Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – Success has always seemed to follow LeeAnn Potter on the volleyball court.

No matter where or what level every team Potter has played on as a prep has seemed to exceed expectations.

It started with an undefeated season as a freshman at West High and continued at Liberty High with a pair of milestone-filled years in the first two varsity seasons in program history.

 “She has been rock solid since the get go,” Liberty High coach Randy Dolson said. “When she was a freshman at West and my wife Peggy was coaching the sophomore team LeeAnn led that team and they went undefeated. I don’t care what level you are at you go undefeated that’s something.”

Even with all the success Potter has been a part of the past three seasons she never imagined what was waiting in her final prep season.

Potter has led Liberty High to a 22-1 record and a No. 2 ranking in Class 5A after the Lightning stretched their winning streak to nine with a sweep of No. 14 Dubuque Hempstead on Tuesday evening.   

“Honestly when I thought about this year, I never imagined being 22-1, this is really unbelievable,” Potter said. “I would have just thought being aggressive, getting kills and maybe getting to state would be a huge success. This is beyond what I ever imagined.”

Potter has enjoyed success at every stage of her career.

After helping the West High sophomore team to an unbeaten season as a freshman she led Liberty High in kills each of the past two seasons.

Potter had 307 kills as a sophomore while helping Liberty High to a 13-20 record in its varsity debut season.

Last season Potter pounded a career-high 326 kills to lead the Lightning to its first winning season at 19-15.

“LeeAnn has been there every step of the way,” Dolson said. “There have been others with her but she is definitely our team leader when it comes to play. Maybe not vocally all the time but we look to her to be solid when we need her to be.”

In her final prep season Potter has helped Liberty High reach new heights.

The Lightning won 13 consecutive matches to open the season and have lost just one set in nine straight wins since its only loss of the season at Dubuque Wahlert on September 17.  

“It’s very exciting,” Potter said. “I have never experienced anything like this and I’m very excited to see what is to come and I just want us to keep playing our game and improving even more than we already have.”

Potter has been a huge part of what has already been a historic season for Liberty High.

The 5-foot-9 senior leads the Lightning with 150 kills and ranks second on the team with 135 digs.

Potter is hitting .258 in a balanced Liberty High attack that has four players with more than 100 kills.

Potter also has 18 ace serves and 14 blocks.

“Definitely I think my defense has been a lot better,” Potter said. “I think I can improve on my hitting for sure but I think I’m playing the best I ever have.”

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