The 2023 Your Prep Sports Area Volleyball Team
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
Once again some of the best volleyball in the state was played in the Your Prep Sports area this fall.
Clear Creek Amana enjoyed a historic season that included 46 consecutive victories and a trip to the Class 4A state semifinals while City High, Liberty High, Solon and West Branch all advanced to regional title matches.
For more than half a decade Your Prep Sports has honored the top area players with their inclusion on the Your Prep Sports area volleyball team.
The 2023 edition of the annual YPS all-area team is among the most decorated in the history of the team.
This year’s 12-member team features eight all-state selections, a conference player of the year, state tournament all-tournament team member, school record holders and college recruits.
Clear Creek Amana senior Bliss Beck is the captain of the 2023 Your Prep Sports area team after leading the Clippers to the best season in program history.
Beck is appearing on the Your Prep Sports all-area team for the third consecutive season and is one of seven repeat selections on the 2023 team.
2023 Your Prep Sports Area Volleyball Team
Bliss Beck (Captain)
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
Among the most decorated players in Clear Creek Amana history Beck was at her best during a dominant senior season that capped a brilliant prep career.
Beck had career highs in kills and hitting percentage as a senior while helping Clear Creek Amana to a 46-1 record, a WAMAC West Division title and a Class 4A state semifinal appearance.
The 6-foot-2 Beck ranked in the top 20 in the state in both blocks and kills and was second in the state in hitting efficiency while earning Class 4A first team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association for the second consecutive season.
Beck increased her kill total and hitting percentage each of the past three seasons hitting .464 with 420 kills as a season.
A Drake recruit, Beck also had 116 kills, 50 digs and 10 ace serves during her senior season.
Beck was one of only two players state-wide to have 400 kills and 100 blocks this season and joined Payton Petersen of Dike-New Hartford and Ava Czarnecki of Lisbon as the only players in the state to amass 400 kills with a hitting efficiency over .400.
The three-time WAMAC West Division player of the year Beck had at least 300 kills and 90 blocks each of the past three seasons and closed her prep career with 1,227 kills and 383 blocks.
Claire Ernst
Senior, City High
The leader of the City High attack the past three seasons Ernst capped an incredible prep career with her best season setting career highs in kills and hitting efficiency as a senior on her way to earning all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
A four-year starter, Ernst led City High in kills and hitting percentage each of the past three seasons while racking up 1,104 career kills.
Ernst had a career-high 356 kills on a career-high .275 hitting this season helping City High to a 23-10 record and a spot in a Class 5A regional final.
An Oakland University recruit, Ernst was a first-team Mississippi Valley Conference all-divisional pick for the second straight season and was named to the IGCA 5A all-state third team.
The 6-foot Ernst had 190 kills, 22 ace serves and 21 blocks this season on her way to landing on the Your Prep Sports all-area team for the third consecutive season.
Asta Hildebrand
Junior, Liberty High
One of the most versatile players in the state Hildebrand continued to fill the stat sheet as well as any player state-wide in a breakthrough junior season in which she led the Lightning in kills on her way to earning second-team all-state honors.
A year after helping Liberty High to a 5A state title by handing out a team-high 863 assists Hildebrand led the Lightning with 361 kills this season on a career-high .239 hitting while earning second-team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
Hildebrand continued to do it all for the Lightning this season handing out 392 assists and added 299 digs while helping Liberty High to a 19-22 record and a spot in a 5A regional final.
The 6-foot Hildebrand was a unanimous first-team Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division pick and had a career-high 42 blocks and 22 ace serves this season.
In her first three varsity seasons Hildebrand has 1,684 assists, 746 digs and 583 kills.
Melae’ Lacy
Senior, West High
Few players in the storied history of West High volleyball have had the consistent impact of Lacy who capped an impressive career by leading the Trojans in kills for the fourth consecutive season.
Lacy posted her fourth straight season with at least 200 kills this fall leading West High with 237 kills on .176 hitting.
The 5-foot-11 Lacy was third on the team with 180 digs and second with 95 ace serves on her way to earning first team all-Mississippi Valley Conference divisional honors for the third year in a row.
A Tennessee State University signee, Lacy is a three-time Your Prep Sports all-area team selection and closed her career with 971 kills, 536 digs, 95 blocks and 95 ace serves.
Reese Naeve
Sophomore, Regina
One of the most explosive hitters in the state Naeve backed up an impressive debut season with an impressive sophomore campaign in which she ranked third in the state in kills.
An honorable mention all-state pick in Class 2A as a freshman last season, Naeve upped her game this fall ranking third in the state with 600 kills on .341 hitting on her way to earning third-team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
The 5-foot-9 Naeve has emerged as one of the most productive hitters in the state, pounding 1,042 kills in her first two varsity seasons while hitting over .340 in each of her first two seasons.
Naeve showed her all-around game as a sophomore leading Regina in digs and ace serves while helping the Regals to a 26-11 record and a top-15 ranking in 2A.
A River Valley Conference South Division first team selection, Naeve had 409 digs and 60 ace serves to go with 29 blocks this season.
Meg Berkland
Senior, Clear Creek Amana
The play of Berkland in the backrow was a key element in Clear Creek Amana enjoying the most successful four-year run in program history.
Berkland helped the Clippers to a 132-30 record over the past four seasons (.814 winning percentage), three consecutive WAMAC West Division titles and the first back-to-back state tournament appearances in program history.
The 5-foot-2 Berkland was at the center of that success leading the Clippers in digs each of the past four seasons.
Berkland was at her best the past two seasons ranking in the top 10 in the state in digs and earning second team Class 4A all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association each of the past two seasons.
A unanimous WAMAC West Division first-team pick as a senior Berkland ranked 10th in the state and led 4A with 531 digs.
Berkland also had a career-high 46 ace serves while helping Clear Creek Amana to a 46-1 record and a spot in the 4A semifinals.
During her four-year career Berkland racked up 1,778 digs and 169 ace serves.
Grace Erwin
Junior, Solon
Solon continued to climb closer to a breakthrough as a top 10 team in Class 3A this season and Erwin continued to be a big reason why the Spartans are surging.
Erwin posted a second consecutive impressive season as Solon returned to a Class 3A regional title game for the second year in a row.
A two-time first team WAMAC East Division selection, Irwin backed up a strong sophomore season with an even better junior campaign.
Erwin ranked ninth in the state with 116 blocks and had 186 kills on a career-best .378 hitting percentage while helping Solon to a 22-15 record.
The 5-foot-11 Erwin was one of only seven players in the state to have 100 blocks, 185 kills and a hitting percentage over .350.
A fourth-team Class 3A all-state selection by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association this year, Erwin has posted back-to-back seasons with at least 186 kills, 116 blocks and a hitting percentage of .372 or better.
Madelynn Falco
Junior, West Branch
West Branch surged down the stretch rattling off three straight postseason wins to reach a Class 2A regional title match and the play of Falco in the Bear back row was a big reason for the postseason success.
Falco had 72 digs in postseason matches against ranked teams Regina, Lisbon and Denver to cap a breakthrough junior season in which she emerged as one of the top backrow players in 2A.
A two-year starter in the back row for the Bears, Falco had a team-high 360 digs this season and added 16 ace serves.
Falco was named to the River Valley Conference South Division first team for the first time this fall and has racked up 749 digs over the past two seasons.
Emmy McComas
Junior, City High
A stalwart in the City High lineup since her freshman season McComas continued her strong career with a strong junior season in which she posted career highs in kills, hitting efficiency and blocks.
McComas has been among the most consistent all-around players in the area over the last three seasons posting three consecutive seasons of 200 kills, a .200 hitting efficiency and at least 230 digs.
The 5-foot-11 McComas had a career-best 237 kills on a career-high .267 hitting this fall and added a career-best 30 blocks.
McComas led City High in digs for the third straight season with 236 and has now accumulated 833 digs and 666 kills in her career.
The junior standout also had 23 ace serves on her way to earning second team Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division honors.
Edie Miller
Freshman, Liberty High
Miller burst onto the scene this fall with an incredible debut season that quickly established her as one of the state’s top back row players.
The 5-foot-6 Miller ranked fourth in the state and led Class 5A with 603 digs this season while helping Liberty High to a 19-22 record and a spot in a Class 5A regional title game.
Miller was a first-team Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division selection in her varsity debut season and earned third-team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
The 603 digs for Miller were 103 more than the next most for a player in Class 5A this season and her 5.4 digs per set were also a Class 5A-best.
Miller also had 22 ace serves this season.
Averie Lower
Sophomore, Clear Creek Amana
While teammates Bliss Beck and Meg Berkland garnered plenty of well-deserved attention during an incredible season for Clear Creek Amana Lower put together her own breakthrough sophomore season.
Lower posted career highs in both kills and hitting efficiency on her way to earning Class 4A third-team all-state honors from the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.
A unanimous first team all-WAMAC West Division selection, Lower ranked second on the team behind Beck with 282 kills on .215 hitting.
An impressive all-around player, the 5-foot-10 Lower ranked third on the team with 311 digs and fifth with 47 blocks and 21 ace serves.
In her first two seasons Lower has already racked up 504 kills, 698 digs and 97 blocks.
Hadley Miller
Freshman, Liberty High
Another freshmen to jump into the Liberty High lineup and produce immediately at a high level, Miller put together an impressive debut season leading the Lightning in assists and ace serves.
The 5-foot-6 Miller earned second-team Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division following a freshman season in which she directed the Lightning to a 19-22 record and a spot in a 5A regional title game.
Miller had a team-high 515 assists and led the Lightning with 35 ace serves during her debut season.
Miller added 92 kills on .187 hitting, ranked fourth on the team with 264 digs and had 17 blocks this season.
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
