Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

Volleyball season officially began with the first day of practice on Monday.

Competition will begin for Your Prep Sports area teams on August 23 with every team aiming for a spot at the state tournament schedule to be played for the first time ever at Xtream Arena in Coralville from October 31 to November 3.

Last week Your Prep Sports published a list of six area players to watch this season.

Today Your Prep Sports offers six players that are ready to take their games to the next level with breakthrough seasons.

Emma McComas

Sophomore, City High

McComas had a fantastic rookie season last fall ranking in the top three on the team in kills, digs and ace serves while earning Mississippi Valley Conference all-division honorable mention honors.

Expect even more from McComas this season.

With a year of experience the 5-foot-10 McComas is poised to become one of the best in the MVC after leading the Little Hawks with 316 digs, ranking second with 219 kills and adding 23 ace serves a year ago.

Sophia Deyak

Senior, West High

The 6-foot-2 Deyak showed flashes or her potential last season along with a combination of size and athleticism at the net.

With three of the Trojans top four kill leaders from a year ago lost to graduation there should be more hitting opportunities for Deyak this season who was fifth on the team with 72 kills a year ago.

Deyak will also look to improve on her 37 blocks from last season which ranked third on the team.

Asta Hildebrand

Sophomore, Liberty High

Another area player to burst onto the scene as a freshman Hildebrand wasted no time showing she was a game changer for 5A power Liberty High.

As good as Hildebrand was last season when she earned second-team all-MVC divisional honors the 5-foot-9 all-around threat will be even better this season.

Hildebrand ranked second on the team with 429 assists a year ago, added 127 kills and 174 digs and 22 ace serves.

Delaney Bombei

Senior, Solon

A four-year starter, Bombei has been a model of consistency amassing more than 500 kills and 200 blocks in her career and led the Spartans in kills and blocks a year ago.

So, is Bombei really a candidate for a breakthrough?

Call this one a hunch but it feels like the best volleyball for Bombei is still ahead in the form of a monster senior season after she had 209 kills and 85 blocks a year ago.

Addison Gisleson

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

In her first varsity season Gisleson ranked third on the team in both kills and digs and earned second team all-WAMAC West Division honors.

The role and the numbers could expand for Gisleson this season.

The graduation of all-stater Calia Clubb and her team-high 340 kills and 941 hitting attempts creates opportunities and Gisleson is in line to see more chances after posting 92 kills while hitting .168 a year ago to go with 275 kills.

Caitlin Martin

Sophomore, Regina

With four of the top five hitters for Regina that accounted for 568 kills a year ago lost to graduation the Regals will need several players to step up this season.

One of those likely to take a giant step forward is Martin who had a productive season a year ago ranking third on the team in kills.

Martin had 87 kills as a freshman last season while hitting .134 and will have plenty of opportunities to improve on those numbers this fall.

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