20 CLASS 1A DIVISION II VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2023
 

 BELLE BARNETT, HUTCHINSON CENTRAL CHRISTIAN
 
Barnett, a junior, has been an impact player for the Cougars since her freshman season, helping them reach the Class 1A Division II state tournament in both of her varsity seasons. With her strength, vertical leaping ability and foot speed, she is an effective hitter and blocker, and will play both outside and middle this season. Barnett had 184 kills on a team-leading .320 hitting percentage last season and also added a team-best 68 blocks. 

 

AUDREY BINA, NORTHERN VALLEY

Bina made a strong first impression for the Huskies as a freshman in 2022. She did it all for the Huskies, recording 280 kills, 63 blocks, 255 assists, 59 aces and 205 digs. Bina, a setter/middle hitter, was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League selection and was named to the WKLL all-tournament team. The Huskies went 21-16 in 2022, a six-win improvement from 2021.
 

CARLIE BRUMMER, BELOIT-ST. JOHN’S

Brummer will look to take over as the Beloit-St. John’s top hitter. Her 211 kills were second on the team behind now-graduated Ella Wiles last year. The Blujays garnered a fourth-place finish in their first state-tournament appearance since 2018. Brummer was also second on the team in digs with 296. Brummer, now a junior, was a second-team All-Northern Plains League pick last year.
 

 
OLIVIA CARLSON, CENTRE

Carlson was Centre’s top attacker last season, recording 177 kills to lead the Cougars to a 16-win season. That followed up a freshman season that saw her post 154 kills. Carlson also had 54 blocks, 378 digs and 20 aces, earning first-team All-Wheat State League honors. One of the state top divers and an accomplished gymnast, Carlson’s status for this season is up in the air after she suffered a neck injury while doing gymnastics over the summer.

 

 
JORDYN FLECKENSTEIN, GOLDEN PLAINS

Fleckenstein helped Golden Plains go 25-11 last year. She put up 154 kills with 44 blocks and 36 aces. The middle hitter was a first-team All-Western Kansas Liberty League selection. She was also named to the Western Kansas Liberty /Northwest Kansas League tournament. Fleckenstein enters her senior season with 308 kills, 87 blocks and 90 aces for her career.

 
AUBREY GENGLER, BELOIT-ST. JOHN’S

Gengler’s return should bode well for a Blujays looking team to build off last year’s fourth-place finish. She dished out 596 assists to help Beloit-St. John’s go 32-10 last year. St. John’s reached state for the first time since 2018. Gengler was a third-team All-Northern Plains League selection last year as a junior.

 
SAIGE HADLEY, LEBO
 
After stepping right in as a freshman and being a force in 2021, Hadley not only avoided a sophomore slump last year, but was a key factor in Lebo winning its first-ever state championship as the Wolves dethroned two-time defending champion Hanover for the Class 1A Division II state title. Complementing now-departed senior Brooklyn Jones and returning senior Audrey Peek, Hadley ranked just behind Jones for the team lead in kills with 374, hitting a .322 clip. She also had a team-high 95 aces and 252 digs. A second-team All-1A Division II pick as a freshman, Hadley moved up to first-team honors last year while also earning first-team All-Lyon County League honors for the second straight year.

 

OLIVIA HANDS, PAWNEE HEIGHTS

Hands is a force both in volleyball and basketball for the Tigers. The 6-foot-2 hitter recorded 169 kills, 38 blocks and 54 aces last season. Pawnee Heights coach Shaun Gardner expects the Tigers to have stronger support around Hands this year and for her stats to become more impressive as a result. In basketball, Hands led a six-player Pawnee Heights squad to its first state tournament in program history last season. She suffered an ankle injury that kept her out of the Tigers’ state game. Hands also excels in track, finishing second in 1A in discus last year.

 

 
ABI JONES, LEBO

Jones moved into a starting role last year for Lebo as a sophomore, taking over at setter for departed All-State pick Abby Peek, and flourished. With three big weapons to distribute the ball to, Jones was on point and dished out 942 assists to help Lebo sweep Lyon County League titles and win the program’s first ever state championship as the Wolves knocked off two-time defending champion Hanover for the Class 1A Division II state title. Jones added 57 aces and earned second-team All-Lyon County League and honorable mention All-Class 1A Division II honors.
 

 
SYDNIE JONES, BUCKLIN

Jones is a three-sport standout who also excels in softball and basketball as well. She put up eye-popping numbers last year as a  junior, notching 346 kills with a .385 hitting percentage. She finished with 200 kills more than other Red Ace. Bucklin went 21-15, losing to league rival South Central in the sub-state finals. Jones was a first-team all-league selection in each of the last two seasons. She holds an offer from Sterling College.
 

 
ANNA JUENEMAN, HANOVER

With senior teammates Ceegan Atkins and Massey Holle the primary attackers for Hanover a year ago, Jueneman played a complementary role and played it well. She managed 132 kills and was strong defensively with 413 digs and was a second-team All-Twin Valley League pick as well as an honorable mention All-Class 1A Division II selection. With Atkins and Holle having graduated, Jueneman – a track standout as well – will take over as the primary attacker this season.
 

 
JADYN MANGAN, GREELEY COUNTY

Mangan was second on the team in kills last year, forming a strong 1-2 punch with Jadence Stewart, who also returns. Mangan averaged 3.5 kills per set and led the team in total blocks with 43. She added 51 aces. The Jackrabbits went 26-11 in 2022, falling to Ingalls in the sub-state final. She was a first-team All-Northwest Kansas League pick last year.
 
 
MOLLY MURPHY, SOUTH CENTRAL

Murphy was a key contributor on a South Central squad that reached the state tournament last year. She delivered 216 kills, 37 aces and 174 digs for the Timberwolves. Murphy was a second-team All-SPIAA selection. The Timberwolves graduated first-team all-leaguer Kodie Herd and setter Tory Maris but also return second-team all-league selection Cambree Stapleton and honorable-mention pick Izzy Hackney.
 

 
AUDREY PEEK, LEBO

The daughter of Lebo coach Gina Peek, Audrey has been a starter since Day 1 at Lebo and had helped the Wolves to three straight two-two state tournament finishes including the program’s first state championship last year as Lebo won the Class 1A Division II crown. A middle blocker and six-rotation player, Peek ranked third on the team in kills with 215 while hitting at a .315 clip. She also had 65 aces, 273 digs and 44 blocks, earning first-team All-Class 1A Division II honors and first-team All-Lyon County League honors. Peek will team with fellow returning All-Stater Saige Hadley to give Lebo two of its top-three hitters from a year ago after graduation claimed All-1A II pick Brooklyn Jones.
 

ZOIE REDGATE, ATTICA
 
The 5-foot-6 Redgate will again handle setter and outside hitter duties for Attica after putting up solid all-around numbers during the Bulldogs’ 2022 run to 41 victories and third place in Class 1A Division II. Redgate finished with 460 assists – one more than teammate Isabel Alexander – and added 221 digs, 121 kills and 18 solo blocks. She also committed just eight service errors while registering 50 aces in 381 tries. “She will be the strongest all-around player on our team,” Attica coach Toni Dark says.

 

 
KAYDENCE SCHOTTE, HANOVER

On a team loaded with seniors that had helped Hanover to two straight Class 1A Division II state titles, Schotte carved out a niche last year as a junior first-year starter, serving as the Wildcats’ secondary setter to senior teammate Taeban Stallbaumer. Her 397 assists were second to Stallbaumer’s 517 and with Stallbaumer now gone, Schotte will take over as the primary setter this season. Schotte also had 297 digs and 25 aces. With only two starters back, she will team with returning starter Anna Jueneman to help Hanover stay among the contenders for the Twin Valley League and 1A II state titles.
 

 
KAROLINE SCHROEDER, WHEATLAND-GRINNELL

Schroeder put up big numbers despite missing 10 matches because of injury last year. Schroeder’s absence resulted in a long losing skid, but her return bolstered the Thunderhawks into the state tournament for the 11th time since the formation of Wheatland-Grinnell in 2007. The Thunderhawks won a state title in 2015 and also have three runner-up finishes. Schroeder finished the season with 400 kills, 329 digs and 44 aces in 82 sets played. She’ll look to go over the 1,000 mark in both career kills and digs this season, entering her senior year with 828 kills and 932 digs. Schroeder was a second All-1A Division II pick last year and a first-team Western Kansas Liberty selection for the second straight year.
 
 

OLIVIA STEIN, INGALLS

Stein is one of the top players in 1A Division II and part of a strong cast of returners from the Bulldogs’ state-qualifying team in 2022. She enjoyed an impressive freshman season in which she owned the second-highest hitting percentage in all classes at .481 and had the highest kill percentage at 58.4%. She finished with the fourth-highest kill total in Kansas last year with 544. According to Max Preps, Stein lead the nation in hitting percentage and kills among freshman. She added 46 aces and 222 digs. Stein was a second-team All-1A Division II selection and landed a spot on the state tournament team. She was a first-team all-league pick. Ingalls went 22-16 last year.

JADENCE STEWART, GREELEY COUNTY

Stewart put together a big-time freshman season. She finished with 374 kills, averaging 4.3 per set with a .259 hitting percentage. Stewart was third on the team in digs with 218. She also led the team in receptions with 312. Stewart was a first-team All-Northwest Kansas League selection. The Jackrabbits are loaded with returners after going 26-11 last year and reaching the sub-state final.

CHLOE TRAFFAS, ATTICA
 
Traffas, a junior, was the lone libero on the Class 1A Division II state all-tournament team after helping the Bulldogs rally past Beloit-St. John’s to collect third place. She finished the season with 549 digs and 80 aces on 454 serve attempts, earning all-state second-team and All-Heart of the Plains first-team accolades. “Chloe is a great hustle player,” Attica coach Toni Dark says. “She has a positive attitude and always cheers on and encourages her teammates.”