2023 VBM HS player-of-the-year “ION” watch list, Part 2: Michigan through Wyoming
Best of the Best
John Tawa
October 19, 2023
Editor’s note: This is part 2 of John Tawa’s list of the top performers, state-by-state, throughout the country before championship season gets into full swing. Think of it as a Player of the Year Watch List. Today, Michigan through Wyoming. As the playoffs descend on the country and teams work towards being crowned state champions, VolleyballMag.com presents its ION List, the top high school performers in each of the 50 states plus D.C. to this point in the 2023 fall season. It’s like a “watch list,” but with a cuter name. These are players to keep an eye on … ION … get it?
While we’ve been paying attention since first serve in mid-August, the task of identifying the top players began in earnest two weeks ago. More than 200 high school coaches and media sources were consulted and asked: “Who are the best players in your state, based on their play so far in 2023?”
Opinions varied, but eventually a consensus emerged of the players most deserving of recognition. In smaller states or those still trying to find their volleyball footing, the ION List only goes five players deep. In powerhouse states like Ohio, Florida, Texas and California, the ION List exceeds 15 players. If coaches couldn’t choose between two or three on the margin, we included all of them. That’s why some lists, which should be five players, are six. Or eight. The more the merrier.
At the end of the year, VolleyballMag.com will choose a Player of the Year from every state. We’re not saying that the winners will come from the ION List, but it certainly is a good first resource.
MICHIGAN Izzy Busignani, 6-1 Jr. OH, Marian Aubree Deshetsky, 5-9 Soph. OH, North Branch Gabby DiVita, 6-2 Soph. OH, Grosse Pointe South Campbell Flynn, 6-3 Jr. S, Mercy Navea Gauthier, 6-2 Jr. OH, Shelby Victoria Gray, 6-2 Jr. MB, Bedford Kate Maley, 6-0 Sr. OH, Skyline Kayla Nwabueze, 6-3 Soph. MB, Bloomfield Hills Molly Reck, 5-11 Jr. OH, Northville Izzy Swiercz, 6-1 Sr. OH, Hudsonville
Olivia Swenson
MINNESOTA Kaia Caffee, 6-4 Sr. MB, Buffalo Rayna Christianson, 6-2 Soph. S/MB, Lakeville North Alexa Dietz, 5-11 Sr. MB, East Ridge McKenna Garr, 5-7 Jr. libero, Rush City Carly Gilk, 6-2 Jr. RS, Champlin Park Kate Holthaus, 5-10 Jr. OH, Rocori Anya Schmidt, 5-10 Jr. S, Rogers Keira Schmidt, 6-5 Jr. MB, Eagan Olivia Swenson, 6-4 Sr. OH, Wayzata Stella Swenson, 6-2 Sr. S, Wayzata
Emily Davis
MISSISSIPPI Carson Caraway, 6-2 Fr., Jackson Academy Emily Davis, 6-1 OH, Brandon
Emma Levingston
Emma Levingston, 6-2 Sr. OH, Brandon Kaylee Lowther, 5-4 Sr. libero, Jackson Academy Diana Wells, 5-11 Jr. OH, Germantown
Carlie Cisneros
MISSOURI Jacy Bray, 5-7 Sr. S, Nixa Carlie Cisneros, 6-1 Sr. OH, Liberty North Bella Faria, 5-9 Sr. OH, Kickapoo Tara Greenberry, 6-3 Jr. MB, Incarnate Word Olivia Hasbrook, 5-7 Sr. libero, Eureka Kya Johnson, 5-7 Sr. libero, Kickapoo Ella Keeven, 5-9 Jr. S/RS, Marquette Claire Morissey, 6-0 Sr. OH, St. Joseph’s Academy Abigail Mullen, 6-3 Jr. OH/RS, Liberty Alyssa Nelson, 5-8 Sr. S, Lafayette Reagan Nelson, 5-11 Jr. OH, Pattonville Maya Witherspoon, 5-11 Jr. OH, Lafayette
Maya Witherspoon
MONTANA Addie Allen, 5-8 Sr. S, Billings West Kourtney Grossman, 6-0 Sr. OH, Billings West Mackenzie Jackson, 6-2 Sr. RS, Helena Austin Long, 5-6 Sr. libero, Billings West Leela Ormsby, 6-3 Jr. MB, Billings Senior Sydney Pierce, 6-4 Sr. MB, Billings West
NEBRASKA Morgan Bode, 6-0 Sr. MB, Papillion – LaVista South Reese Booth, 5-8 Sr. S, Elkhorn North Paisley Douglas, 5-6 Sr. libero, Skutt Catholic Keri Leimbach, 5-5 Jr. libero, Lincoln Lutheran Malayah Long, 6-0 Sr. S, Lincoln Southwest Olivia Mauch, 5-6 Sr. libero, Bennington Lauren Medeck, 6-0 Sr. OH, Papillion – La Vista South Sierra Pokharel, 5-7 Jr. libero, Millard West Mia Tvrdy, 6-0 Sr. MB, Papillion – La Vista Reagan Wallraff, 6-0 Fr. MB, Elkhorn North Natalie Wardlow, 6-4 Jr. MB, Lincoln Southeast Addison West, 5-11 Soph. OH, Skutt Catholic NEVADA Julie Beckham, 6-0 Soph. OH, Coronado Italia Cloyd, 5-9 Sr. OH/RS, Faith Lutheran Sienna Novak, 5-10 Soph. OH, Foothill Bianca Richardson, 5-11 Sr. OH, Faith Lutheran Tatum Thompson, 5-7 Sr. libero, Bishop Gorman Trinity Thompson, 5-9 Soph. S, Bishop Gorman Leilia Toailoa, 6-1 Sr. OH, Bishop Gorman Ayanna Watson, 6-3 Soph. OH, Bishop Gorman Willow Watson, 6-2 Jr. MB, Arbor View Aliah Williams, 6-2 Sr. MB, Centennial
NEW JERSEY Naomi Lygas, 5-9 Soph. OH, Princeton Jordyn Hamlin, 5-7 Sr. OH, Southern Regional — Manahawkin Haley Maher, 5-3 Sr. libero, Sparta Taylor Miller, 6-2 Sr .OH, Demarest Abby Romero, 5-5 Sr. libero, Immaculate Heart Academy Dajah Williams, 6-0 Sr. OH, Williamstown
NEW MEXICO Tea Kalajdzic, 6-0 Sr. OH, La Cueva Marian Hatch, 5-7 Sr. S, Cleveland Makayla Martinez, 5-4 Sr. libero, Cibola Addison Massey, 6-0 Soph. OH, Las Cruces Ella Parker, 6-1 Sr. OH/MB, Cibola Karyna Werley, 5-9 Jr. S, La Cueva
NEW YORK Ashley Ballou, 6-1 Sr. S/RS, Eden Meghan Clifford, 6-3 Sr. MB, Fairport Marin Collins, 6-3 Jr. OH, Frontier Reagan Ennist, 6-2 Jr. OH, Shenendehowa Audrey Grable, 5-10 Sr. OH, Sacred Heart Ava Haynes, 5-11 Sr. OH, Portville Madison Keem, 5-10 Jr. S, St, Mary’s of Lancaster Natalie Pedersen, 5-9 Sr. OH, Irondequoit Sarah Robbins, 6-2 Jr. MB, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Carson Tyler, 5-10 Sr. OH, St. Mary’s of Lancaster
Sally Perez
NORTH CAROLINA Emily Bobbitt, 5-11 Sr. OH/S, Corinth Holders Julia DePinto, 5-10 Sr. S, Chapel Hill Talia Francom, 6-5 Jr. MB, Green Level Genevieve Harris, 5-9 Soph. S, Cardinal Gibbons Kiarrah Horne, 5-11 Sr. OH, Millbrook Ryan Hunter, 6-2 Jr. RS, Cox Mill Gabby Nichols, 6-4 Jr. MB, Reagan Belle Patrick, 6-2 Sr. OH, Green Hope Sally Perez, 6-3 Sr. OH, Middle Creek Ellyson Randolph, 6-2 Fr. OH, Reagan Katie Raymer, Soph. libero, Apex Avery Scoggins, 6-1 Sr. S, Middle Creek Laynie Smith, 6-4 Sr. OH/RS, Chapel Hill Asia Thigpen, 5-11 Sr. OH, Green Level
NORTH DAKOTA Tayla Andersen, 5-11 Sr. OH, Bismarck Raina Chwialkowski, 5-8 Soph. Libero, West Fargo Eden Fridley, 6-0 Sr. OH, Century Hannah Litzinger, 5-10 S. OH, Grand Forks Makenna Nold, Sr. S/MB, Jamestown OHIO Sydney Barrett, 6-0 Sr. MB, Kings Allison Barrick, 6-0 Jr. OH, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Lily Barron, 6-2 Sr. OH, Olentangy Orange Addy Brus, 5-11 Sr. OH, St. Ursula (Cincinnati) Sakura Codling, 5-5 Jr. libero, Seton Kayla Channell, 6-1 Jr. MB, Gilmour Academy Maddie Cugino, 5-9 Sr. OH, Olentangy Orange Taryn DeWese, 6-0 Sr. S/RS, Lake (Toledo) Maria Drapp, 5-9 Sr. S, Mercy McAuley Katie Gielas, 6-2 Jr. OH, Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati, Ohio) Annabelle Groomes, 6-0 Jr. S/RS, St. Joseph Luci Heid, 6-0 Jr. OH, Badin (Hamilton, Ohio) Layla Hoying,, 5-10 Soph. OH, Bishop Watterson Elise Marchal, 6-0 Sr. MB, Kings Lucy Mott, 6-1 Sr. S, St. Ursula Academy (Toledo) Hannah Pattie, 5-7 Sr. S, Lake Catholic Cara Richter, 5-11 Soph. OH, Mount Notre Dame Alec Rothe, 6-3 Sr. MB, Dublin Scioto Reese Wuebker, 5-10 Sr. OH, Centerville Faith Young, 6-1 Sr. OH, Harrison (Ohio)
OKLAHOMA Lolufe Adedeji, 6-2 Soph. MB, Edmond Memorial Skylar Brady, 5-10 Soph. MB, Bethany Landry Braziel, 6-0 Sr. OH, Community Christian Arianna Brown, 6-0 Soph. OH, Booker T. Washington Carley Butler, 6-1 Sr. MB, Owasso Olivia Cupp, 5-10 Sr. S, Jenks Ally Fees, 6-0 Sr. OH, Mount St. Mary Curry Kendall, 6-1 Sr. OH, Bishop Kelley Kynli Kirkendoll, 6-0 Sr. MB, Jenks Gia McGrew, 6-0 Jr. RS, Mount St. Mary Kat Rowe, 5-7 Sr. S/OH, Edmond Memorial OREGON Madi Andrews, 6-0 Soph. OH, Nelson Taelyn Bentley, 5-11 Jr. MB, Crescent Valley Emma Brewer, 6-1 Soph. OH, Salem Academy Sidney Friesen, 5-8 Sr. OH, Sprague Bridget Gould, 5-11 Sr. RS, Marshfield Alexis Haury, 5-10 Sr. S/OH, Silverton Akylah Kaino, 5-11 Jr. OH, Burns Mackenzie King, 6-0 Sr. OH, Burns Lilly Lansing, 6-0 Sr. MB, Jesuit Chloe LeLuge, 6-3 Sr. OH, Bend Kamden Mitchell, 5-11 Sr. S, Crescent Valley Tatum Montiel, 5-11 Jr. OH, Marshfield Paige Thiess, 6-1 Jr. OH, Oregon City Gracie Vohs, 5-11 Sr. OH, Sisters
PENNSYLVANIA Natalie Carr, 5-11 Soph. OH, Canon-McMillan Bailey Corrigan, 6-0 Jr. OH, Liberty Reese Hazelton, 6-2 Sr. OH, Philipsburg-Osceola Isabelle Hoppe, 5-8 Soph. S, Pine-Richland Addison Leber, 5-10 Jr. OH, Hempfield Madison Monahan, 5-9 Sr. S, Pope John Paul II Emma Parks, 6-2 Jr. OH, Meadville Alli Reimer, 6-0 Sr. OH, Parkland Sophia Schweikert, 6-1 Jr. OH, Upper Merion Maggie Smith, 5-8 Sr. S, Parkland
RHODE ISLAND Abby Crowley, 5-7 Jr. S, La Salle Sydney Henson, 5-6 Jr. libero, North Kingstown Ella Maack, 6-1 Sr. S, North Kingstown Caitlin Mediate, 5-5 Jr. S, Portsmouth Keira Mullen, Soph. S/RS, East Providence
SOUTH CAROLINA Olivia Borgman, 6-1 Jr. OH, North Myrtle Beach Grace Dumont, 5-11 Sr. S/RS, St. Joseph’s Catholic Annie Dziczkowski, 5-10 Sr. OH, South Aiken Maggie Elliott, 6-1 Sr. OH, Beckham Christiana Greene, 5-9 Sr. OH/, Cardinal Newman Carly O’Brien, 5-10 Sr. OH, Dorman Bridey Potter, 6-0 Sr., MB, Wando SOUTH DAKOTA Taryn Kirsch, 5-10 Jr. libero, Washington Maggie Meister, 5-8 Jr. libero, Harrisburg Ava Nillson, 6-0 Sr. S, Warner Sophi Randall, 5-11 Jr. S, Dell Rapids Josalyn Samuels, 6-0 8th, Harrisburg Gabi Zachariasen, 5-11 Soph. OH, Harrisburg TENNESSEE Maggie Allred, 6-1 Sr. MB, Nolensville Tinsley Brown, 5-9 Sr. OH, Hardin Valley Autumn Holmes, 6-2 Sr. MB, Science Hill Lauren Hurst, 6-3 Jr. OH, Cleveland Kaira Knox, 5-9 Jr. RS, Nolensville Kinslee McGown, 5-10 Sr. S, Cleveland Kiernan Stamey, 6-2 Sr. OH, Maryville
