Seven Your Prep Sports Area Volleyball Players to Watch this Season
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
When the calendar flips to August that means that volleyball season isn’t far away.
The 2023 season officially opens next week with the first day of practice on Monday with the first matches coming on August 21.
As the season gets rolling the goal for every team is a spot at the state tournament set for October 30 through November 2 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.
Your Prep Sports will have plenty of coverage of area teams and players in the weeks leading up to the season but our 2023 volleyball coverage begins with an early look at seven area players to keep an eye on this fall.
Bliss Beck
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
After a breakthrough sophomore campaign Beck continued to build a resume as one of the best in the state during a big-time junior season in which she posted career highs in kills, blocks and hitting efficiency while leading Clear Creek Amana to a Class 4A runner-up finish.
Beck ranked in the top five in 4A in both kills (399) and hitting efficiency (.411) and led 4A with 153 blocks.
The 6-foot-2 Beck was the only player in the state with at least 150 kills and 350 kills, ranking fifth in the state in blocks and 14th in hitting efficiency.
Beck was named WAMAC West Division player of the year for the second consecutive season and earned first-team all-state honors.
Claire Ernst
Senior, City High
Another player coming off an emphatic junior season, Ernst put together her best season yet last fall.
An Oakland University recruit, Ernst was a unanimous first team Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division selection last season after leading City High with 285 kills on .256 hitting.
The 5-foot-11 Ernst had a career-high 222 digs and 24 blocks last season while leading the Little Hawks in kills for the second consecutive season.
Entering her senior season Ernst has amassed 758 career kills, 581 digs and 48 blocks.
Melae’ Lacy
Senior, West High
After increasing her kill total in each of her first three seasons Lacy will look to put an exclamation point on what has already been an impressive prep career with a big senior season.
Lacy posted her third consecutive 200-kill season last fall leading West High with a career-high 280 kills while earning MVC all-division first team honors for the second year in a row.
The 5-foot-11 Lacy emerged as an excellent all-around player last season posting career-highs in digs and blocks while leading the Trojans in ace serves.
Lacy had 218 digs, 29 blocks and 30 ace serves a year ago helping West High to an 11-22 record.
Reese Naeve
Sophomore, Regina
One of the top freshmen in the state last season Naeve will look to build upon an impressive debut season in which she ranked eighth in Class 2A in kills.
Naeve hammered 442 kills while hitting .350 last season as a freshman helping Regina to a 19-15 record.
The 5-foot-7 Naeve was one of only nine players in the state to have 400 kills with a hitting efficiency over .350 and her 442 kills were the most by any freshman statewide last fall.
An explosive athlete, Naeve was second on the team with 291 digs and had 14 blocks and 16 ace serves on her way to earning honorable mention all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
Grace Erwin
Junior, Solon
The emergence of Erwin last season was a key in Solon experiencing its most successful season since it won the 3A state title in 2014.
Erwin ranked second in the state and led Class 3A with 169 blocks and ranked second on the team in kills as Solon posted its first winning season since 2018, winning 26 matches and advancing to the regional final.
The 5-foot-10 Erwin had 191 kills on a team-high .372 hitting on her way to earning first-team all-WAMAC West Division honors.
Asta Hildebrand
Junior, Liberty High
After back-to-back impressive seasons as an underclassmen Hildebrand becomes a leader for the defending 5A champion Lightning in her third varsity season.
Hildebrand ranked fourth in 5A with 863 assists a year ago while also ranking fourth on the team with 95 kills while earning all-state honors from the IGCA for the first time.
The 5-foot-11 Hildebrand is a versatile all-around player, collecting 273 digs, 16 blocks and 28 ace serves on her way to earning first team Mississippi Valley Conference all-division honors.
In three state tournament matches Hildebrand had 92 assists and 17 kills while helping Liberty High to the first title in program history last season.
Meg Berkland
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
A four-year starter, Berkland emerged as one of the top back row players in the state last season leading Clear Creek Amana in digs for the third consecutive season while helping the Clippers to 33-11 record and a 4A runner-up finish.
Berkland ranked ninth in the state and second in 4A with a career-high 540 digs a year ago on her way to earning second-team all-state honors from the IGCA.
The 5-foot-2 Berkland was at her best during the Clippers’ state tournament run collecting 105 digs in three matches at the state tournament including back-to-back 37 and 38 dig efforts in the opening two matches.
Berkland enters her final prep season with 1,247 digs and 123 career ace serves.
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