Volleyball Capsules: Taking a Quick Look at Your Prep Sports Area Volleyball Teams
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
West High
Coach: Jaedynn Evans (2nd season)
Assistant coaches: Kyra Ikeda; Katie Remmert; Ava Pence; Megan Renner
Last season: 27-6 (Class 5A state quarterfinal)
Returning starters: Sophia Austen, Sr., OH; Lila Eastvold, Sr., S; Taylor Otte, Jr., M; Izzie McDonald, Jr., L; Audrey Small, Jr., M; Josie Austen, Soph., OPP; Cyan Blommer, Soph., OH
Other returning letterwinners: Olivia Headings, Soph.; Olivia Scott, Sr.; Lily Pacheco, Soph.’ Kaeden Hopp, Sr.; Caroline Dickens, Sr.
Headliner: Senior Iowa State recruit Sophia Austen is a four-year starter with 760 career kills coming off the best season of her career when she ranked 12th in 5A with 285 kills on .217 hitting on her way to being a first team all-state pick.
Keep an eye on: Sophomore Cyan Blommer emerged as one of the top young hitters in the state last fall with an impressive debut season in which she led West High with 287 kills on .217 hitting while ranking second on the team with 320 digs.
Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Taylor Otte impressed in her first season in the West High lineup last fall ranking third on the team with 209 kills while leading the Trojans in hitting efficiency (.329) and blocks (59) and should be even better this season with a year of experience under her belt.
Circle the date: September 12. West High welcomes a loaded field to its annual Caroline Found Volleyball Extravaganza as six other returning state qualifiers join the Trojans at the 12-team tournament that features defending 3A champion Davenport Assumption, defending 4A champ North Scott, 4A semifinalist Clear Creek Amana and 5A semifinalist Ankeny.
Breakdown: After a breakthrough season last season that included the most wins since 2015 and the first state tournament appearance since 2016 the Trojans have their sights set even higher this fall.
West High returns its lineup full intact from a team that went 27-6 and lost to eventual 5A runner-up Ankeny Centennial in the Class 5A quarterfinals.
Senior Iowa State recruit Sophia Austen headlines a deep and talented West High lineup that features five players that had 100 or more kills last season.
Senior setter Lila Eastvold returns after ranking third in 5A with 895 assists last season while Iowa recruit Izzie McDonald is back to solidify the back row after ranking seventh in 5A with 410 digs.
Sophomore Cyan Blommer led the team with 287 kills last season on .217 hitting while juniors Taylor Otte and Audrey Small return at middle.
The 6-foot-1 Otte had 209 kills on a team-high .329 hitting and led the Trojans with 59 blocks last season while the 6-foot-4 Small had 128 kills on .316 hitting and ranked second on the team with 40 blocks.
Sophomore Josephine Austen also returns after posting 104 kills, 26 blocks and 176 digs last season.
West High will be seeking its first state tournament win since 2011.
Liberty High
Coach: Jessica Hauptmann (2nd season, 24-11)
Assistant coaches: Madi Miller; Rachel Berkland
Last season: 24-11 (5A regional final)
Returning starters: Edie Miller, Sr., DS/L; Hadley Miller, Sr., S; Norah Willey, Jr., S; Ellie Wilson, Sr., OH; Clare Gordon, Jr., DS/M/OH; Ava Meidlinger, Sr., RS; Sydney Van Heukelom, Sr., M;
Other returning letterwinners: Carson Perry, Sr., DS; Ava Clark, Sr., M; Natalie Pilkey, Sr., DS; Brooklyn Wheeler, Sr., OH;
Newcomers to watch: Veda Smith, Jr., OH/DS; Kaylin Davis, Soph., S; Autumn Allen, Soph., DS
Headliner: Senior libero Edie Miller is a Dayton recruit and two-time all-state selection with more than 1,600 career digs. The 5-foot-6 Miller ranked third in Class 5A with 480 dig last season and added 34 ace serves.
Keep an eye on: Senior Ellie Wilson is a four-year starter that has made steady improvement each year in the Lightning lineup. A Queens University recruit, the 5-foot-8 Wilson led Liberty High with 216 kills last season while ranking third on the team with 221 digs and 28 ace serves.
Ready for a breakthrough: Senior Sydney Van Heukelom made a big jump last season when she posted career highs in kills (195) and hitting efficiency (.299) while leading the Lightning in blocks for the third consecutive season with 67 but the 6-foot-1 middle is capable of taking an even bigger step forward this fall.
Circle the date: August 29 at Ankeny Centennial Early Bird. An early-season trip to Ankeny will serve as measuring stick for the state tournament hopeful Lightning who will face off against a 16-team field that features 10 state qualifiers from last season including six of the eight teams in 5A field highlighted by defending champion Waukee Northwest.
Breakdown: Head coach Jessica Hauptmann enters her second season leading the Liberty High program after directing the Lightning to a 24-11 record and a spot in a 5A regional title game in her debut season.
The Lightning have a strong group of experienced seniors highlighted by a quartet of four-year starters in Hadley Miller, Edie Miller, Ellie Wilson and Sydney Van Heukelom.
Seven starters return in total as Liberty High looks to return to the state tournament for the first time since 2022.
Senior Libero Edie Miller returns after leading the Lightning and ranking third in 5A with 480 digs last season while twin sister Hadley Miller is back at setter after ranking fifth in 5A with 788 assists while ranking fourth on the team with 133 kills on .262 hitting.
Wilson and Van Heukelom return after ranking first and third respectively in kills last season.
The 5-foot-8 Wilson led the Lightning with 216 kills last season while adding 221 digs and Van Heukelom had had a career-high 195 kills on .299 hitting and led the team in blocks for the third consecutive season with 67.
Senior Ava Meidlinger and juniors Norah Willey and Clare Gordon all return with varsity starting experience.
Meidlinger was fifth on the team with 124 kills last season and ranked third with 28 blocks while Gordon had 50 kills a year ago.
Willey had 42 assists and ranked fourth on the team with 154 digs last season as a sophomore.
Clear Creek Amana
Coach: Jackie Clubb (13th season, 355-136)
Assistant coaches: Isabel Carey; Jamie Stratton; Natalie Fry; Faith Fitzpatrick; Kailee Martensen; Claire McCumber
Last season: 42-4 (Class 4A state semifinals)
Returning starters: Bailey Simpson, Sr., M/RS; Kendall Ronnfeldt, Jr., DS/L; Julia Schlarbaum, Jr., OH; Haydin Wauters, Soph., M
Other returning letterwinners: Bella Behrens, Sr., DS; Delany Vaske, Jr., M; Payton Curtin, Sr., S
Headliner: Senior Bailey Simpson emerged as one of the top players in Class 4A last fall with a breakout season in which she earned second team all-state honors. The 6-foot-2 Simpson ranked fourth in 4A in hitting efficiency (.379) while hammering a career-high 298 kills and leading the Clippers with 101 blocks.
Keep an eye on: Junior Kendall Ronnfeldt returns to lead the Clear Creek Amana backrow after collecting a team-high 355 digs last season. The 5-foot-5 Ronnfeldt has amassed 553 digs over the past two seasons and should be in for a breakthrough junior year.
Ready for a breakthrough: Junior Julia Schlarbaum enjoyed a big-time breakthrough last season when she hammered a career-high 264 kills on .288 hitting on her way to earning third team all-state honors. Look for another breakout season from the South Dakota commit this fall as she looks to step into an even larger role in the Clipper attack.
Circle the date: October 6 against Grinnell. The WAMAC West Division race may come down to the final match of the regular season when the Tigers come to Tiffin. Last season Grinnell was the only WAMAC West Division foe to take a set from Clear Creek Amana as the Clippers went a perfect 5-0 in WAMAC West matches.
Breakdown: One of the most consistently successful programs in Class 4A over the past several seasons the Clippers are seeking a fifth consecutive state tournament appearance after winning at least 34 matches each of the previous four seasons.
Clear Creek Amana returns four starters including two of its top three hitters and its digs leader from last year’s 4A semifinal team that went 42-4.
Senior all-stater Bailey Simpson headlines the list of returners after ranking in the top-15 in Class 4A in both kills and blocks last season.
Simpson ranked second on the team and 13th in 4A with 298 kills last season while leading the Clippers and ranking fourth in 4A with 101 blocks.
Junior South Dakota commit Julia Schlarbaum had 264 kills on .288 hitting during a breakthrough sophomore season in which she led the Clippers with 70 ace serves and ranked third on the team with 283 digs.
Junior Kendall Ronnfeldt returns after leading the Clippers with 355 digs and 30 ace serves.
6-foot-1 Junior Haydin Wauters also returns after posting 44 kills and 25 blocks last season.
Expect seniors Bella Behrens and Payton Curtin to step into larger roles this season along with junior Delany Vaske.
Behrens had 95 digs last season while Curtin had 25 assists.
Regina
Coach: Lauren Hansen (5th season, 99-55)
Assistant coaches: Colby Ender; Hunter Sade; Emma Willenborg; Sam Koth
Last season: 30-14 (Class 2A state quarterfinal)
Returning starters: Addie Bollier, Sr., L; Nora Wilhelm, Sr., S; Adalee Klein, Sr., M; Leah Sickels, Sr., M; Kylie Mattoon, Sr., DS; Jada Wiltz, Soph., OH
Other returning letterwinners: Lily Nibaur, Sr., DS; Claire Lacina, Jr., OH/RS; Maggie White, Jr., DS
Newcomers to watch: Lyla Chandler, Sr., RS; Lexi Gaffey, Fr., OH
Headliner: Senior libero Addie Bollier has emerged as one of the top back row players in the state ranking in the top two in the state in digs each of the past two seasons. A Samford recruit, the 5-foot-4 Bollier had a state-leading 794 digs last season, averaging 6.8 digs per set on her way to earning third team Class 2A all-state honors. Bollier has racked up 1,857 career digs including 1,477 over the past two seasons.
Keep an eye on: Senior setter Nora Wilhelm is coming off a breakthrough season in which she ranked fourth in the state in assists and sixth in assists per set. A three-year starter, the 5-foot-10 Wilhelm had career highs in assists (1,061), kills (25), blocks (36), digs (206) and ace serves (45) last season on her way to earning fourth team Class 2A all-state honors.
Ready for a breakthrough: Sophomore Jada Wiltz got a taste of varsity action last season ranking fifth on the team with 52 kills while ranking fourth on the team with 264 digs and second with 43 ace serves. Look for those numbers to sky rocket for the 5-foot-9 Wiltz this season as she takes on a larger role in the Regina attack.
Circle the date: September 29 against Mid-Prairie. Regina hosts defending River Valley Conference South Division champion Mid-Prairie after falling in four sets to the Golden Hawks last season in Wellman.
Breakdown: Regina is looking to build on what has been one of the most successful two-year runs in program history as the Regals have won 54 matches and made back-to-back state tournament appearances for the first time in program history.
The Regals will need to replace the state leader in kills the past two seasons in current Iowa State freshman Reese Naeve but bring back a strong group of experienced starters highlighted by seniors Nora Wilhelm and Addie Bollier.
Wilhelm is a three-year starter at setter that ranked fourth in the state in assists last season averaging 9.8 assists per set.
Bollier is a Samford recruit that led the state with 794 digs last season from her libero spot.
Seniors Adalee Klein, Kylie Mattoon and Leah Sickels and sophomore Jada Wiltz round out the list of returning starters.
The 6-foot-1 Klein ranked third on the team with 134 kills on .231 hitting last season while leading the Regals with 69 blocks.
Wiltz had 52 kills and Sickels had 23 kills but should both see those numbers climb this season.
Mattoon ranked third on the team with 278 digs a year ago and was also third on the team with 40 ace serves.
Juniors Maggie White and Claire Lacina and senior Lily Nibaur should all be in the mix for rotational spots this season while head coach Lauren Hansen expects an immediate impact from Liberty High senior transfer Lyla Chandler and freshman Lexi Gaffey.
West Branch
Co-Coaches: Leah Coates (2nd season); Amanda Froese (2nd season)
Assistant coaches: Ally Kroemer
Last season: 18-18 (2A regional quarterfinal)
Returning starters: Julie Herring, Sr., L; Ava Burnett, Sr., S
Other returning letterwinners: Kainoa Senio, Soph., OH; Ava Lacina, Soph., OH; Sophia Petrin, Soph., M; Lyla Popkes, Sr., S
Newcomers to watch: Eloise Guhl, Soph., M; Karlee Hansen, Jr., RS
Headliner: Senior setter Ava Burnett returns to direct the West Branch attack after leading the team with 455 assists last season. The 5-foot-8 Burnett ranked second on the team with 238 digs and 29 ace serves last season and added 21 kills and 20 blocks.
Keep an eye on: Sophomore Ava Lacina will look to build off an impressive debut season in which the 5-foot-7 outside hitter ranked third on the team with 117 kills while adding 77 digs and 23 blocks.
Ready for a breakthrough: Sophomore Kainoa Senio was impressive last season with 98 kills on .165 hitting but the 5-foot-6 Senio was just scratching the surface of her potential. A strong all-around player look for a breakthrough season from Senio who also had 85 digs and 28 blocks last season as a freshman.
Circle the date: October 6 against Regina. The Bears host rival Regina in their final River Valley Conference South Division match of the season.
Breakdown: After a six-win season in 2024 the Bears went 18-18 last fall under first-year head coaches Leah Coates and Amanda Froese.
West Branch returns a pair of starters from last season in senior setter Ava Burnett and senior libero Julia Herring who ranked fifth on the team with 119 digs last season.
Sophomores Kainoa Senio and Ava Lacina will be looked upon to take on bigger roles as hitters after combining for 215 kills last season as freshmen.
Senior setter Lyla Popkes returns, she led the Bears with 276 assists in 2024 and had 63 assists last season while sophomore Sophia Petrin has made the shift from setter to middle this season.
The 5-foot-8 Petrin had 161 assists and 89 digs last season and will look to make an immediate impact in the middle this fall.
West Branch also expects impacts from sophomore Eloise Guhl and junior Karlee Hansen in their first seasons in the varsity lineup.
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