Even though the season is winding down and we’ll soon have our postseason awards and accolades, there’s still enough time left to tour the country and check in on players having or who have had amazing seasons. For this edition, we focused on 25 Show Stoppers from the Class of 2024.
Nora Wurtz MB Douglas County West NE – The Falcon (28-3) are looking to surprise in the Class C1 playoffs. Anything they do starts with the 6-4 Wurtz. The 3-star Creighton commit is having an incredible year. She leads her team with 393 kills. Wurtz is averaging 4.9 kills per set and hitting a mind-boggling .540 in the process. She also has a team-high 76 blocks and put up a season-high 22 kills in a win over Platteview on Sept. 22.
Mackenzie Parsons MB Poway CA – The Titans continue the CIF-SDS Division 1 playoffs Friday when they face El Capitan. The 6-2 Parsons is putting up eye-popping stats. She’s hitting .532 and leads the way with 407 kills, averaging 4.2 per set. She’s also sent down a team-high 82 blocks. Four times she’s recorded 22 kills in a match and set a season high with 23 in win over Del Norte in early October.
Alice Volpe L Bridgeland TX – The Bears (37-8) wrapped up their regular season schedule Tuesday and turn their attention to the postseason where Volpe and her teammates will look to pull off a few upsets. The junior has been a wall in the backrow. She’s tallied 593 digs and is averaging 4.9 per set. She also leads the team in aces with 44. Her season-high mark is 27 digs, which she made in a four-set victory against Lake Creek in late August.
Jordan Smart S Reagan NC – The Raiders (36-0) put their undefeated record on the line when they continue the 4A state playoffs. They face South Iredell in Round 3 with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Smart has directed the offense well this fall. She’s delivered 821 dimes, averaging 10.5 per set. It features a season-best 37 assists in a recent sweep over West Forsyth.
Reagan Sharp OH Keller TX – Can the Indians (28-11) be the surprise of the 6A playoffs? They’ll give it their best shot behind Sharp. The 3-star recruit has been at the center of it this fall. She’s carried the offense, registering 454 kills and averaging 3.9 per set. Sharp blasted a season-high 34 kills in a four-set victory against Southlake Carroll in early October.
Alec Rothe MB Dublin Scioto OH – The Irish (20-4) are looking to fight their way into the Division 1 state playoffs. Rothe has caused plenty of opponent headaches this fall with her performance. She has a team-high 308 kills. She’s averaging 4.2 per set and is hitting .356. She registered a season-high 24 kills in a five-set victory over Big Walnut in early September.
Amanda Mack OH Maryville TN – The Red Rebels (33-15) had their season ended by Hillsboro in the second round of the Division 1 Class 3A state playoffs. It ended a big year for Mack, a 6-2, 4-star Bradley commit. She finished with 447 kills, averaging 3.8 per set. She was also second in both digs and aces. Mack had her best match of the year when she put down a season-high 21 kills and hit .571 in a sweep over Morristown-Hamblen West in mid-October.
Lilly Wagner S Oconomowoc WI – Wagner, a 6-0, 4-star Maryland recruit, and her Raccoons (35-1) are seeking to cap their season with a Division 1 state title. It’s been a remarkable year, with Wagner running the show. She’s racked up 887 assists to date, averaging 10.3 per frame. She’s recorded double-digit assists in every match, including a season-high 38 in a victory against Kettle Moraine in late September.
Lola Davila L Brandies TX – The Broncos’ (28-15) regular season ended with a five-set loss to Reagan on Tuesday. Davila’s been a backrow standout this fall, putting up 882 digs. She averaged an incredible 6.7 per set. She had a season-high 44 digs in a five-set loss to New Braunfels on Sept. 16.
Evan Hendrix OH Notre Dame Prep AZ – The Saints (24-14) look to play spoilers in the 5A playoffs that begin next week. Hendrix – a 4-star TCU commit – is the engine that makes the offense go. She’s notched a team-leading 488 kills entering Thursday’s regular-season finale. She’s averaging 4.9 per set and nailed down a season-high 40 kills in a five-set victory against Verrado in early September.
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Fallon Stewart OH Winter Park FL – The 7A state playoffs started Wednesday for the Wildcats (20-7). Stewart is an integral part of the lineup as the 6-3, 4-star Cincinnati commit entered the week with a team-high 437 kills. She’s averaging 5.2 per set and is hitting .303. Nine times she’s topped 20 or more kills, including a season-high 32 against Lake Brantley in mid-September.
Briana Lauersdorf L Waterloo WI – The Pirates (23-10) have a Division 3 sectional semifinal meeting with Randolph on Friday. No doubt the Pirates will be counting on Lauersdorf to deliver like she has all season long. She’s made 536 saves to date and is averaging an outstanding 6.2 digs per set. She’s twice had 30 or more, including a season-best 36 against New Glarus in early September.
Paisley Douglas L Skutt Catholic NE – Douglas and her Skyhawks teammates face Duchesne in a subdistrict match Wednesday evening for a spot in the Class B state playoffs. Douglas has turned in a monster season. The recent USC commit has put up 508 digs. She’s averaging 4.9 per set. She made a season-high 33 saves in a four-set victory against St. Teresa’s Academy in September.
Kinslee McGowan S Cleveland TN – McGowan played an instrumental role in the Blue Raiders (49-5) capturing the Division 1 Class 3A state championship. She totaled 1256 assists on the year, averaging 8.5 per set. She also had 131 aces and averaged 1.8 digs per set. McGowan recorded a season-high 44 assists in a late-September victory over Maryville.
Elina Mortensen OH Corner Canyon UT – The regular season is over for the Chargers (15-14). One constant throughout was the play of Mortensen – a 6-1, 3-star recruit. She averaged 4.9 kills per set and accumulated 464 total. She’s also the digs leader, averaging 2.6 per set, and third in blocks. Two times she put up a season-best 31 kills.
Sade Ilawole S Sierra Canyon CA – The Trailblazers (31-4) are in the midst of their sectional playoffs with state upcoming after. Ilawole has done her part in Sierra Canyon being among one of the top teams in the country. The junior has dished out 965 assists, averaging 9.8 per set. She’s twice hit the 50 mark in victories over Alemany and Harvard-Westlake.
Aly Kirkhoff L Roncali IN – The Royals (22-9) lost in the sectional final to Brebeuf two weeks ago and are done for the year. Kirkhoff, a 3-star LSU commit, showed her scrappiness in the backcourt. She ended with 628 kills, averaging 6.5 per set. She had a few giant matches, surpassing 30 digs six times, 40 digs three times, and a season-high 53 against Perry Meridian.
Maria Drapp S Mercy McAuley OH – The Wolves look to keep their postseason alive as they take on Wyoming on Wednesday. Drapp has been excellent this fall. The 3-star Bradley commit entered the week with 792 assists, averaging 10.7 per frame. She dished out a season-best 54 assists against Roger Bacon in mid-September. She also had 50 assists against St. Henry in October.
Jadyn Wilgus MB Rouse TX – The Raiders (35-9) have some work to do to rise up in the 6A playoffs. Regardless, Wilgus has been money and a steady, reliable contributor. The 6-2, 3-star Arizona State commit is second in kills at 350. She’s averaging 2.7 per set and leads the team with a stellar .456 hitting percentage. Her 58 blocks also leads the roster. Her season-high was 20 kills, coming against Liberty Hill.
Brooke Lasater L Dexter MO – Lasater’s role for the Bearcats (20-10) can’t be overlooked. The junior made her mark with 562 digs, averaging 6.0 per set. She broke out with 41 digs, a season high, in a victory over Poplar Bluff in early October.
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Julia Tolstova OH Redlands CA – The season came to an end for the Terriers last week with a sectional playoff loss to Saint Joseph. Like she has been all season, Tolstova played a big role in that one, finishing with 27 kills. Her season high was 32 in late September. For the year, she totaled 541 kills, averaging 5.4 per set and hitting .311.
Bella Lee L Plant FL – Lee and her Panthers teammates opened the 7A state playoffs against Palm Harbor on Wednesday. The Florida commit has been a vacuum in the back row, scooping up 949 digs to date. That’s good for an average of 13.4 per set.
Julia Hunt MB Holy Cross KY – The Indians have a showdown with Ryle in the regional semifinals Wednesday to continue their season or not. Hunt has been a force to be reckoned with her relentless attack. She’s led the offense with 626 kills, averaging 6.5 per set and hitting .345. Twelve times she’s surpassed 20 kills or more, including a season-high 28 against Paintsville in mid-September.
Hannah Parant S/RS Mountain Brook AL – The Spartans (38-16) are part of the 6A state playoffs taking place Wednesday and Thursday. Among the key contributors has been Parant. The 3-star recruit has been valuable, coming up with 1,063 assists. That’s an average of 7.2 per set. Parant also is third in kills with 242, averaging 1.6 per frame.
Kaitlyn Moran S Mt. Paran Christian GA – The Eagles (44-6) are up against Callaway in the 2A state quarterfinals Wednesday. Moran has guided the offense to the tune of 9.7 assists per set, entering the week with 1,072 total. She’s also been impactful from the service line, leading the roster with 108 aces. She delivered a season-best 38 assists against Union County in the state playoffs last week.
