyridge in four sets. The two sides split a pair of matches before meeting for a third time in the state final. Senior right side Cami Christiansen added 14 kills while 5-star senior middle and Kansas commit Zoey Burgess had 11. Junior Sam Pope and sophomore Nevaeh Tien combined for 42 assists. The Knights were yet another squad who ran a very balanced offense. Zoey Burgess (279 kills), Christiansen (236), McKynzee Beddes (220) and Ava Burgess (207) all finished with similar output.

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Lydia Chinchar (FREE)

November 21, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Lydia Chinchar. *** To say our latest Player of the Week burst onto the high school scene this season would be inaccurate. Lydia Chinchar – a 4-star setter/right side from the Class of 2027 – was part of Carrollwood Day’s varsity team last year as an eighth-grader. She had an incredible campaign, leading the squad in kills and blocks. However, the Patriots’ state championship aspirations ended with a regional quarterfinal loss to Tampa Prep. Chinchar was among a handful of returning players – including her older sister and senior setter Naomi. Combining with a couple of newcomers – including 3-star Purdue commit and junior libero Mattea Casale – Carrollwood Day was on a mission in 2023. “I remember the first day of practice and we said our goal was to win state and nothing else,” Chinchar said. “We set our minds to that and we just kept going to the very end. In practice, we worked so hard each and every day and we did a really good job of that.” Chinchar once again led the charge. The freshman right side powered the offense with 573 kills – averaging 6.3 per set and hitting .428 – as the Patriots captured the program’s second-ever state championship after defeating Westminster Christian in the Florida 3A final. Adding a punctuation mark to her fabulous season, Chinchar sent down a season-high 37 kills (9.3 per set) and hit .301 in the four-set victory over the Warriors that helped Carrollwood Day finish the fall 31-2 overall. “Our mindset was to walk in confidently and just play our game and not worry about anyone else’s game,” Chinchar said. “That was the most important thing. We never had a doubt in our mind that we were going to lose. We always knew we had each other and that was the best part of it. “The emotions were everywhere on the last point when the ball hit the ground. There was so much excitement and a weight off our shoulders. Finally, all that hard work paid off. Everything we all put it, winning it with your best friends is a pretty awesome feeling.” Carrollwood Day emerged as the team to beat in Florida this fall after its run to the finals of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament in early September. The Patriots suffered their first setback in a sweep against Cornerstone Christian of Texas in the championship match. Along the way Carrollwood Day downed eventual Nebraska Class B state champion Skutt Catholic and eventual Florida 6A runner up Viera. Later in the season, Carrollwood Day notched a victory over eventual 7A state champ Plant. “After the Nike tournament, it was pretty early in the season and we made it to the final and I just remember people saying ‘Oh my goodness, who is this CDS team,’” Chinchar said. “We knew teams were targeting us and coming for us after that.” Chinchar grew up immersed in volleyball. Her parents – Douglas and Sarah – both played. Chinchar’s father is her coach at Carrollwood Day and both parents are directors of No Name Volleyball, where Chinchar will suit up as part of the top 17s team this coming club season. For Chinchar, volleyball was the only sport she ever wanted to play. “I started really young,” she said. “I was six and playing on a 12-and-under team. My parents got me into volleyball and I didn’t really want to do anything else. They were pushing me to try something else but I just wanted to pursue volleyball. I was around it every day. My sister Naomi was in love with volleyball so we decided to do it together.” With both her parents being setters, Chinchar naturally developed at that position as well as hitting. She did both this past club season for No Name 16 but she’s been purely a hitter in high school. “I would say I enjoy hitting more than setting,” Chinchar said. “It is quite the job to run the court and I really appreciate all my setters throughout the years.” It’s not surprising that volleyball takes up much of Chinchar’s time, but she does like to scuba dive and sew sometimes when her schedule allows for it. “My sister and I do scuba diving together,” she said. “It’s always fun to go and we love being able to do it together.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Chinchar about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Chinchar: A role model I look up to is my sister, Naomi. I’m with her every day and she’s always been front and center for me. We do everything together on and off the court. She’s a great role model. She’s going to West Point, so there is no better role model than that. If you could choose to be or do anything for a day, what would you be or do and why? Chinchar: If I had the chance to do anything for a day I would probably drive to Disney World. It’s right here in Florida. I love all the Disney characters. Since I was a little girl it was always a place to go to. It makes me feel like a kid again with all the rides and all the characters there. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Chinchar: I would like to learn to sing. I have always tried to sing and it never works out for me. It would be fun to be up on a stage performing and singing. But, really I wouldn’t try to do anything else but volleyball. Do

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vballrecruiter.com’s Final Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 20)

November 20, 2023

It’s official! Mater Dei of California is the vballrecruiter.com 2023 High School National Champion. You can read about Mater Dei’s season and why the Monarchs finished this fall as the best high school team in the country. With most of the states wrapped up, there was very little movement in our final Top 50 of the year. With Mater Dei winning the CA Open Division state final and Grand Oaks taking home the Texas 6A state title, there was no change in the Top 10. The biggest change came with Cinco Ranch, which lost to Grand Oaks in the 6A state final, moving up from No. 29 to No. 13 after a strong campaign. Cinco Ranch was No. 29 last week because it had a prior loss to Harlan. But after beating Harlan in the 6A semis, Cinco Ranch shot up in our final rankings. There was only one new school cracking the rankings. With Mercy winning the Michigan Division 1 state final, it knocked Northville from the Top 50. As a result, Lake Travis TX ends the year in the Top 50. You can view the full final rankings below. vballrecruiter.com’S FINAL TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA 43-2 (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN 33-0 (2) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX 36-4 (3) 4. Grand Oaks TX 50-1 (4) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA 34-5 (5) 6. Wayzata MN 34-0 (6) 7. Mira Costa CA 39-4 (7) 8. Assumption KY 37-5 (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL 37-5 (9) 10. Benet Academy IL 39-3 (10) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI 47-1 (11) 12. O’Connor AZ 34-1 (12) 13. Cinco Ranch TX 38-5 (29) 14. Lincoln Southwest NE 33-4 (13) 15. Middle Creek NC 26-1 (14) 16. Lake Catholic OH 29-0 (16) 17. Archbishop Mitty CA 33-5 (15) 18. Kings OH 28-1 (18) 19. St. Francis/Mountain View CA 35-6 (17) 20. Papillion-La Vista NE 26-16 (19) *** 21. Papillion-La Vista South NE 35-2 (20) 22. Mill Valley KS 37-5 (21) 23. Marist IL 33-5 (22) 24. Notre Dame Academy KY 35-7 (23) 25. Sierra Canyon CA 34-9 (24) 26. Blue Valley North KS 38-4 (25) 27. Harlan TX 44-6 (26) 28. Dike-New Hartford IA 50-0 (27) 29. Valor Christian CO 29-0 (28) 30. Oconomowoc WI 41-4 (30) *** 31. Seaman KS 38-6 (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS 31-9 (32) 33. Lafayette MO 36-2 (33) 34. Dripping Springs TX 48-7 (34) 35. Maize South KS 38-5 (35) 36. St. James Academy KS 33-6 (36) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX 34-7 (37) 38. Carrollwood Day FL 31-2 (38) 39. North Branch MI 56-4 (46) 40. Foothill CA 37-2 (40) *** 41. Branson CA 28-5 (41) 42. Lone Peak UT 28-5 (42) 43. Plant FL 25-3 (43) 44. Berkeley Prep FL 20-6 (44) 45. Pace Academy GA 37-3 (45) 46. Alpharetta GA 38-3 (47) 47. Skyridge UT 28-2 (48) 48. Glenbard West IL 35-4 (49) 49. Pope GA 39-4 (50) 50. Lake Travis TX 44-6 (n/r) *** ON THE CUSP Huntington Beach CA Mercy MI Forest Hills Northern MI Perry AZ Xavier Prep AZ St. Josepha Academy OH Olentangy Orange OH Winter Park FL St. Thomas Aquinas FL Kamehameha HI Punahou HI Bishop Gorman NV McGill-Toolen AL Mountain Brook AL Cox Mill NC *** Past vballrecruiter.com National Champions: 2022: Cathedral Catholic CA

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vballrecruiter.com’s 2023 HS National Champion: Mater Dei Monarchs

November 20, 2023

Anything short of a head-to-head result or results between the undisputed two top programs in the country means determining the high school national champion is completely subjective. A season ago Cathedral Catholic made it an easy choice given the Dons went undefeated and only dropped one set all year as they captured the Durango Fall Classic title and the California Open Division state championship. The only other team under consideration last fall was Cornerstone Christian of Texas. While the Warriors did hand eventual TAPPS 6A champ Prestonwood Christian its only loss as well as defeat Texas 6A state champ Dripping Springs, plus beat CA Open Division semifinalist Mira Costa, they suffered their only loss to Westminster Christian FL in the final of the Nike TOC Southeast tournament. That lone loss ended any heated debate between Cathedral Catholic and Cornerstone Christian in terms of the national championship. It would have been nearly impossible to pick between the pair had both ended the year undefeated. There are three important factors in determining a national champion. One is overall record. Another is strength of schedule. And lastly a team must capture its state championship, because if a team isn’t the best in its state how can it be the best in the nation? That leads us to our 2023 High School National Champion – Mater Dei of California. Mater Dei finished the year 43-2. While they did not go undefeated like Hamilton Southeastern of Indiana or Wayzata of Minnesota, the Monarchs strength of schedule was vastly superior. The Monarchs earned two major tournament titles in Volleypalooza and the Durango Fall Classic. And after defeating nationally-ranked Archbishop Mitty in four sets this past Saturday evening, they earned their second California Open Division state championship to match the one they claimed in 2018. “It’s amazing,” Mater Dei coach Dan O’Dell said. “Winning tournaments is tough. I’ve had a lot of good teams and we didn’t win Durango. Playing those best-of-three tournaments is just a crap shoot. I don’t know if I would have believed anyone who said we would win two major tournaments, CIF and state and accomplish all of that. It’s really impressive. It’s a testament to the girls. Whenever they needed to be really good, they showed up.” The core of the roster was largely the same from a season ago. Senior outside and 4-star San Diego commit Isabel Clark, senior right side and 4-star Michigan commit Cymarah Gordon, sophomore outside and 5-star recruit Layli Ostovar, senior libero and 3-star Stanford commit Malyssa Cawa, junior setter Ayva Ostovar and senior defensive specialist and 3-star recruit Tessa Hurley all played key roles in 2022. The biggest turnover came in the middle, where Mater Dei leaned on sophomore and 3-star recruit Addison Coady and freshman and 3-star recruit Emma Kingston to start the year. Mater Dei was boosted by the eligibility of senior setter/right side and 3-star Brown commit Julia Kakkis, who had to sit out all last year after transferring due to a CIF ruling. The depth of the lineup was crucial in the team’s success.   “That was our strength,” O’Dell said. “We never really relied on just one kid every match. We had Izzy, Cymarah and Layli to carry us. If someone was off, there was someone else to shoulder the load. We had such balance and multiple players being part of our success. We have an amazing libero in Malyssa and a great setter in Julia to orchestrate it all. “Emma, our freshman middle, was massive at the end of the season. She really improved her blocking from the beginning of the season and by the end she was single-handily taking out middles and shutting down outsides. She had nine blocks in the CIF final. She had seven or eight against Cathedral Catholic in the semis and she had eight against Mitty. She was averaging about two blocks per set in that stretch. “Tessa Hurley, our DS, she made some outstanding plays. She would be a starting libero on so many teams but she happens to play with Malyssa.” A season ago, Cathedral Catholic overcame the loss of senior outside and Stanford commit Julia Blyashov and won four state matches without her. While Mater Dei didn’t lose its top player like the Dons, the Monarchs did deal with a couple of key injuries. The first was losing Coady to an ankle injury during Volleypalooza. She remained out past the Durango Fall Classic. Another was losing Ayva Ostovar the week leading into Dave Mohs and having to switch to Kakkis running a 5-1, which she did for the remainder of the season. “When we switched to a 5-1 it was tough,” O’Dell said. “We were trying something new and we were exposed by Cathedral Catholic. They were doubling up our outsides and we weren’t running the middles. We just weren’t great. After that, we started implementing Layli going to six rotations. She was hurt at the beginning of the year so we had been subbing her out back row. We wanted her in the back row so with her and Izzy we always had a back row attack to get more offense in the 5-1. Julia started getting more comfortable at the net and getting used to the 5-1. It also helped having middle depth because with Megan Rice and Sofia Walker we were able to mix and match. But the main change was Layli going six rotations so we had more offense.” Mater Dei didn’t lose the rest of the way after falling to Cathedral Catholic in the Dave Mohs final. That brings us to Mater Dei’s record. A pair of losses is usually enough to eliminate a team from the national championship picture. As we mentioned earlier, Cornerstone Christian was eliminated with just one loss in 2022, as was Prestonwood Christian, who only lost to Cornerstone Christian. As for Mater Dei, the Monarchs ended the year with a winning record against both opponents they lost to in Mira Costa

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HS Player Spotlight: 13 Impactful Freshmen

November 16, 2023

Once the high school schedule officially wraps up, we’ll start releasing our Player of the Year candidates for the 2024-2027 classes. It’s likely you’ll see many of the names below listed as our Freshman of the Year candidates for the 2023 season. What all 13 ninth-graders below have in common is that their respective seasons are completed and all made tremendous impacts towards their team success. Lauren Garcia S/RS Reagan TX: Garcia – a 3-star recruit – had a big freshman season in helping the Rattlers reach the regional quarterfinals. She finished off the year second in kills with 428, averaging 3.2 per set. She also led the team in assists with 798, averaging 6.0 per set. She was third in digs with 375 and first in aces with 54. She recorded a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Johnson. She twice reached a season-best 33 assists. The first came in a victory against Churchill in September. The next was in an October bi-district triumph over New Braunfels. Mallory Wandel OH Rockford MI: The Rams’ run came to an end in the Division 1 regional final. Still, it was a tremendous rookie campaign for Wandel. She was second in kills with 373. She averaged 2.8 per set. One of her best matches came in August when she had 13 kills and hit .647. She had a season-high 17 kills in a September victory over Caledonia. Louise Neuhart OH Virginia Academy VA: Neuhart played a key role in the Patriots making it to the Virginia Division 2 state semifinals. The freshman outside led the offense with 366 kills. She averaged 2.9 per set and hit .290. Neuhart twice registered a season-high 17 kills. One was in a victory against St. Anne’s-Belfield as she hit .412. The other time came against Chelsea Academy, when she hit .406. McKenna McIntosh OH St. Mary’s CA: McIntosh – a 3-star recruit – made an immediate impact for the Rams, who captured the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 championship and qualifed for the CA Open Division state playoffs, where they fell to Foothill in the Round of 16. McIntosh led the attack with 362 kills. She averaged 4.5 kills per set and hit .350. She was also second in both digs (179) and blocks (22) and third in aces (48). McIntosh had a couple of her biggest outings late in the season. It included dropping 17 kills and hitting .308 as St. Mary’s beat Rocklin in the sectional final. In the sectional semis, she had a season-best 20 kills and hit .462. Marissa Jones S Woodward Academy GA: Jones – a 5-star recruit – guided Woodward Academy to the Georgia 6A state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champ Alpharetta. She dished out 702 assists, averaging 7.5 per set. She also finished first in blocks with 71 and third in digs with 239. She twice recorded a season-best 35 assists, as well as a season-high seven blocks in an August loss to McIntosh. Lauren Forelli OH Liberty AZ: With Forelli leading the charge on offense, the Lions advanced to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals this fall. The 4-star recruit sent down a team-leading 250 kills. In her best match of the season, she put away a high of 21 kills and hit .439 in a five-set victory against Pinnacle in October. Kendall Omoruyi MB Sunnyslope AZ: The Vikings also made it to the Arizona 6A state quarterfinals. A 5-star recruit, Omoruyi was an important factor in the middle. She ended third in kills with 171, averaging 2.3 per set. She made a bigger impact defensively, sending down 83 blocks and averaging 1.1 per set. She amassed a season-high 14 kills in a five-set victory against Mountain Ridge in September. She also twice had a season-high nine blocks. It came against Lake Highlands Prep FL and Bishop’s CA during the Nike TOC Southwest tournament. Calli LeFevre OH Marian MI: LeFevre’s role in helping the Mustangs reach the Michigan Division 1 state quarterfinals cannot be overlooked. The 3-star outside wrapped up the year second in kills with 338. She averaged 2.7 per set and was third in digs with 300, averaging 2.4. She tallied a season-high 15 kills in a five-set loss to Lake Orion in September. Amelie Pankonin OH River Falls WI: The Wildcats advanced to the Wisconsin Division 1 state quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion and nationally-ranked Divine Savior Holy Angels. Pankonin played a vital part on offense, finishing the year second in kills with 322. That was one short of tying for the team lead. She averaged 3.4 per set. Four times she totaled 20 kills or more, including a season-high 22 and hitting .388 in a four-set victory over Eau Claire Memorial in the second round of state. Ellyson Randolph OH Reagan NC: The Raiders suffered their only loss of the fall in the North Carolina 4A state semifinals when Cox Mill prevailed in four sets. It was quite the season for the 6-2 Randolph, who led the team in kills. She put down 311 and averaged 3.2 per set while hitting .314. She notched a season-high 15 kills in a four-set victory against East Surry in October. Caroline Ward OH Tri-West Hendricks IN: Ward – a 5-star talent – played a crucial role in the Bruins finishing on top of the Indiana 3A state playoffs. She finished second in kills with 312, averaging 2.8 per set. She was also third in blocks with 45. She had 19 kills and hit .640 in a victory against Westner Boone in mid-October. She set her season high of 24 kills while hitting .439 in a five-set triumph over Center Grove in early October. Addyson Avery MB Briarcrest Christian TN: The Saints came out on top of the Tennessee Division 2AA state playoffs. Avery contributed in a big way out of the middle. She finished fourth in kills with 166, averaging 1.6 per set and hitting .352, and led the way blocking with 139. That

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Vballrecruiter Elite ID Clinic: Atlanta Red Hat Invites and Standout Players

November 15, 2023

The Vballrecruiter team headed to Atlanta for the latest Elite ID Clinic hosted by TK Volleyball this past Saturday. With players representing Classes from 2024-2030, the energy in the building was both rocking and infectious. Below, we highlight two things: 1) the latest round of invites to The Red Hat Games (some players who attended have been invited previously) and 2) other standouts who showed what they are capable of. RED HAT GAMES INVITES 2025Laney Barnes S A5 17 Jaime: Barnes ran her court well. She has solid hands and showed great leadership. Maya Swenson L/DS Club Savannah 17 National: Swenson went all-out and was covering the court well. 2026Chloe Neal L/DS M2 16-2 Elite: Neal brings hustle and effort to the back row. She did well keeping rallies going. Alyssa Kato OH Roots 16 Green: Kato delivered her share of strong attacks and impressive plays. She stayed aggressive and kept coming with it. 2027Sullivan Lell L/DS Alabama Performance: Lell’s energy is contagious. She’s fast and quick to the ball and makes up ground in a hurry. Harper Sanders L/DS 575 15 National: Sanders showed a nice platform and was making lots of plays all over the court. Raquel Mina MB A5 15 Danielle: Mina flies under the radar but has plenty of potential to rise as she continues developing. She was making many plays on both sides of the ball at the net. Destinee Chukelu MB A5 15 Victor: Chukelu is another middle with lots of upside and a high ceiling. She made her presence felt with forceful blocks and getting up and putting balls down. Chloe Mosley L/DS/S Rio 14 Elite: Mosley brings a lot of hustle to the position. She moves around the court with ease and was getting a lot of balls up. Jasmine Mosley L/DS Rio 15 National: In similar fashion, Mosley flies around the court making plays all over and plays with a high level of confidence. Caroline Presswood L/DS Alliance 14 Ren: Presswood was among a solid group of defenders doing their things in the Class of 2027. She showed no fear and did well keeping balls in play. Kailey Leonard L/DS A5 15 Kelly: Leonard handled business well with her ability to extend rallies and court coverage. McKenzie Wilkie L/DS A5 15 Kelly: Wilkie showed her defensive prowess with her hustle and reaction plays. 2028Addy Gosselin S/RS Atlanta Extreme 14-1: Gosselin moves the ball around well and gets her hitters involved. She also showed a lot of leadership on the court. Lauren Rivers S/RS SC Midlands 16 National Elite: Rivers was dishing well from pin-to-pin. She has a physical presence and has a bright future. Emily Childress OH TK 14 Glow: Childress was yet another young player doing her thing. She’s fearless on the attack and kept swinging away no matter the size of the block she was facing. Jentelle McNairl OH Alliance 15-1: McNairl doesn’t back down and is not afraid to challenge the block in front of her. She brings a lot of energy to the outside position. Charlie McDaniel OH Alliance 14 Ren: McDaniel was a fun outside to watch. She goes hard and is relentless on the attack. 2029Emily Rupeika L/DS A5 13 Karen: Rupeika is a smooth operator and plays under control. She doesn’t get rattled and her passing was on point. 2030Makenna Johnson S A5 12 LA: Johnson displayed solid footwork and did well getting to the ball repeatedly. She also has a nice touch on her sets. *** MORE STANDOUTS 2024Lily Kate Kenyon RS A5 17 Jaime: Kenyon showed up strong on the attack. She’s lanky with a nice range of shots. Sydney McCutcheon S TK 18 Fearless: McCutcheon did a solid job of locating with consistency and moving the ball around. Talia Anderson L/DS TK 17 Endgame: Anderson was getting after it and making hustle plays. She also played with lots of energy. 2025Sydney Frazier MB M2: Frazier made her presence known in the middle. She gets up well and was touching balls and putting them away consistently. Katelynn Mundy OH 575 17 Cheyenne: Mundy had her moments scoring and sending balls down. She was taking aggressive swings and attacking with authority. Alexandria Tookes OH Tsunami: Tookes is an athletic outside with upside. She was letting loose at times and flashing her potential. Haleigh Kamer OH/S/DS Xcel Performance: Kamer is a versatile player who was mainly setting. She has good hands and was connecting with her hitters well. 2026Mataya Orth L/DS A5 16 Pat: Orth was among the scrappy defenders getting after it and going all out. She’s not afraid to take balls overhead and play them with her hands. Samantha Bailey RS/MB Tsunami 16-1: A lefty right side, Bailey showed off a solid arm and her ability to put balls away. Kennedi White OH M2 16-1: White swung well from both pins. She gets off the ground nice and has a good arm. Emma Pastusic OH Triad United 16 Teal: Pastusic was another outside who was scoring with consistentcy. She has a lively arm and hits with plenty of pace. 2027Alina Phillips RS A5 15 Kelly: Phillips is a rising talent who extends well and was bringing it from the right side. She showed a wide range of shots and is a someone to keep tabs on. Hana Catic OH/DS A5 15 Kelly: Catic showcased her potential with solid attacking. She has a nice arm and moves the ball around sideline to sideline. Marissa Jones S A5 15 Kelly: Jones was the best player in the gym. She’s a 5-star talent with the ability to vary her sets from anywhere on the court with great accuracy. Kylee Evans MB A5 15 Kelly: Evans is another rising talent who is poised for a breakout club season. She’s a beast at the net on both sides of the ball. She gets up very well and can both hammer balls down as well as stuff them back at opponents. Kerrington Corbin MB Alliance 15 Ren:

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vballrecruiter.com’s Player of the Week: Keoni Williams (FREE)

November 14, 2023

We’re proud to be a part of an ongoing partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods, which is sponsoring our Player of the Week award. We’ll be releasing a featured vballrecruiter.com Player of the Week, sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, on Tuesdays. Below is this week’s Player of the Week: Keoni Williams. *** With a loss to Fossil Ridge in bi-district play at the end of October, the 2023 high school season came to a conclusion for Keoni Williams and her Boswell teammates. While the defeat came sooner then the Pioneers would have liked, it did shift Williams’ focus and attention fully to the upcoming club season. Williams – a 6-4, 5-star middle blocker from the Class of 2026 – has excelled during the club portion of the calendar in recent years. She’s coming off a gold medal performance in 15 Open at the USAV Girls Junior National Championships this past summer playing with Skyline 15 Royal. The year before she finished runner up in 14 Open playing with Frisco Flyers. That was after winning it all with Frisco Flyers in 13 Open in 2021. “It’s been really great these past few years being on top teams,” Williams said. This past summer presented a rare occurrence where Skyline squared off with Mintonette Sports m.51 in both the 15 Open championship matches at AAU and USAV. While Mintonette captured the gold in Orlando, Williams and Skyline extracted revenge by claiming the gold in Chicago. “It was tough after AAUs because we felt good and were playing well,” Williams said. “We knew it was going to be a tough game and we felt we could’ve taken that one. After we just had to make sure we didn’t get distracted and look at what we did wrong in case we did face them again. Mintonette is a really good team. When we came to USAV we knew we had to stay calm and do what we needed to do to get the win. When we got that last point it was a crazy feeling. It felt great coming back and getting that win.” Williams will aim for a fourth consecutive Open finals appearance this coming season as she suits up for Skyline 16 Royal. One of the challenges is overcoming the roster changes that took place. Williams is one of six returners combining with seven newcomers. “I’m really excited for this club season,” Williams said. “I’ve been looking forward to it even during the high school season. I’m going to keep working on myself and focus on my conditioning and blocking and really closing out. We are ready to have a great run this year.” The high school season for Boswell kicked off at the Ann Kang Invitational in Hawaii in August. The Pioneers faced a challenging slate, going against nationally-ranked teams in Sierra Canyon CA and Cornerstone Christian TX, as well as eventual California Open Division state quarterfinalist Huntington Beach, eventual Texas 5A semifinalist Lovejoy and host ‘Iolani. “I’ve never been to Hawaii before,” Williams said. “It was really fun. We went to the ocean everyday and took lots of pictures. The volleyball was something. There were crazy good teams who hit well and play great defense. The first day we played Sierra Canyon and they were pretty good. It was tough playing those teams but it was really good to see what we needed to work on for our season.” With her father, Mike, playing basketball oversees, Williams grew up around sports and “was always traveling with him.” Williams started settling down around 11 and was leaning more towards basketball at first than volleyball. “It was between basketball and volleyball, but I was talking with my aunties because they played volleyball in college,” Williams said. “When I started volleyball it was really hard at first. I just kept working and working at it and then I just played volleyball from there. I did some basketball in middle school a little bit but I stopped.” As our featured Player of the Week sponsored by Dick’s Sporting Goods, we recently spoke with Williams about volleyball and more. Who is a role model or someone you look up to? Williams: I don’t really have a volleyball role model. But I do watch volleyball to see what other middles are doing like Asjia O’Neal. I watch how she’s fast out to the block and the ways she’s able to score. I try to look at it as though it’s me versus me. Every time I step on the court I’m just focused on working on improving. After the game, I’ll look at what I did and didn’t do, like not getting off the net quick enough or I wasn’t very effective on offense. Then the next time I’m watching to make sure I do get off the net quickly and working hard on making myself available so I am able to produce. If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would you do and why? Williams: If I could do anything for a day, a while back I saw a massive go-kart place that opened in Massachusetts (Supercharged Entertainment). I would want to go there with my friends and ride go-karts with them. I really love going out and doing stuff. That would be fun. Other than volleyball, what skill would you most like to learn and why? Williams: I would definitely love to master the skill of basketball. To feel the energy and intensity and be a part of that I think it would be fun. I think it would be really fun to have the ball passed to me and I bully my defender a little bit then go up and get that point and score. Do you have any volleyball superstitions and if so what? Williams: The only superstition I have is I always wear two pair of socks, even with my ankle braces. I always have two pair of socks and my teammates make fun of me. They ask

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vballrecruiter.com’s Top 50 National HS Rankings (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2023

The final week of the high school season is upon us. That’s the bad news. The good news is it has been a fun-filled and entertaining ride, one that is not over just yet. Major states like California and Texas wrap up this week. Not only is the national championship still up in the air, state tournaments also help shape and define who will be our Player of the Year for each class. Just like it’s impossible to be the national champion without winning a state tournament, it’s virtually impossible as well to be named a Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior Player of the Year without hoisting the state trophy. As for the national championship puzzle, the pieces continue to fall into place. Top-ranked Mater Dei is still alive in the California Open Division state playoffs and is set to face Cathedral Catholic on Tuesday in the semifinals. The winner of that advances to face the winner of Archbishop Mitty–St. Francis/Mountain View in Saturday’s final. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic have split a pair of matches thus far, with Mater Dei beating Cathedral in the semifinals of Volleypalooza and Cathedral returning the favor by downing Mater Dei in the finals of the Dave Mohs tournament two weeks later. Cathedral Catholic knocked off Mira Costa over the weekend in the quarterfinals. That was a giant result because it ended any chance of Mira Costa finishing as the national champion. Mira Costa had a path to the title but would have needed to beat Cathedral Catholic, then Mater Dei then the Nor Cal representative in the final in order to make that claim. Cathedral Catholic went undefeated last year and claimed the national championship after winning the Open Division state championship. Despite losing a lot of talent, the Dons are interestingly in another position where they could possibly make an argument for once again being national champions. Should they win out, the Dons would have gone 2-1 against Mater Dei and 1-1 against Prestonwood Christian, which won the TAPPS 6A state championship. Cathedral Catholic did lose to Mira Costa at the Durango Fall Classic but avenged that loss in the state playoffs. The biggest obstacle is the loss to Grand Oaks in the third-place match at Volleypalooza. Grand Oaks is still alive in the semifinals of the Texas 6A state playoffs. Grand Oaks’ only loss remains to Prestonwood Christian in the semis of Volleypalooza. We’ll sort through all the results as the state finals conclude this coming weekend and will name a national champion next Monday. Until then, this week’s updated Top 50 can be viewed in its entirety below. vballrecruiter.com’S TOP 50 NATIONAL HS RANKINGS 1. Mater Dei CA (1 – previous ranking) 2. Hamilton Southeastern IN (3) 3. Prestonwood Christian TX (4) 4. Grand Oaks TX (5) 5. Cathedral Catholic CA (6) 6. Wayzata MN (7) 7. Mira Costa CA (2) 8. Assumption KY (8) 9. Mother McAuley IL (10) 10. Benet Academy IL (9) *** 11. Divine Savior Holy Angels WI (11) 12. O’Connor AZ (12) 13. Lincoln Southwest NE (13) 14. Middle Creek NC (14) 15. Archbishop Mitty CA (15) 16. Lake Catholic OH (16) 17. St. Francis/Mountain View CA (16) 18. Kings OH (18) 19. Papillion-La Vista NE (19) 20. Papillion-La Vista South NE (20) *** 21. Mill Valley KS (21) 22. Marist IL (22) 23. Notre Dame Academy KY (24) 24. Sierra Canyon CA (23) 25. Blue Valley North KS (25) 26. Harlan TX (n/r) 27. Dike-New Hartford IA (26) 28. Valor Christian CO (27) 29. Cinco Ranch TX (n/r) 30. Oconomowoc WI (29) *** 31. Seaman KS (31) 32. St. Thomas Aquinas KS (32) 33. Lafayette MO (34) 34. Dripping Springs TX (33) 35. Maize South KS (35) 36. St. James Academy KS (37) 37. Cornerstone Christian TX (38) 38. Carrollwood Day FL (40) 39. Northville MI (n/r) 40. Foothill CA (39) *** 41. Branson CA (41) 42. Lone Peak UT (43) 43. Plant FL (n/r) 44. Berkeley Prep FL (44) 45. Pace Academy GA (45) 46. North Branch MI (46) 47. Alpharetta GA (47) 48. Skyridge UT (48) 49. Glenbard West IL (49) 50. Pope GA (50) *** ON THE CUSP Lake Travis TXPerry AZXavier Prep AZSt. Ursula Academy OHSeton OHMercy McAuley OHHuntington Beach CAMarymount CALos Alamitos CAWinter Park FLSt. Thomas Aquinas FLKamehameha HIPunahou HIBishop Gorman NVHorizon AZMcGill-Toolen ALMountain Brook ALLas Cruces NMJenks OKWillowbrook IL

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HS Team Spotlight: 7 State Champions

November 7, 2023

We are under two weeks away from the 2023 high school season coming to a close. It’s that time of year when dreams are coming true and schools are raising state championship plaques and trophies. Below, we spotlight seven schools from our Top 50 National HS Rankings which finished on top of their respective divisions. ASSUMPTION: The Rockets added their state-record 23rd state championship by topping Notre Dame Academy in the Kentucky state final Saturday. Assumption handed NDA’s its first loss of the season by beating them in the Louisville Invitational Volleyball Tournament in early September and ended the season 3-1 against the Pandas. Assumption hadn’t won the state title since 2019. It was the longest drought since Assumption took home its first state title back in 1992. Senor Charlotte Moriarty led the way with 18 kills and tied junior libero Kristen Simon with a team-high 16 digs. Moriarty ended the season with 386 kills, followed by junior middle Bailey Blair with 323. Senior outside Chloe Smith (287 kills) and Emma Barnett (275) rounded out a balanced attack directed by junior setter Emilee Fuller (1,212 assists). Meanwhile, Simon wrapped up the year with 473 digs as Assumption finished the year 36-5 overall. DIVINE SAVIOR HOLY ANGELS: Led by 5-star Wisconsin commit and junior outside Madison Quest’s season-high 24 kills, Divine Savior defeated Oconomowoc in the Wisconsin Division 1 state final. It was the fourth time this season DSHA downed Oconomowoc in defending its state title. Senior outside and Creighton commit Sophia Wendlick added 22 kills. Four-star junior libero and Michigan State commit Olivia Durst put up 23 digs. Wendlick (556 kills) and Quest (515) combined for over 1,000 kills on the season. Junior setter and Belmont commit Jordan Czajkowski dished out 1,100 assists while Durst finished with 466 digs. DSHA went 47-1 this fall, with its only loss coming to Mother McAuley in the Asics Challenge tournament. LINCOLN SOUTHWEST: The Silver Hawks (33-4) ended the season on top of the Nebraska Class A state championship. Lincoln Southwest swept Papillion-La Vista in Saturday’s state final as 4-star and junior setter Malayah Long’s 31 assists. Senior outside Emerson Lionberger led the offense with 11 kills. Long directed a balanced attack on the year. Senior outside Julia Trost finished with a team-leading 274 kills. Senior middle Madison Rink had 265, while junior outside Shelby Harding (227 kills) and Lionberger (216) were also frequent contributors. MILL VALLEY: The Jaguars (37-5) were another school which ended the season on top of its respective division. Mill Valley swept Blue Valley North in the Kansas Class 6A state final two weeks ago. Senior outside Kaitlyn Burke put away 13 kills and sophomore setter Ella Florez delivered 24 assists. Mill Valley lost its first meeting of the year against Blue Valley North, but wound up 3-1 against after taking the state showdown. Florez racked up 943 assists this fall. Burke powered the offense with a team-high 349 kills. Freshman outside Riley Riggs played a key role, ending her rookie campaign with 299 kills. Junior middles Saida Jacobs (222 kills) and Ashlyn Blazer (203) were also an important part of the attack while sophomore libero Corinne Schwindt anchored the defense with 297 digs. DIKE-NEW HARTFORD: The Wolverines were stopped in last year’s Iowa Class 2A state final but weren’t going to be denied in 2023. Dike-New Hartford swept Hinton in last Thursday’s state championship match to cap a perfect 50-0 season. Senior outside and 4-star Louisville commit Payton Petersen registered 20 kills and hit. 368. Petersen ended her senior year with 616 kills and hitting .463. Senior outside Jadyn Petersen was next in line with 426 kills, followed by senior middle Maryn Bixby with 351. LAFAYETTE: Junior outside and 4-star Vanderbilt commit Maya Witherspoon recorded 21 kills to lift the Lancers to their second consecutive Missouri Class 5A state championship in a sweep of Howell last weekend. Senior setter Alyssa Nelson dished out 34 assists as well as Lafayette completed the year 36-2. Nelson amassed 1,036 assists to close out her career, while Witherspoon shined offensively with a team-leading 435 kills. Senior outside Allison Risley (303 kills) and freshman right side Shaye Witherspoon (252) were also favorite targets of Nelson. LONE PEAK: Freshman outside and 4-star recruit Ava Burgess waited until Utah’s 6A state final to deliver her best performance of the season. She totaled a season-best 17 kills as the Knights (28-5) took down Skyridge in four sets. The two sides split a pair of matches before meeting for a third time in the state final. Senior right side Cami Christiansen added 14 kills while 5-star senior middle and Kansas commit Zoey Burgess had 11. Junior Sam Pope and sophomore Nevaeh Tien combined for 42 assists. The Knights were yet another squad who ran a very balanced offense. Zoey Burgess (279 kills), Christiansen (236), McKynzee Beddes (220) and Ava Burgess (207) all finished with similar output.

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