State by state: Top 2023 HS volleyball players from around the nation
Best of the Best
John Tawa
December 19, 2023
VolleyballMag.com presents its 2023 Players of the Year for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Thanks to the more than 150 coaches nationwide surveyed for these recognitions, and to the great players considered for these honors in each of the states and D.C.
Look for the VolleyballMag.com HS All-American team later this week: ALABAMA — Hannah Parant, 6-1 Sr. S, Mountain Brook (Birmingham)
Parant was the driving force behind the Spartans’ 6A state title in 2023. The University of Alabama recruit had 47 assists, 16 digs and three blocks in Mountain Brook’s come-from-behind win over Bayside Academy in the state semifinals; snapping the Admirals’ 21-year state title streak; then added 35 assists, 10 digs, 10 kills, two aces and two blocks in the state title match win over Saraland. The All-South Metro and Over the Mountain Player of the Year finished the year with 1,170 assists, 311 digs, 224 kills, 91 aces and 53 blocks for the 46-5 Spartans. ALASKA – Riley Pitney, 6-3 Sr. OH, Wasilla Pitney had a dominating year for the Warriors and capped 2023 with a kill that clinched the first large-class state title for her school since 2001. The senior was named Best Hitter at the state tournament and was a member of the state All-Tournament team. She finished the year with 491 kills, 164 aces, 60 blocks and 93 digs, hit .459 for the season and led the state in hitting percentage and kills per set. Her 164 aces placed her near the top 10 nationally. “One of the things about Rylee is that she is going to give it her all and she wants it with everything in her,” said coach Katie Oxspring. “She is incredibly focused and her being a reliable attacker was a huge part of our offense. Her plays were our momentum every single match.”
ARIZONA — Teraya Sigler, 6-2 Jr. OH, Horizon (Scottsdale)
Arguably the best player nationally in the 2025 class, Sigler had a monster championship match to lead the Huskies to their third straight 5A title. The Nebraska recruit and member of the USA U19 team recorded 30 kills and 29 digs to send Horizon past Millennium in a five-set thriller. On the season, Sigler recorded 614 kills, 40 aces, 58 blocks and 358 digs for a 32-10 team. She was named 5A Offensive Player of the Year.
ARKANSAS – Regan Harp, 6-1 Sr. OH, Fayetteville
The only returning starter from last year’s 6A title team, Harp moved from the middle to the outside and put the team on her back on the way to a fourth straight title for the Bulldogs. The University of Central Arkansas recruit had 29 kills, 15 digs, three blocks and two aces in the championship match win over Conway, capping a year in which she led the state in kills with 587, twice as many as anyone else on her team. Harp also led Fayetteville in digs with 274 and amassed 33 aces and 43 blocks. She was named All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Year and Northwest Arkansas Times Player of the Year, among many other accolades.
Regan Harp
“Regan Harp was an absolute force on the volleyball court for us this fall and secured her place in Fayetteville history by clinching her fourth consecutive state championship, a feat unmatched in our program’s history,” noted head coach Jessica Phelan. “Her ability to secure kills on the volleyball court, even under intense pressure and when everyone anticipated her being set, attests to her exceptional skill and composure in her senior campaign.”
CALIFORNIA — Charlie Fuerbringer, 5-11 Sr. S, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach)
Mira Costa was 39-4 in 2023 and consistently ranked among the top five teams in the nation. The Mustangs finished second in Div. 1 of the CIF Southern Section and reached the Southern California Regional semifinals in the Open Division. One rival coach said that Fuerbringer is the most talented and consistent player in the state and the reason that Mira Costa was able to have the season it did. On the year, the Wisconsin recruit amassed 1,134 assists, 240 digs, 128 kills, 55 blocks and 46 aces, all despite missing the first nine matches while setting the USA U19 team to a gold medal at the World Championships.
COLORADO — Delaney Russell, 5-10 Sr. OH, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch)
Russell, who was a libero before this season, stepped into the OH1 role and was amazing. “What Delaney did this year was pretty special,” said head coach Jayne McHugh about her captain. Russell had 24 kills, 15 digs and five aces to lead the Eagles to their second straight 29-0 season and second consecutive 5A title in 2023. The University of Montana signee finished the year with a team-high 383 kills while adding 307 digs and 47 aces over 87 sets. She was named CHSAANow’s 5A state Player of the Year.
CONNECTICUT — Aubrey Moore, 5-9 Sr. S, Darien
Moore was named MVP of the Class LL state championship match after recording 32 assists in Darien’s sweep of Southington, which completed a 25-0 season for the Blue Waves. The Boston College signee also is the two-time conference MVP and GameTimeCT State Player of the Year. Under her leadership, Darien has won its last 50 matches. In 2023, over 71 sets, Moore recorded 666 assists (9.4 per set), 63 kills, 83 aces and 155 digs.
DELAWARE – Anna Richardson, 6-0 Sr. OH, Smyrna
Richardson had 20 kills to lead the Eagles past Ursuline in four sets for the Delaware state title, the first state crown for a downstate team. On the year, the senior finished with more than 300 kills for a 19-1 team. She not only was named state POY by the Delaware High School Volleyball Coaches Association, the Delaware News Journal also recently named Richardson the No. 1 player in the state in a final ranking of the state’s top 30 players.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — Clara Yu, 5-10 Sr. S, Georgetown Day
Yu is our pick for D.C. Player of the Year for the second straight season after she led the Mighty Hoppers to their second straight District of Columbia State Athletic Association title. The Columbia University signee contributed 25 assists, 14 digs, four kills and three aces and was named match MVP as Georgetown Day dominated Jackson-Reed in the championship final, capping a year in which she amassed 575 assists. 153 digs, 96 aces, 61 kills and 21 blocks over 70 sets played.
Clara Yu
“An elite athlete, she impacts all phases of the game — deceptively distributing the ball to a well-rounded cast of offensive options, defending at a level equal to the best liberos in the area, and serving an incredible 1.4 aces/set for the season,” noted head coach Brandon Wiest. “As great of an athlete as she is, it is everything else she brings to the table that really makes her shine. She is a connector, a culture-builder, and a selfless, natural leader. She has an incredible work ethic and overall is just a really great person and impressive student-athlete — she’s extremely extroverted and energetic and was instrumental in building a very positive team culture with our group this year, which was extremely evident and something that set us apart from several of our most challenging opponents.”
FLORIDA — Lydia Chinchar, 6-1 Fr. OH/RS, Carrollwood Day (Tampa)
Three players rose above the rest this year in the talent-rich Sunshine State: Viera OH/S Izzy Starck, a move-in from Colorado, the reigning Colorado Gatorade POY and a member of the USA U19 team; Plant junior OH Maggie Dostic, the stat leader for the 7A state champions; and Chinchar, the talented freshman from the 3A champs. We went with Chinchar, and not just because she posted 35 kills and 19 digs in the 3A championship final over talented Westminster Christian that gave the Patriots their first-ever state title. Chinchar also was dominant in Carrollwood Day’s head-to-head wins over both Plant and Viera and was dominant all season. She finished the year with 573 kills, 266 digs, 67 blocks and 37 aces for a 31-2 team that lost just once to an in-state team.
GEORGIA — Grace Agolli, 6-2 Sr. RS/S, Pace (Atlanta)
Agolli did a lot of everything for the 37-3 Knights, who were arguably the best team in Georgia in 2023. Pace won the 4A title this past fall in a reverse sweep over Lovett. Agolli, a Cal signee, amassed 15 kills, 16 assists,eight blocks and five digs, capping a year in which she recorded 389 kills, 362 assists, 168 digs, 52 blocks and 47 aces. She was named Georgia’s AAAA Player of the Year.
HAWAII — Adrianna Arquette, 6-0 Sr., Kamehameha-Kapalama (Honolulu)
Sparked by Arquette, a University of Hawaii recruit, the 31-3 Warriors defeated ILH rival Punahou in four for the Hawaii Div. 1 title, one year after Kamehameha missed the state tournament for the first time in 21 years. Arquette was named Most Outstanding Player after delivering 17 kills, 18 digs and six blocks in the championship match. Arquette, who also was Interscholastic League of Honolulu MVP, finished the year with a team-high 364 kills over 85 sets. She also led Kamehameha with 111 blocks, while adding 264 digs and 30 aces. IDAHO — Alex Bower, 5-10 Sr. S, Skyview (Nampa)
Bower was a huge reason why the Hawks were undefeated in the state of Idaho and captured the 4A state title for the fourth straight year. The BYU recruit had 31 assists, seven digs and four kills in the championship match sweep of Bonneville and finished her senior year with 862 assists, 123 kills. 197 digs, 59 aces and 40 blocks. She was voted by 4A coaches as Player of the Year in that classification.
White is our repeat winner of Illinois Player of the Year recognition, but the Michigan signee had a lot of competition in a state overflowing with talented players. In the final analysis, White’s monster 18-kill performance in the Illinois 4A 2-1 final victory over Benet Academy put White over the top. White finished the 2023 season with 484 kills (5.1 per set), 313 digs, 95 blocks and 37 aces for the 37-5 Mighty Macs. She was named Player of the Year by both IllPrepVB.com and The Daily Southtown, the latter for the third straight year. White, who will set for Michigan, graduates No. 4 all-time in Illinois for career kills.
INDIANA — Lauren Harden, 6-3 Sr. OH, Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers)
The best player on the best team in Indiana, Harden had a dominating year for the undefeated Royals. The University of Florida signee finished the year with 371 kills, 161 digs, 38 blocks and 21 aces and recorded a double-double in HSE’s four-set win over Castle in the Indiana 4A championship match. MaxPreps recognized her special season and the impact her leadership had on a roster loaded with talented underclassmen by naming her its 2023 National Player of the Year.
What new can be written about Petersen, who will graduate as one of the most impactful players in Iowa history? Three times over her four years at DNH, the daughter of Northern Iowa head coach Bobbi Petersen led her Wolverines to a 2A state title. Three times she was named Most Outstanding Player at the state tournament. In 2023, the Louisville signee helped take DNH to a 50-0 record, capped by a finals sweep of Hinton in which she had 20 kills. Petersen, who was our pick for POY last year as well, finished 2023 with 616 kills over 110 sets, plus 333 digs, 36 aces and 35 blocks. Petersen was named to the Iowa Girls Coaches Association Elite Team and was recognized as its state Player of the Year.
KANSAS — Rachel Van Gorp, 5-9 Sr. OH, Heritage Christian Academy (Olathe)
A tremendous athlete who also is a Kansas 3A long jump and high jump state champion, Van Gorp carried her team to the Kansas 3A volleyball title for the third straight year in 2023. The Iowa State signee had 11 kills, 13 digs and two aces in the 2-0 championship match win, completing a season in which she recorded 397 kills, 289 digs and 79 aces. Van Gorp was named to her fourth straight All-State Tournament team and she is the three-time Kansas 3A Player of the Year. “Rachel is a phenomenal volleyball player,” Iowa State head coach Christy Johnson-Lynch said in a press release. “She’s played at a very high level for a long time. She can play the whole game and has a very high volleyball IQ. She can pass, play defense, hit, serve; she’s kind of got all the skills. Rachel is an incredible competitor. I think when I recruited her that’s probably what I noticed first and foremost. She’s very skilled, but she’s a tremendous competitor and she gets better with more pressure and the bigger the competition.” One Kansas coach likened her to Stanford All-America Morgan Hentz and said that, though she played in a smaller classification, she would dominate at any level. Van Gorp narrowly edged uber-talented junior OH/S Logan Parks of 6A runner up Blue Valley North for the honor.
KENTUCKY — Charlotte Moriarty, 5-11 Sr. OH, Assumption (Louisville)
Julia Hunt of Covington Holy Cross was named the state’s Miss Volleyball by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association and WE LOVE Hunt, who dominated the net all season for her team, but our choice is Moriarty, because she sparked the Rockets to a 37-5 record and their first Kentucky state title since 2019. The Xavier recruit had 18 kills and 16 digs to lead Assumption past defending champion Notre Dame Academy in a four-set championship final. She finished the fall season with a team-high 413 kills and 52 aces, was second with 372 digs and was third with 46 blocks. Moriarty was a First Team All-State pick.
Camryn Chatelier
LOUISIANA — Camryn Chatellier, 5-10 Sr. OH, Dominican (New Orleans)
Picking just one winner from Louisiana was a challenge, because there were two worthy candidates. Both Chatellier and Sophia Bonnaffee of Archbishop Hannan are coaches kids and LSU recruits who led their schools to state dominance over the length of their careers and closed their senior seasons with state titles. We chose Chatellier because her team, at 44-2, had a slightly better record, played in a higher division, went 2-1 versus Hannan and avenged its other loss, to Mount Carmel, in the Div. I final. Chatellier had 24 kills, including the title clincher in the 33-31 fourth set; and added 21 digs for Dominican, which won its fourth straight large-class state title. The LSU beach volleyball recruit finished her fall campaign with 595 kills, 477 digs, 58 aces and 32 blocks. She was named Clarion Herald area MVP.
MAINE — Meryk Lewellen, 5-11 Sr. MB, Gorham
Lewellen had 12 kills, four aces and three blocks in leading the Rams past Scarborough for their first Class A title in volleyball. A power hitter with the vision to execute a well-placed tip, Lewellen was the go-to hitter on a talented team. The First Team All-Conference and All-State pick led the 15-2 Rams in kills and blocks and was second in aces. “Her physical talent and statistics are some of the best in the state; however, they hardly hold a light to the amazing human she is for our program and community,” said head coach Emma Tirrell. “Her shoes will be impossible to fill next year as a player and captain.”
MARYLAND — Emerson Sellman, 6-4 Sr. OH, Academy of the Holy Cross (Kensington)
Sellman was an obvious pick to repeat as Maryland POY after leading the Tartans to a 29-0 record in 2023 and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title for the first time in six years. The Ohio State signee had 25 kills, including the match winner; nine digs, three aces and two blocks in the championship versus Bishop O’Connell. Sellman spent the summer playing for the USA U19 and U21 teams, then returned to Maryland and, over 69 sets, amassed 336 kills, 154 digs, 56 aces and 30 blocks. She is a cinch to repeat as Washington Post All-Metro POY. “Emerson Sellman is from another planet, basically,” head coach David Geiser told the Post.
Anderson had 19 kills and 10 digs to cap an outstanding career, as Westborough swept previously-unbeaten Canton to capture its second straight title in Div. 2. Anderson dominated the state in 2023, much like she did last fall, when she was recognized as Gatorade POY for Massachusetts. She averaged more than six kills per set, led the 21-1 Rangers in aces as well, and was second in digs, only a few behind the team leader. Anderson’s 430 kills is a school record. The Stony Brook recruit is one of only three players in state history to be named All-State all four years.
MICHIGAN – Campbell Flynn, 6-3 Jr. S, Mercy (Farmington)
Mercy won its second Div. 1 title all-time, but first since 2019, in a reverse sweep of Forest Hills Northern. Flynn starred in the win, putting up 41 assists while adding 15 digs and five kills. Mercy finished the year 30-14-3, but was 26-2 with Flynn in the lineup. The Nebraska recruit missed time early in the season while setting the U.S. U 19 and U21 teams and one week of action late in the season due to injury, but she returned to the court to help the Marlins avenge regular-season defeats all the way to the championship. “Yes, she is that good,” said Mercy coach Loretta Vogel. “Actually, she is even better. Campbell just makes everyone around her so much better.”
Swenson was the obvious choice to repeat as Player of the Year in Minnesota. She captained the Trojans to a 33-0 record and the AAAA state title for the fourth straight year. The University of Minnesota signee had 32 assists and five kills (on seven attempts) as Wayzata swept by New Prague for the title, capping a season in which she amassed 877 assists (9.9 per set), 215 digs, 140 kills, 63 aces and 53 blocks. She was named Ms. Baden State Player of the Year as well as Metro POY by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
MISSISSIPPI — Kaylee Lowther, 5-4 Sr. libero, Jackson Academy (Jackson)
Lowther had 34 digs to help Jackson Academy escape Madison Ridgeland Academy for the MAIS Division I title in 2023, its fifth straight. The Southern Mississippi recruit finished the year with a record 719 digs over 134 sets, while adding 86 aces and more than 600 receptions. She was named MAIS Div. I Player of the Year and National Libero of the Year by Scorebook Live.
MISSOURI — Maya Witherspoon, 5-11 Jr. OH, Lafayette (Wildwood)
Maya Witherspoon
Lafayette won its second consecutive Class 5 title in a sweep of Francis Howell. Witherspoon, a Vanderbilt pledge, led the way with 21 kills, 10 digs, three aces and two blocks for the Lancers, who went 36-2 this past fall and lost just one match to an in-state team. The All-State pick played 100 sets for Lafayette, racking up 435 kills, 262 digs, 61 aces and 38 blocks.
Grossman had 16 kills, including the clincher, as the Golden Bears got by Bozeman in four sets for the Montana Class AA title, the first for this group after back-to-back runner up finishes. The senior, a four-year starter, also had 11 digs and three aces, capping a year in which she amassed 304 kills, 201 digs, 28 aces and 28 blocks for an undefeated team that lost only four sets all year. Grossman led Class AA in points per set and had the match-winning kill in more than half of her team’s matches this year.
Kourtney Grossman
“Kourtney makes the most of every opportunity she is given and never takes for granted the chance to compete alongside her teammates she loves so much,” said head coach Kelly Grossman.
NEBRASKA — Malayah Long, 6-0 Sr. S, Lincoln Southwest(Lincoln)
The Omaha World-Herald named Long the Captain of its All-State team after the Marquette recruit led LSW to its first Class A state title in 25 years. She had 107 assists in three state tournament matches, including 33 in the finals versus Papillion-La Vista. On the year, the senior amassed 1,067 assists, 366 digs, 92 kills, 37 blocks and 36 aces. Southwest coach Jessica Kirkendall praised Long for her leadership on and off the court. “We’ve made it to state several times but just haven’t been able to finish,” the coach told the OWH. “I think Malayah was so motivated not to let that happen again.”
Watson had 26 kills to lead the Gaels past defending champion Coronado for the Nevada 5A title. The Southern League POY and First Team All-Southern Nevada pick had a state-high 605 kills and added 373 digs and 56 aces.
Ayanna Watson
“The impact she had on our team this year cannot be overstated,” said Gorman coach Gregg Nunley. “She was our primary passer, the best hitter in the state, our second best defender (behind the best libero in the state) and would have stats that place her as the best blocker in the state, but teams just don’t set the hitter in front of Ayanna. Ayanna, doesn’t just want to be the best she can be, she wants to be the best player in any gym she steps in. She’s well on her way to being just that.”
NEW HAMPSHIRE — Lana McCarthy, 6-4 Sr. MB, Bedford
A Purdue basketball recruit, McCarthy hadn’t played organized volleyball until she tried out for her high school team as a freshman. She ends her competitive volleyball career with 80 straight wins and four state titles, capping it by spiking Hollis-Brookline on match point of the Division I championship match. McCarthy had 10 kills and four blocks in the sweep. “She was a force to be reckoned with in the finals,” said Hollis-Brookline coach Becky Balfour. The New Hampshire Volleyball Player of the Year will graduate as a four-time All-State honoree.
NEW JERSEY — Taylor Miller, 6-2 Sr. OH, Northern Valley Regional (Demarest)
Miller had 13 kills, a block and an ace in a 2-0 sweep of Governor Livingston for the New Jersey Group 2 title. The four-year starter finished with 863 kills over her career. She averaged almost seven kills, three digs, one block and one ace per set in her senior year for a 27-4 team. The Marist signee was named 2023 state Player of the Year by NJ.com.
NEW MEXICO — Addison Massey, 6-0 Soph. OH, Las Cruces
Massey led the Bulldawgs to their first New Mexico state title since 2001. She had 22 kills and 12 digs in the four-set 5A championship match win over Cibola. Considered the best attacker in the state regardless of age, Massey finished her sophomore campaign with a team-high 450 kills and team-high 60 aces over 87 sets for the 26-2 Bulldawgs. She also had 249 digs and 28 blocks.
NEW YORK — Meghan Clifford, 6-3 Sr. MB, Fairport
Clifford was a catalyst in the 31-3-1 Red Raiders capturing their first New York public school state title in 2023. The Marquette signee finished the season with 331 kills and 79 blocks for the AAA champions. Clifford was the All-Greater Rochester POY, Section V Division I POY for the second straight year and Section V Class AAA tournament MVP, as well as a First Team All-State pick. “Meghan is the kid that people look across the net at and get nervous,” said coach Trish Forgensi. “She is a force both off and on the court and knows how to make a crowd cheer and a team change their energy. She wanted the states win for her team and to leave a legacy that Fairport has never had the chance for. Meghan’s impact on our team’s success was large and not just because she is 6-3.” Nod to Carson Tyler of St. Mary’s of Lancaster, who also had an extraordinary year.
NORTH CAROLINA — Sally Perez, 6-3 Sr. OH, Middle Creek (Apex)
Perez, a UCLA beach volleyball recruit, had 33 kills to lead the Mustangs past Green Hope and into the NCHSAA Class 4A championship match. Perez had to miss the championship final, which Middle Creek won, in order to represent the USA on its U21 national beach team competing in Thailand, but her impact on the team all year long was immeasurable. She finished the fall indoor campaign with 479 kills over 87 sets, 149 digs, 47 aces and 24 blocks. Perez is one of five finalists for North Carolina Offensive POY.
NORTH DAKOTA — Makenna Nold, 6-0 Sr. OH, Jamestown
Nold was named North Dakota’s Powerade Outstanding Senior Athlete of the Year after a fall campaign in which she amassed 666 kills, 357 digs, 48 blocks and 85 aces, for the Blue Jays, including a state-record 39 kills in a Class A quarterfinal playoff win. The 39 kills by the Concordia-St. Paul recruit shattered the previous record of 32 set 11 years before. The First Team All-State performer, who is versatile enough to hit on either pin, set and play middle, followed up with 24 kills and 12 digs in a semifinal loss to eventual champion West Fargo Sheyenne. “She’s a great player,” West Fargo Sheyenne coach Leah Newton told a local paper. “She averages however many kills a match and set for a reason, so we knew she was going to have some big swings and she was going to get her kills.” Nold added 15 kills in her final match to set a tournament record for most kills with 79. “Makenna Nold was a dominant player for the Blue Jays,” said Jamestown coach Sara Hegerle. “She attacked the ball from the front and back row with power and precision. Makenna was also strong from the service line and passed and defended with confidence.”
Marchal had 28 kills – a state tournament record across all divisions in a three-set match – as Kings swept Olentangy Orange to capture its first Ohio Division I title. Marchal also set a school record for season kills with 479, and added 198 digs, 58 aces and 59 blocks, for a Knights team that dropped its first match of the season, then won out, winning 28 in a row. The App State signee was First Team All-State and District 16 Player of the Year.
OKLAHOMA — Landry Braziel, 6-0 Sr. OH, Community Christian (Norman)
Powered by Braziel, who had 19 kills, Community Christian (38-2) won the state 4A title for the third time over the past four years. The UTEP recruit finished the fall with 427 kills, the third straight season she has gone over 400 kills. Braziel was named All-State, First Team All-City and is one of three finalists for All-City Player of the Year.
OREGON – Gracie Vohs, 5-11 Sr. OH, Sisters
Vohs had 20 kills and 18 digs to power Sisters past Pleasant Hill for the Oregon 3A title, the Outlaws’ first championship since 2017. Vohs was named Player of the Match, continuing a series of accolades that included League Player of the Year honors. The St. Mary’s signee, a force front row and back, finished the season with 468 kills, 232 digs, 61 aces and 24 blocks.
Hazelton, delivered 40 kills over four sets, including the clincher, to lift the Mountaineers to their first state title in Class 2A over previously-unbeaten Trinity. The University of Indiana signee added 23 digs and three blocks, capping a 32-2-2 year for P-O. On the year, the All-State performer led the state of Pennsylvania with 685 kills, and added 385 digs, 63 aces and 37 blocks.
RHODE ISLAND – Ella Maack, 6-1 Sr. S, North Kingstown
Maack set North Kingstown to its second straight Div. I title in what was dubbed “the Year of the Setter” in the Ocean State. The 2022 Rhode Island Volleyball POY had an outstanding senior campaign for the 18-1 Skippers, compiling 453 assists, 158 digs, 73 kills, 51 aces and 20 blocks. She is a lock to repeat as First Team All-State and the favorite to take home the Gatorade POY trophy.
Carly O’Brien
SOUTH CAROLINA — Carly O’Brien, 5-10 Sr. OH, Dorman (Roebuck)
O’Brien led the Cavaliers to their 15th state title, this one in AAAAA, in 2023. The team defeated Wando in four sets behind a tremendous effort from O’Brien, who recorded 27 kills, 18 digs, two blocks and an ace. The Liberty signee, recently named AAAAA state Player of the Year by the South Carolina Coaches Association, finished her final high school campaign with 500 kills, 423 digs, 50 aces and 25 blocks. O’Brien, who also was MVP of the 5A/$A North-South All-Star Match, eclipsed 1,000 kills over her outstanding career.
SOUTH DAKOTA — Gabi Zachariasen, 5-11 Soph. OH, Harrisburg
Harrisburg won its second straight title in Class AA to complete a perfect season. The Tigers were led in the final by Zachariasen, who had 30 kills and 13 digs. Considered the best hitter in South Dakota, Zachariasen finished her season with a school-record 529 kills over 94 sets, while adding 238 digs. The First Team All-State pick led the field at the state tournament with 70 kills over three matches, 23 more than the next closest hitter over the same span.
TENNESSEE – Lauren Hurst, 6-3 Jr.. OH, Cleveland
Hurst delivered 27 kills to power Cleveland past Nolensville in three sets for its second straight AAA title. Hurst, a repeat winner as VolleyballMag’s Tennessee POY, finished 10th in the nation in kills this past fall with 766, and added 308 digs, 82 aces and 32 blocks. The reigning Gatorade POY for Tennessee also is a standout basketball player who is averaging 13 points and nine rebounds per game this winter.
TEXAS — Ayden Ames, 6-4 Sr. OH, Prosper
Ames had a monster year in leading the Eagles to the UIL 6A semifinal. The Texas signee almost got Prosper past powerhouse state champion Grand Oaks in the final four, delivering 27 kills, 15 digs and five blocks in the five-set loss. Ames finished her senior season with 575 kills, 481 digs, 165 blocks and 30 aces over 121 sets played. She has named Player of the Year by the Dallas Morning News, District 5 co-POY and MaxPrepsTexas POY, among other accolades.She also was a member of the USA U19 team that won the world championships.
Burgess was named Utah’s Ms. Volleyball by the Deseret News after leading Lone Peak to a fourth consecutive 6A state title in 2023. The University of Kansas signee led the Knights in kills, blocks and hitting percentage and was second in aces while also contributing 97 digs in her one rotation in the back row. She not only was the best player on a talented Lone Peak squad, she had that playful personality that helped her teammates stay loose during high pressure situations.
The best hitter in Vermont, and arguably the best overall player in the state’s short history of interscholastic competition, Nerad overpowered opponents in 2023. Behind Nerad, who touches 10-2, the Hornets won 18 matches while dropping just one set to win their third straight Div. I title. She had 16 kills in the championship final sweep of Champlain Valley Union and finished with 133 kills overt 37 sets. Essex will take a 51 match winning streak into next season, but will miss their senior smacker, who was named First Team All-State, Metro POY by the Vermont Coaches Association and Vermont’s Offensive Player of the Year by the Vermont Youth Volleyball Association.
“
Izzy Nerad
is an extremely talented player who has been an integral part of our team’s ability to win four consecutive state championships,” said coach Jen Ligouri. “Her leadership on and off the court has benefited all of her teammates and helped us to build strong team chemistry in a positive, supportive environment.”
VIRGINIA — Alexis Keeter, 5-11 Sr. OH, Grafton (Yorktown)
This was a brutally difficult decision, not because Keeter isn’t deserving, but because Hidden Valley junior Caleigh Ponn and Flint Hill senior Ryla Jones also were amazing. We went with Keeter because she was selected as Class 3 Player of the Year over Ponn, even though Ponn’s team defeated Grafton in four sets for the state championship. In that match, Keeter finished with 34 kills and 24 digs, capping a year in which the Florida Gulf Coast signee had 544 kills, 442 digs, 57 aces and 48 blocks over 86 sets.
Alexis Keeter
WASHINGTON — Lauren Dreves, 6-1 Sr. OH, Columbia River (Vancouver)
Dreves had 16 kills and eight digs as Columbia River completed a 32-0 season, in which it dropped just one set, by routing Ridgefield for the 2A title. Dreves leaves a legacy that includes 1,200 career kills and three state titles. The Auburn recruit’s senior season saw her win All-Area Player of the Year for the second season in a row, after she delivered 400 kills and 51 aces, both team highs, and was second with 188 digs over 73 sets. The Washington coaches selected her as the 2A Player of the Year.
WEST VIRGINIA — MacKenna Halfin, 5-11 Jr. OH, Philip Barbour (Philippi)
Halfin is a three-time all-state honoree after leading the Colts to two AA titles and a runner up finish in her three years on the team. In 2023, the junior led her 44-10-7 state runner up team in kills with 605 over 135 sets. She also topped the Colts in digs with 491 and was second in blocks with 96. Halfin had tough competition for this recognition from Morgantown junior Audrey Buck and Oak Glen junior McKenzi Martin, but prevailed because she was named both the captain of the AA All-State team and 2023 West Virginia High School Volleyball Player of the Year, chosen by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
The Dashers were 47-1 in 2023 and repeated as Wisconsin Div. 1 champions thanks to two outstanding attackers, Quest and senior Sophia Wendlick. Though Wendlick led DSHA in kills and was named conference Player of the Year, Quest gets the nod here because of her outstanding performance at the state tournament — 26 kills in the championship match — because she was consistent all year long and contributed in all phases. The University of Wisconsin pledge was second on the team in kills with 557, second in digs with 306, second in blocks with 67, third in aces with 57 and third in receptions with 508. Quest was a First Team All-State performer.
WYOMING — Maddy Stucky, 5-11 Sr. S/RS, Laramie
Stucky capped a career in which she was named All-State four times by leading Laramie to its third Wyoming 4A title over four years. The championship final win came in five sets over Thunder Basin and avenged the Plainsmen’s only loss on the year. Stucky had 59 assists, 21 digs and six kills in the final. The University of Wyoming signee finished her senior season with 801 assists, 158 kills, 210 digs, 62 blocks and 47 aces over 96 sets. She edged out Cody senior Molly Hays, a multi-sport star, for this honor.
