2025 VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW
 

CLASS 6A
 
2024 State champion: Mill Valley
 
2024 State runner-up: Blue Valley West
 
2024 Review: After winning its first state volleyball title in 2023, Mill Valley didn’t waste any time claiming its second, defeating Blue Valley West 25-12, 20-25, 25-10 in the Class 6A championship match to complete its second consecutive 37-5 season. Much like they did in their inaugural title run, the Jaguars used a regular-season loss to their championship foe to make some adjustments that proved beneficial down the stretch. Leilah Perry’s play in the middle was pivotal, and standout Saida Jacobs delivered the title-clinching point as Mill Valley became the first 6A team to go back-to-back since Olathe Northwest in 2016 and 2017. Blue Valley West, which swept its pool and rallied for a three-set semifinal victory over Olathe West, also finished 37-5. Mill Valley took down 2023 6A runner-up Blue Valley North, Garden City and Olathe West in straight sets to win its pool, then topped Manhattan in the semifinals. Olathe West defeated Manhattan for third place.
 
2025 Contenders: Mill Valley has found the winning formula at state each of the last two seasons, winning all 10 of its matches en route to consecutive 6A titles. The Jaguars certainly have the firepower for another run with reigning 6A player of the year Ella Florez back for her senior year at setter, and all-state first-team junior Riley Riggs hammering away at outside hitter. Senior Corinne Schwindt also returns for the Sunflower League champs, who are 106-21 in three seasons under coach Kylie Corneliusen. Blue Valley West handed Mill Valley one of its five losses last season before coming up short in the state championship rematch. The reigning Eastern Kansas League champs graduated some key seniors, including first-team all-state libero Brookelyn Hatton. But junior Peyton Kubik, a Pittsburgh commit, is back after setting a school record with 419 kills. Olathe West finished third in its first state appearance a year ago and set a program record with 35 victories. The Owls are primed to build on that with returning first-team all-state performers Ella Stowell, a Colorado State commit who has a school-record 675 career kills, and Xavier commit Cami Sher as a force in the middle. Setter Neely Leathers, an Air Force commit, runs the offense. Manhattan has qualified for state each of the last two seasons finishing fourth in 2024. Juniors Bailey Busch and Janie Hilgers are key returnees for the Indians, with Busch earning first-team All-Centennial League honors at outside hitter. Washburn Rural went 31-8 and unbeaten in the Centennial League last season. Senior Karsyn Horyna returns as the Junior Blues try to replace top hitter Layla Collins. Horyna’s classmate, Stella Kelly, a Baker commit, has compiled 1,269 assists at setter the last two seasons. Blue Valley North graduated a pair of first-team all-state players in Jenna McClure and Logan Parks. The Mustangs, 6A runners-up two years ago, have experience at libero with Jaden Goldberg and setter Gabby Powell. Wichita North won 30 matches and ended a 20-year state tournament drought last season. Junior Ryann Daggett, an All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team selection, will move to outside hitter as the Redhawks look to build on their momentum. Gardner Edgerton returns a talented duo in junior Amelia Wilhite, a six-rotation player, and senior outside hitter Hayden Meats, who led the Sunflower League with 445 kills a year ago. The Blazers will try to improve on a 21-17 record. Garden City graduated Western Athletic Conference player of the year Piper Harris after making its second straight state appearance. Outside hitter Charly Vollertsen returns after recording more than 200 kills as a freshman.
 

CLASS 5A
 
2024 State champion: St. Thomas Aquinas
 
2024 State runner-up: Seaman
 
2024 Review: Driven by a loss in the 2023 Class 5A championship match that spoiled its title defense, St. Thomas Aquinas scored a bit of revenge by unseating Seaman 25-22, 20-25, 25-9 for its ninth state championship, completing a 34-6 season. Led by talented outside hitters Alea Goolsby and Grace Martin, the Saints dominated the clinching set, ending Seaman’s season at 41-3 with two of the losses to Aquinas. Seaman defeated the Saints 25-19, 25-23 a day earlier in pool play to claim the top seed for the semifinals, but Aquinas, which ended the Vikings’ 25-match winning streak during the regular season, took the rubber match. Aquinas finished second in pool play with victories over Blue Valley Southwest and De Soto. The path to a title rematch wasn’t easy, as Aquinas outlasted St. James Academy and Seaman held off Kapaun Mt. Carmel in three-set semifinals. St. James backed up a straight-set pool-play victory over Kapaun with a 25-15, 25-10 victory over the Crusaders in a rematch for third.
 
2025 Contenders: With four state titles in the last six seasons and state semifinal appearances each year since 2013, St. Thomas Aquinas is on a remarkable run in 5A. The Saints reclaimed the championship last year after finishing second to Seaman in 2023. Defending the crown will require overcoming the loss of all-state outside hitter Alea Goolsby, who is playing at Iowa State. But the Saints return another all-stater in senior Grace Martin, an Arizona State commit who recorded 315 kills a year ago. Senior Alayna Vaeth had 1,026 assists in her first full season at setter, and is one of three returning second-team all-state selections along with senior Kate Wells and junior Morgan Hampton. The loss of a strong senior class will challenge 2024 runner-up Seaman, which graduated United Kansas Conference player of the year Maegan Mills and Campbell Chabot among others. Senior defensive specialist Kinsley Smith returns for the Vikings, who are 79-9 the last two seasons. St. James Academy finished third at state with 5A player of the year Reese Messer, who is off to Southern California. The Thunder return a pair of young standouts in junior middle blocker Madeline Etler and sophomore left-side hitter Mya Lee, who had over 200 kills in her first season. Kapaun Mt. Carmel ended an 11-year state tournament drought last season with a fourth-place finish. Senior Mason Palace, a Pittsburg State commit, led the Crusaders with 355 kills while senior McCoy Phister is a versatile setter. Great Bend won 35 matches and its second straight Western Athletic Conference title last fall before going 0-3 at state. The Panthers return junior setter Kya Behr, who set a school record with 829 assists last year. Blue Valley Southwest made its first state appearance last year and set a school record for victories (33). The Timberwolves return a senior trio – outside hitter Hailie Vaughn, opposite Taylor Stanley and opposite/outside hitter Willow Weninger – who received All-5A recognition. Vaughn was a first-team pick, while Stanley has committed to Kansas. Andover has won 61 matches and made it to state each of the last two seasons. The Trojans must replace Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail II player of the year Aliyah Green. Senior Camille Avila was an all-league second-team pick last year, while junior middle Brooke Parham led the team in blocks. De Soto made it through a challenging schedule to reach state and finished with a 17-22 record. Senior Chloe Kmiecik is back after anchoring the middle for the Wildcats. Maize South fell to Seaman in the sub-state finals after finishing third at state in 2023. The Mavericks return a pair of All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail I first-team performers in juniors Isabella Cook, an Iowa State commit, and Wichita State commit Autumn Popp, and have added Wichita Trinity transfer Sage Ilian, who earned All-3A second-team honors last year as a freshman. Senior setter Ally Orth and junior outside hitter Lauren DeGroot were All-Greater Wichita Athletic League first-team selections last season for Bishop Carroll, which finished 29-9 and won the league title.
 

 
CLASS 4A
 
2024 State champion: Bishop Miege
 
2024 State runner-up: Rock Creek
 
2024 Review: A group of experienced seniors helped Bishop Miege stay atop the Class 4A volleyball perch, as the Stags won their third consecutive state title and 29^th overall after entering the tournament as the No. 8 seed with a .500 record. Miege topped Rock Creek 25-22, 25-18 in the title match, leaving the runner-up Mustangs with a school record for victories (38) and matching their highest finish in program finish, when they finished second in Class 3A in 2008. All-tournament team performers Lauren Lopez, Delaney Morrison, Olivia Stevens and Trinniti Stevens helped Miege (23-18) navigate tough, three-set pool-play matches against top-seed Clay Center and Holton, and a straight-set win over third-place finisher Hayden. Rock Creek played its way into the final with a 3-0 pool-play run and a 25-23, 21-25, 25-20 semifinal victory over Hayden. Hayden won the consolation match against McPherson, which fell to Miege in the semifinals.
 
2025 Contenders: The challenging Eastern Kansas League continues to fortify Bishop Miege for postseason success. The Stags enter the season as three-time reigning 4A champions with a 67-57 record during that span under coach Lindsay Zych-Franco. Miege moves forward without two-time 4A player of the year Lauren Lopez and all-state first-team selection Trinniti Stevens. But the Stags have an established setter in junior Maryn Dean, a North Carolina A&T commit who has 1,888 assists the last two seasons. Junior Olivia Stevens was All-4A second team after registering 277 kills and 58 blocks a year ago, giving the Stags a versatile, six-rotation presence. Rock Creek graduated a key player in middle blocker Ayla Klingenberg, who had over 400 kills for a state runner-up team. But 6-foot senior Brynna Zoeller, a Pittsburg State commit, earned All-4A first-team honors with Klingenberg after setting a school record with 1,040 assists. Hayden made a big jump last season, improving from 15 victories in 2023 to a 32-12 record and third-place finish in 4A. The rising sophomore duo of Hailey Schmidtlein and Blakely Walter played key roles. Schmidtlein led the Wildcats with 440 kills while Walter recorded 1,043 assists as both earned All-Centennial League first-team and All-4A second-team honors. McPherson finished fourth at state a year ago after reaching the 2023 championship match. The Bullpups return the senior duo of Brooke Doile and Ava Romero, who combined for 671 kills last season while earning All-4A and All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail III honors. Clay Center entered state as the No. 1 seed last fall and finished with a 37-5 record. Juniors Raimee Lipker, an All-4A first-team selection, and second-team Lily Edwards have combined for more than 1,300 kills in their first two seasons and give the Tigers a formidable duo. Clearwater faces some rebuilding after making a pair of state appearances and winning Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail IV titles the last two seasons. Seniors Justine Berlin and Madi Clevenger earned all-league honorable mention on a 34-6 team last fall. Several key underclassmen helped Concordia reach state last year for the first time since 2016. Senior Kynlee Hamel, an All-North Central Kansas League first-team selection, has led the Panthers in kills each of the last two seasons. Classmate Baylen Arnold returns at setter. Holton looks to build on back-to-back state appearances with junior outside hitter Tinley Wilson coming off two productive seasons. She has accounted for 702 kills and 664 digs, and earned All-Big East League first-team and All-4A second-team honors a year ago. Holton advanced to state with a sub-state final victory over Chanute, which won the Southeast Kansas League last fall behind all-league first-team performers Josey Henson and Addy Hughes, who enter their senior season. Andale dropped a pair of close sets to McPherson in last year’s sub-state final, ending a run of six consecutive trips to state. The Indians will try to return with senior outside hitter Hayden Grimes, an All-4A first-team performer and Colorado State commit, back for her final season.
 

CLASS 3A
 
2024 State champion: Halstead
 
2024 State runner-up: Nemaha Central
 
2024 Review: Launching a historic school year for girls sports at Halstead, the Dragons captured their first state volleyball title by defeating Nemaha Central 25-23, 25-22 in the Class 3A final. The victory capped a 43-2 season for top-seeded Halstead, which featured the mother-daughter combo of head coach Diana Schutte and senior setter Dalaina Schutte. The Dragons also got all-tournament performances from outside hitters Bailey Bernal and Katharine Engel as well as libero Piper Schroeder in their unbeaten, two-day run, which included pool-play victories over Royal Valley, Nemaha Central and Beloit, and a 25-19, 25-15 semifinal win over Neodesha. Nemaha Central earned a rematch against Halstead with 25-21, 22-25, 25-23 semifinal win over Hoisington, but couldn’t gain its revenge and settled for a 42-7 record. Hoisington took down Neodesha for third place at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, where Halstead would win its first state girls basketball title four months later.   
 
2025 Contenders: Halstead not only ended a 33-year state tournament drought last season, it captured the school’s first volleyball title, a dream scenario that played out again during the girls basketball season. The Dragons graduated All-Class 3A setter Dalaina Schutte, but return other key pieces. Junior Bailey Bernal earned first-team all-state honors after racking up 481 kills and senior Katharine Engel landed on the second team after posting 395 kills. A preseason question for the Dragons centers on the availability of junior libero Piper Schroeder, who is recovering from an ACL tear she sustained in basketball. After posting 80 victories over the last two seasons and three state trips in four years, 2024 runner-up Nemaha Central must replace a successful veteran group. All five Thunder players who earned All-Big East honors were seniors. Hoisington, which finished third a year ago, returns one of the state’s top players in junior outside hitter Sofia Simic. The Illinois commit has 1,070 career kills after recording 729 last fall during the Cardinals’ 41-5 campaign. Simic and Halstead’s Bernal were the lone underclassmen on the All-3A first team. Reigning Tri-Valley League champion Neodesha graduated standouts Prayer Roebuck and Samantha Stover after qualifying for state for the second straight year and finishing fourth. The Bluestreaks return an all-league second-team pick in senior libero Dalia Johnson. Beloit has become a regular at the state tournament, qualifying eight of the last nine years. The Trojans are replacing Addison Budke, who finished No. 2 on the state’s career kills list, and fellow first-team All-3A Sophia Thompson. The offensive emphasis will like transition to seniors Brecken Boudreaux, who had 273 kills last season, and middle blocker Dakota Gray. Both were first-team All-North Central Activities Association last fall. Girard went unbeaten in CNC League play last season and finished 1-2 in its first state appearance since 2016. Senior Maddie Coester returns as a six-rotation player for the Trojans after earning first-team all-league and All-3A honorable mention. She has 914 career kills. Frontenac qualified for state in its first season under Mackenzie Burnett and will try to do it again led by senior outside hitter Lucy Anderson. Anderson, a six-rotation player, had 373 kills and 396 digs in earning first-team All-CNC honors. Royal Valley got a strong freshman season from KiWe Miller and advanced to state for the first time since 2019. Miller, a 6-foot outside hitter, figures to get more offensive looks after the graduation of all-stater Samantha Klotz. Garden Plain dropped a three-set sub-state final against Neodesha and finished 29-12. The Owls return Central Plains League MVP and All-3A second-team hitter Reese Stuhlsatz, who had 323 kills, and senior libero and three-year starter Erin Smith. Lakin also dropped a three-set sub-state final and finished 24-14. The Broncs return junior middle blocker, a first-team All-Hi-Plains League selection who won the 3A triple jump in May. Goodland missed the state tournament for the first time in five seasons but still won 30 matches. The Cowgirls return All-GWAC first-team pick Makenna Schick, who posted a team-leading 207 kills as a freshman. Silver Lake looks to return to state after finishing one win short a year ago. Junior Jaylie Whitehead had a strong season at libero for the Eagles, earning second-team All-Big East League honors. Wichita Collegiate’s Carlyle Johnson has been a six-rotation starter for the Spartans since her freshman year. The Duke commit enters her final season No. 2 on Collegiate’s career list with 851 kills. 
 

CLASS 2A
 
2024 State champion: Maranatha Academy
 
2024 State runner-up: Valley Heights
 
2024 Review: Maranatha Academy made its first appearance on the final day of the state volleyball tournament a productive one, defeating Ellinwood in the semifinals before posting a 25-23, 25-19 victory over Valley Heights that gave the Eagles their first Class 2A title. Outside hitter Tate Sher and libero Macy Karlin landed all-tournament team honors for Maranatha, which finished the season with a 41-7 record. The Eagles fell to Inman to finish second in pool play but were otherwise dominant, winning their other four state matches in straight sets. Maranatha defeated Wichita Central Christian and Oakley to advance to the semis, then took down Pool II winner Ellinwood 25-22, 25-17 to set up their championship match against Valley Heights, which topped Inman 26-24, 25-21 in the other semifinal and finished 32-11. Sher had 12 kills and Maggie Brisk added 11 for Maranatha in the title match. Inman topped Ellinwood in three sets to earn third place.
 
2025 Contenders: A good mix of veterans and underclassmen combined to bring Maranatha Academy its first state volleyball title in 2024. The Eagles graduated Kaw Valley League player of the year and All-Class 2A first-team selection Tate Sher along with Zion James, a first-team all-league pick. But the Eagles return a stout defender in junior Macy Karlin, who set a school record with 561 digs while adding 96 aces to join Sher on the first team. Junior Maggie Brisk, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, had a strong all-around season to earn second-team all-state. Senior setter Abby Nash went over 2,000 career assists during Maranatha’s title run. A title-match loss will no doubt motivate Valley Heights, which returns 2A player of the year Ava Smith. Smith, a senior, surpassed 1,000 career kills last season, finishing with 513 while adding 372 digs and 51 aces. The Mustangs also feature senior Mia Vermetten, who enjoyed a strong bounce-back season from injury last year with 256 kills to earn All-2A second-team honors. The summer produced some bad news for last year’s third-place finisher Inman. Standout senior Suttyn Harris, a Utah commit, reportedly sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the USA Volleyball Association Junior Nationals and is out for the season. The Teutons still return a pair of first-team All-Heart of America League selections in senior Kenna Woods, who had 228 kills, and junior Taylor Froese, who added 212 kills during Inman’s 43-3 campaign. Ellinwood’s 42-win season in 2024 produced a fourth-place state finish and eighth consecutive Central Prairie League title. The Eagles feature standout seniors in Kyndal Moore, an Emporia State commit, and Fort Hays State-bound Regan Widener. Both earned first-team All-Central Prairie honors. Junior Alyvia Batchman was second team as a setter/outside hitter. The long pursuit of a state tournament berth ended last fall for Sedgwick, which advanced for the first time since 2005 with its eighth straight season of at least 30 victories. Senior setter/outside hitter Kalyn Sampson returns from that team after registering 450 kills and 446 assists, which earned her All-2A second team. Wichita Central Christian has advanced to state the past two seasons, finishing 1-2 in pool play a year ago. Senior setter/outside hitter Jaye McCurdy earned first-team All-Heart of America honors and is closing in on 1,000 career kills, and 800 career assists and digs. Doniphan West joined the parade of Twin Valley League state qualifiers last season, advancing in its first year under Carla Johnson. The Mustangs graduated Katie Johnson and her 1,000-plus career kills, but second-team all-league pick Andi Foster is back at libero. Oakley made a 20-win improvement from 2023 and earned its first state berth in 18 years with first-year coach Lindsay Hodges. Senior outside hitter Jade Beckman had 275 kills and 373 digs to earn first-team All-Mid Continent League honors for the second straight year as the Plainsmen finished 30-12. Rossville pushed Maranatha to three sets in last year’s sub-state finals and will reset with first-team All-2A outside hitter Nora Burdiek. Burdiek starts her junior campaign with 802 career kills. Hillsboro’s two-year 2A title reign officially ended with a sub-state loss to Inman last year. The Trojans still feature a wealth of quality experience in senior Kingzley Ratzlaff, a first-team All-2A outside hitter/setter, junior libero Amyah Werth and senior Lauryn Vogt, a state swimming champion who has 574 career kills. Senior Cammi Unruh and junior Hattie Hecox earned first-team All-Heart of America honors last season for Moundridge, which fell to Inman in the sub-state final. Southeast-Cherokee finished one win shy of a state berth, and will try to clear that hurdle with returning senior middle hitter Braelyn Sutton. A unanimous All-Three Rivers League selection, Sutton helped the Lancers win 24 matches a year ago. 
 

CLASS 1A DIVISION I
 
2024 State champion: Little River
 
2024 State runner-up: Centralia
 
2024 Review: Despite the loss of five All-State players from its 2023 state championship team, Little River remained the class of Class 1A Division I, posting 40 victories, including a 25-18, 25-14 win over Centralia for its third consecutive title and fourth overall. Arika Feldman led the way with 13 kills and 13 assists in the championship match for Little River, which started the season 0-3 but rolled through state with just one three-set test, that coming against 2023 runner-up South Gray in its final pool-play match. Fellow underclassmen Havana Olander, Saelyn Raleigh and Adelynne Strecker joined Feldman on the all-tournament team for Little River, which defeated Flinthills 25-16, 25-19 in the semifinals. Centralia, denied its 16^th state championship and first since 2018, went 4-1 in the tournament with a semifinal victory over Clifton-Clyde to finish 38-8. Clifton-Clyde topped Flinthills 25-20, 25-23 for third place.
 
2025 Contenders: Underclassmen took over many of the leading roles for Little River last season, a process that yielded the Redskins’ third consecutive Class 1A Division I title. That makes the challenge of preventing Little River from making it four in a row even more difficult. Among the returnees are reigning 1A Division I player of the year Arika Feldman, who filled the stat sheet with 442 kills, 106 blocks and 469 assists last season as the Redskins finished 40-6. Feldman’s classmate, Havana Olander, a three-time state triple jump champ, added 394 kills and earned first-team all-state honors. Seniors Evie Look and Adelynne Strecker, and junior Saelyn Raleigh are back after earning second-team all-state. Centralia graduated a pair of all-state players in Oen Deters and Tatum Kramer after finishing second a year ago. The Panthers return juniors Hayden Kramer and Josie Haverkamp, who earned second-team All-Twin Valley League. Like Centralia, Clifton-Clyde moved up a spot from its 2023 state finish, taking third. Senior Sevy Wurtz is a versatile, four-year starter who earned first-team All-1A Division I last season. Wurtz’s classmate, Calyn Baker, led the Eagles with 320 kills last fall to earn second-team all-state. Flinthills graduated a key player in Harlee Randall, who set several program records and helped the Mustangs finish fourth a year ago. But senior libero Alex Scribner returns after setting a school record for digs (460). South Gray was unable to make it out of state pool play last season after finishing second to Little River two years ago. The Rebels graduated Allie Reed, who had 1000-plus career kills, but return a pair of second-team All-SPIAA performers in seniors Jacee Deges and Keagan Showalter. Greeley County went 1-2 in pool play in its first state appearance last season. Senior Jadence Stewart led the Jackrabbits with 470 kills to go over 1,000 for her career and earned first-team all-state honors. Sophomore Jeryn Stewart averaged over 10 assists per set and will see additional duty at outside hitter after helping Greeley County win 30 matches last fall. St. Francis is looking for its third state berth in four years after a big season by rising senior Avery Jensen. A second-team All-1A Division I performer, Jensen set a school record with 434 kills. Senior Mia Meyer earned first-team All-Central Prairie League honors last season for St. John, helping the Tigers advance to state for the first time in four years. Junior Gentri Bright, a second-team all-league pick, has over 1,400 career assists. Spearville’s 35-win season ended at the hands of St. John in the sub-state finals. The Lancers return first-team All-SPIAA middle hitter Makiah Kliesen, who had 408 kills and 108 blocks last fall. Halle Mizner is one of three All-Northern Plains League returnees for Rock Hills, which finished 36-4 with a three-set loss to St. Francis in the sub-state final. Mizner, a senior, has 708 career kills. Half of Goessel’s eight losses came to state champion Little River last year in a 32-8 campaign. The Bluebirds return first-team All-Wheat State League selection Delaney Duerksen, a sophomore whose offensive and defensive versatility should help offset some key graduation losses.
 

CLASS 1A DIVISION II
 
2024 State champion: Hanover
 
2024 State runner-up: Lebo
 
2024 Review: Perhaps what goes around comes around in Class 1A Division II volleyball. Hanover, denied a third consecutive state title by Lebo at the conclusion of the 2022 season, turned the tables on the Wolves in the 2024 state finale, defeating Lebo 25-20, 25-17 to end its two-year reign atop the classification. Squaring off in the final for the fourth straight year, Hanover got the better of it with a momentum-building, five-point run in the first set and never looked back. The Wildcats’ lone loss in their 42-1 season came to Class 3A state qualifier Beloit. Hanover had four all-tournament team selections: Anna Jueneman, Katie Holle, Ally Scheele and Drew Bruna. The Wildcats didn’t drop a set in state pool-play victories over Argonia, Wheatland-Grinnell and Linn, and defeated Ingalls 25-10, 25-23 in the semifinals. Lebo, which finished 43-4 after winning 40 and 44 matches in its two previous championship seasons, went 3-0 in pool play and outdueled Argonia 25-20, 25-18 in the semifinals. Ingalls defeated Argonia 25-20, 25-21 for third place.
 
2025 Contenders: Good things have come in pairs recently in Class 1A Division II, with Lebo winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023 after Hanover did it in 2020 and 2021. Now, the title again resides in Hanover, which returns five players who received some level of all-state recognition. Senior setter Katie Holle, the daughter of head coach Melissa Holle, earned first-team honors along with junior middle Drew Bruna last season. Holle registered 931 assists for the Twin Valley League champions, while Bruna led the Wildcats with 347 kills. Junior Gracie Bruna was a versatile second-team all-state pick, while seniors Ally Scheele and Trinity Schlabach earned honorable mention. That depth will heighten the challenge to reclaim the championship for Lebo, which graduated two-time 1A Division II player of the year Saige Hadley and two other all-staters. The Wolves return senior Ally Peek, who received All-Lyon County League honorable mention. Ingalls finished third a year ago in its second state appearance with a 38-5 record. The Bulldogs won the SPIAA and return senior outside hitter Olivia Stein, a Wichita State commit who enters the season 1,932 career kills. Stein was one of two Bulldogs on the All-1A Division II first team along with Jill Schmeekle, a junior middle blocker who played setter down the stretch. Argonia posted its second straight 39-win season and finished fourth at state a year ago. Senior Autumn Coleman, a second-team all-state selection, starts her final season nine kills shy of 1,000 for her career. Classmate Tori Morrison has 914 kills, and sophomore Lindsay Coleman earned all-state honorable mention after recording 290 kills and 370 digs. Junior Aliviah Ball earned second-team All-1A Division II honors last season for Wheatland-Grinnell, which made its fifth straight state appearance and finished 31-11. Ball, a middle blocker, led the Thunderhawks with 301 kills. Sisters Myah and Grace Younger helped Victoria advance to state last season. Both return after earning second-team All-Central Prairie League honors. Otis-Bison graduated top hitters Destiny Mitchell and Zoey Schwindt from its state-qualifying team. Senior Emma Bahr returns after leading the Cougars in assists. Linn returns one of the state’s top players in junior Gretchen Bott after making its first state appearance since 2020. Bott, a first-team All-1A Division II selection, led the Bulldogs in kills, assists and aces. An All-Twin Valley League pick, she is part of a strong junior class. Marais des Cygnes Valley got a superb freshman season last fall from Emily Criqui, who earned second-team all-state honors after recording 358 kills, 474 digs and 76 aces. That helped the Trojans post a 37-7 record. Beloit-St. John’s graduated its top hitter in Carlie Brummer, but returns second-team All-Northern Plains League pick Lynelle Gengler, who had 203 kills and 86 blocks as the Blujays finished 30-8. Cheylin posted a 22-16 record a year ago, and returns second-team All-1A Division II selection Taylor McCarty. The junior had 361 kills last season and is one of three returning Cougars who earned All-Western Kansas Liberty League honors.