Volleyball
Honorable Mention
Ella Richards-IKM-Manning- Senior
The Senior had her best season, leading the Wolves with 195 assists, helping a young team continue to show growth as IKM-Manning increased their win total this season, having their most wins in 4-years. Richards added a solid season in the back row with 138 digs and led the Wolves with 31 aces, 15 more than the next player on the team.
Karlee Arp- IKM-Manning- Sophomore
Arp gives the Wolves a solid player to help build around as one of six girls that will return with starting experience. She moved to a split role this season, setting and hitting from the right side, making a nice transition. She finished the season, 2nd in assists, 2nd in kills, 3rd in digs and 2nd in blocks. Her future looks bright.
Grace Carroll- IKM-Manning- Sophomore
She started the year as a libero but moved to hitter for part of the season as the Wolves needed an extra hitter with injuries and illness. Carroll led the team in digs while 5th in kills, playing limited matches as a hitter. She also picked up 6 blocks at the net with a competitive spirit. Carroll was tied for 2nd in aces.
Megan Williams- IKM-Manning- Senior
Williams led the Wolves in kills with 146 and blocks with 40 as she wrapped up her second season making the All-Rewind team. She added 77 digs, ranking 6th on the team. She also paced the team in kill efficiency at .162.
Michelle Brooks- Audubon- Senior
Brooks had a really strong season defensively, helping the Wheelers to their most wins since they made State in 2016. She tied for 3rd on the team in blocks with 20 while adding 124 digs, helping a balanced and strong Wheeler back row. Audubon was an outstanding serving team and Brooks was a part of that with 34 aces.
Anna Larsen- Audubon- Sophomore
Larsen moved wherever the Wheelers needed her this season, playing libero most of the time but also shifting to hitter or setter. Her ability to handle the transition helped the Wheelers immensely. She was 2nd in digs with 218 while adding 28 kills and 54 assists. She was outstanding at the service line with a 92.8% serve percentage, picking up 53 aces.
Summer Toms- Glidden Ralston- Senior
The senior was really good all-around for a strong Wildcats team. She plays hard, making up for being undersized as a hitter on the outside finishing with 123 kills, 3rd on the team. She added 237 digs, 2nd on the team and finished with 42 aces 2nd on the team. Her importance on her team often went unnoticed.
Lauren Klocke- Glidden Ralston- Senior
Klocke filled her role as well as anyone this season, helping the Wildcats advance to a Regional Semifinal. She was extremely strong at the service line, leading the team with 58 aces, 16 more than anyone else on the team. She was also a strong defensive specialist, ending her senior season with 171 digs.
Aubrey Hofbauer- Coon Rapids Bayard- Sophomore
Hofbauer is one of the reasons the Crusaders are excited about the future. She was one of eight sophomores that played a large role for Coon Rapids Bayard. Aubrey ended the year 2nd on the team in kills, 3rd in assists and digs, 2nd in blocks and tops in aces.
Anna Hart- Coon Rapids Bayard- Sophomore
Another one of those talented sophomores who plays hard all the time. Hart has great quickness, allowing her to get to a lot of balls, helping her lead the team in digs as the libero. She was also able to swing from the outside if needed, ending the season with 42 kills. Hart was 4th in aces.
Malia Clayburg- Coon Rapids Bayard- Sophomore
Clayburg is quietly becoming one of the best all-around athletes in our area, putting together a strong volleyball season. She paced the Crusaders in kills (167), was 2nd in digs (295), blocks (34) and aces (18). She has become a force in every sport she plays.
Delaney Schurke- Ar-We-Va- Senior
Schurke had to lead a very inexperienced group at Ar-We-Va for her senior season and helped the team grow as the season went on. She transitioned from setter to libero this season and made a strong transition. She led the Rockets with 305 kills while leading them in aces with 32.
Kendall Quirk- East Sac- Junior
She wasn’t needed to hit much as the Raiders had three really strong hitters but put together a strong year with limited opportunities. She hit .231, tying for 5th on the team in kills. Her biggest strength was at the net defensively, adding 33 blocks, 2nd on the team.
Jen Aschinger- East Sac- Senior
Jen slid into a full libero role this season, seeing action in all 30 of the Raiders matches. She had a team high 234 digs. She plays with great hustle, never thinking she can’t get to a ball. Her energy helps fuel the team. Aschinger served at a 98.7% clip, adding 18 aces.
Mollie Feld- Carroll- Senior
Feld really came on strong as the season went on for the Tigers, growing into a very strong hitter on the outside. She did a nice job hitting where the defense wasn’t, picking up 109 kills, 3rd on the team.
Amanda Wardell- Carroll- Sophomore
Wardell did a nice job using her athleticism to create problems for opposing middles. She is a quick jumper that gets high off the ground. That helped her finish 2nd on the Tigers in kills with 117 while hitting .103. She had nice timing on blocks, ending the season with 32.
Riley Nagl- Carroll- Senior
Nagl closes out a strong career with a really good senior season. She created good relationships with her hitters as the season went on, finishing with 423 assists. She worked hard to become a strong player in the back row, adding 199 digs, 3rd on the team. Her jump-float serve helped her finish with a 92.3% serve efficiency.
3rd Team
Ashlynn Tigges- Glidden Ralston- Junior
Tigges led the Wildcats in kills for a good portion of the season, finishing 2nd on the team with 207 kills. She gave the Wildcats a strong outside hitter, finishing with a .161 kill efficiency. Tigges was also strong in the back row, finishing 218 digs, 3rd on the team. She was part of the reason the Wildcats were a strong serving team with 37 aces with a 95% serve percentage.
Lauren Hulsing- Glidden Ralston- Junior
Hulsing came on strong late in the season, playing her best volleyball in the postseason. Her run at the end of the year pushed her into the Wildcats leader at the net with 210 kills. She is an explosive jumper and quick off the ground. She added a team high 32 blocks.
Addy Boell- Glidden Ralston-Senior
Boell had a very strong season for the Wildcats, using her court vision to find open corners, helping her finish 3rd on the team with 105 kills. She added a team high 638 assists, helping the Wildcats finish with 838 kills. Boell was also strong in the back row. She had 175 digs, which was 4th on the team. Boell was 6th on the team with 34 aces.
Karsyn Overmohle- Kuemper- Junior
Overmohle shared the setter role as Kuemper runs a 6-2, but still ended the year with 494 assists. She did a very good job developing the relationships with her hitters. She wasn’t just strong setting the ball, she had a really good year all the way around. Overmohle added 105 digs and 17 aces, with a good number of aces in clutch situations.
Kenna Meyer- East Sac- East Sac
Meyer wrapped up a great career with another strong season. Meyer was third on the Raiders with 174 kills and a .214 kill efficiency. Meyer added 125 digs as the Raiders bounced back with an outstanding season, winning the conference championship. Kenna added 30 aces, 2nd on the team.
Alexa Holm- South Central Calhoun- Junior
The junior helped the Titans have a strong back row this season and will be part of a strong returning group next season. She led the back row in digs with 386, playing the libero. She added to her strong play digging with 61 assists, showing a strong ability to take the second ball when needed. Alexa added 46 aces, 2nd on the team.
Mollie Monahan- South Central Calhoun- Senior
Monahan was a force for the Titans in the middle on defense, leading them with 78 blocks. Her presence forced many teams to change their offensive game plan. She enjoyed running quicks in the middle, thumping the ball to the tone of 136 kills. She finished the season with a .221 kill efficiency.
Olivia Rowedder- Carroll- Junior
Rowedder came into her own this season becoming the top player for the Tigers. Her athleticism and quickness were on full display, leading Carroll with 190 kills, 20 aces and blocks with 47. She added 178 digs, 4th on the team. Rowedder is poised to have a really big senior season.
2nd Team
Tiela Janssen- Glidden Ralston- Senior
Janssen played the back row like it was easy most of the season, doing a really good job, putting herself in proper position before the ball got there. That helped her finish with 368 digs as the libero, helping the Wildcats put together a tremendous season. Her quickness and awareness also helped her collect 49 assists as the second setter when Addy Boell had to take the first ball. Tiela was also very strong at the service line, finishing with 38 assists.
Norah Riedesel- South Central Calhoun- Junior
Riedesel took her chance to set this season and shined. She had as good a season as anyone, having some of the best numbers in Class 2A for most of the season. She finished with 871 assists to go with 53 kills. Norah was solid in the back row with 186 digs while adding 20 blocks and 38 aces. She is a big part of a strong core returning next season for the Titans.
Addisen Ehler- East Sac- Junior
Ehler was really good for East Sac this season, leading them with 199 kills while hitting .206. She gave the Raiders a strong duo with Kenna Meyer on the outside, part of the reason they improved this season. Addisen showed her all-around strength, finishing 2nd on the team with 148 digs. Her 20 aces were 3rd on the team.
Harlow Miller- Audubon- Sophomore
Miller became a critical part of the Wheelers success in 2023, growing into one of the top hitters in the area. She finished 2nd on the Wheelers in kills with 236 while hitting .252. Her strength in the middle worked so well with Mattie Nielsen on the outside. She showed she was a 6-rotation player adding 151 digs to go with a team leading 56 blocks. Harlow added 54 aces, 2nd on the team.
Elsa Tiefenthaler- Kuemper- Sophomore
Her competitiveness and athleticism jumped off the board when you watch Elsa play. She is an elite server and grew into a very smart setter, teaming with Karsyn Overmohle to finish with around 1,000 assists as a duo. Tiefenthaler paced the Knights with 522 assists but it was her ability to ge on service runs that set her apart. Elsa sparked Kuemper almost every night during a service run or two. She finished with 56 aces to lead Kuemper while adding 136 digs.
Aubrey Heuton- Kuemper- Senior
Aubrey saved her best play for the three most important games of the season. She was outstanding in wins over South Central Calhoun and Ridge View and paced the Knights at State with 15 kills. Aubrey ended the season 3rd on the Knights in kills, hitting .281. Heuton was also strong at the net on defense with 31 blocks while adding 33 aces.
Lauren Boell- Kuemper-Senior
Boell had one of the best swings at the net, hitting the ball hard, but doing a nice job of adjusting to the defense. She was a spark often for the Knights, due to her aggressive play at the net. She ended the season with 185 kills, ranking 4th on a deep team. Though she wasn’t the tallest player on the right side, she could block very well, ending her season with 47 kills. Lauren was also a strong server, serving a 93% clip.
Kaci Peter- Kuemper- Senior
Peter normally plays with a smile on her face, but don’t let that fool you as she is competitive. She battles hard, using an array of shots at the net, ending her campaign with 241 kills, with 11 of them at the State Tournament. Kaci hit .242 for the season. Her 42 blocks ranked her 5th on a strong blocking team. She was also strong at the service line, finishing with 23 aces.
1st Team
Frannie Glynn- Kuemper- Senior
Glynn was a dominant force for Kuemper as they made a second straight trip to the State Tournament. She is an outstanding all-around player that paced the Knights with 243 kills while hitting .338. She was 2nd on the team with 96 blocks, having a terrific game against Grundy Center, getting plenty of touches. Frannie was strong in the back row, finishing with 51 digs and was one of the Knights elite servers, finishing with 42 aces, ranking 3rd on the team.
Kaylie Simons- Kuemper-Sophomore
Anyone that doesn’t understand how talented Simons is, should watch the later parts of set four against Grundy Center from Tuesday. She is an elite back row player that makes tough plays look routine and gets to plays that others can’t make. Simons finished the season with 535 digs to pace Kuemper by over 300 digs. Her jump float serve is strong, finishing with 32 aces with a 94.3% serve efficiency.
Brianna Wittrock- Kuemper- Sophomore
Wittrock ceiling is unlimited as she is one of the best all-around players, having strong skills in all facets of the game. Wittrock hit .264 this season, finishing with 155 kills, ranking 5th on an extremely deep hitting team. She became a dominant force at the net on defense, pacing a strong blocking team with 112 blocks. Brianna isn’t just good at the net, she is very good in the back row, finishing second on the teams in digs. She was also second on the team in aces.
Kate Vondrak- East Sac- Senior
Vondrak is an elite player that will play at the next level. She can play any spot on the floor and give a team a top level player. She moved to setting and hitting this season and led the Raiders in assists with 391 while having the second most kills at 185, hitting .331. Vondrak is also outstanding at the net on defense, leading the Raiders with 56 blocks. She grew as a back row player, adding 98 digs and continued to be a strong server, finishing with 34 aces and a 94.6% serve efficiency.
Jayci Graeve- South Central Calhoun- Junior
Graeve made the transition from setter to hitter look incredibly smooth. She finished the season leading South Central Calhoun with 364 kills. Watching her play on the outside, she looked like a player that had always played there. She has always been strong in the back row and was second on the Titans in digs with 286 while 4th in blocks with 22. Jayci serve is strong and gets teams out-of-system. She added 17 aces.
Brenna McAlister- South Central Calhoun- Junior
McAlister continued an outstanding career, having a third terrific season for the Titans. She is a strong 6-rotation player and shows little weaknesses in her game. She was second on the Titans in kills with 353 and a .181 kill efficiency. She was third in digs with 231 and had 19 blocks. Brenna is about as aggressive of a serve as we have in the area, leading the Titans with 76 aces and a 91.8% serve efficiency.
Addie Hocker- Audubon- Senior
Hocker ended a great career with a brilliant senior season. She was a huge part of the leadership that helped the Wheelers have their best season since 2016 when they qualified for State. She worked the ball around well as a setter, finishing with 603 assists to go with 66 kills, as she had to fill in as a hitter a few matches. Hocker added 172 digs and 29 blocks while leading the Wheelers with 57 aces.
1st Team and Player of the Year
Mattie Nielsen- Audubon- Senior
Nielsen had an incredible senior season, becoming a driving force in the Wheelers having one of their best seasons in the last 10-years. When she wasn’t on the floor, it was noticeable, showing her importance to the team and program. She played most of the season with an injury that she battled through. Mattie had a team high 335 kills, hitting .207. She also led the team with 226 digs and is an elite back row player. She wasn’t asked to block often, but showed the skills, finishing with 20 blocks. Nielsen added 42 aces.
Coach of the Year
Rusty Wintermote- Kuemper
Coach Wintermote is at his grandchild’s birthday party today and is unable to attend but put together another strong year on the Kuemper bench, taking them to the State Tournament for a second straight season. The Knights opened 1-2 after dropping matches to ranked teams in Dike-New Hartford and Nevada. They quickly learned and went on a run, winning 23 of their next 24 matches. They did a nice job growing as a team this season, improving in every area, leading them to a sweep of Ridge View in the Regional Final, after trailing early in set one before rallying for the win. They ended their season at the State Tournament with a 34-7 record, going 8-2 in the Hawkeye 10 Conference.