Adjectives flood your mind when you first hear the story of Emma Fisher. Mad? Unbelievable? Foolish? Courageous?
ELLENSBURG — This team was obviously eager to get back in the state.
In just over an hour, Ellensburg won a decisive sweep over second-seeded Ephrata 25-17, 25-14, 25-12 to win the CWAC District title on Thursday night and claim a berth in the tournament. class 2A state volleyball next week at the SunDome.
Nine days after Ephrata pushed Ellensburg to five sets, the Bulldogs were in complete control of this one as Abby Harrell had 13 kills and nine digs and the frontline block was in fine form all game. Lilly Button and Kacey Mayo have combined 23 assists.
Ellensburg will be making his eighth straight state appearance. Brackets and pairings will be announced on Sunday.
Selah stayed alive for a berth in State, knocking out Prosser 25-21, 25-12, 25-17 in Thursday’s opener at Ellensburg. Taylor Kieser had 11 kills and 15 assists and Madilynn Shurtleff registered 10 kills for the winners.
With the CWAC No. 3 seed, the Vikings will play a winner-loser crossover at Pullman on Saturday at 2 p.m. Pullman won the GSL with a 10-0 record.
Ephrata will host Clarkston in the other state qualifying crossover on Saturday.
Ellensburg Highlights: Hazel Murphy 3 kills, 4 digs, 2 blocks; Taylor Alder 4 digs; Parker Lyyski 3 kills, 1 recovery; Lilly Button 12 assists, 7 digs; Abby Harrell 13 kills, 4 aces, 9 digs; Olivia Anderson 6 kills, 5 blocks; Kacey Mayo 11 assists, 3 digs; Sarah Stueckle 3 digs; Leah Drexler 4 assists, 8 digs, 1 ace; Leah Lewis 3 kills, 4 digs; Alana Marrs 4 kills, 2 blocks.
Selah Highlights: Jacey Scott 16-16 serving, 1 ace, 13 perfect passes, 10 digs; Madi McNett 2 blocks, 1 kill, 1 dig; Emily Hutchinson 13-13 serves, 2 aces, 3 pp, 6 kills, 4 digs; Taylor Kieser 10-10 serves, 2 aces, 1 block, 11 kills, 3 digs, 15 assists; Citlali Bautista 9-10 serving, 1 ace, 1 dig; Maddy Miller 1 recovery, 6 assists; Ana Hrle 3 blocks, 3 kills; Kylee Huntley 2 kills, 4 digs; Madilynn Shurtleff 9-10 serves, 1 ace, 5 pp, 10 kills, 6 digs; Emily Nelson-Hawkins 13-14 serves, 1 kill, 2 digs, 13 assists; Cece Escamilla 1 kill.
Prosser Highlights: Kendra Groeneveld 2 kills, 17 assists, 2 aces, 4 digs; Julianna Phillips 3 wins; Lay’lee Dixon 4 kills, 3 blocks; Auslyn Schab 2 kills, 2 recoveries; Kambree Blair 8 kills, 2 aces, 3 digs; Adriana Milanez 11 digs, 1 ace, 1 kill; Allyson Denny 2 digs.
Tough Day in the ‘DomeThursday was as tough as it gets for EWAC’s four-team contingent on Day 1 of the Class 2B State Tournament in the SunDome.
Three teams were 0-2 and eliminated, including Goldendale and Granger, and the one that survived and advanced through Friday, Tri-Cities Prep, did so at the expense of the same league.
Goldendale, seeded sixth, undefeated in EWAC West and winner of the district title, opened at 8 a.m. against No. 11 Lind-Ritzville, who prevailed 26-24, 25-21, 25 -21 to advance to the quarter-finals.
The Timberwolves then had to face Okanogan in the losing round and the Bulldogs swept 25-18, 26-24, 26-24. Goldendale finished its season at 18-4.
Granger, seeded 13th, had a tough challenge in his first game against annual powerhouse Colfax and the seeded No. 4 played until that with a 25-14, 25-12, 25 win. -15 and then qualified for Friday’s semi-finals.
The Spartans then faced EWAC foe Tri-Cities Prep and the Jaguars survived the playoff game 21-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-13. The two teams shared a pair of five-set matches earlier this season.
Walla Walla Valley fell to semi-finalists Manson and Brewster.
For full brackets and results see www.wiaa.com
Goldendale Highlights: Taryn Rising 24-24 serving, 29 kills, 23 perfect passes, 21 digs; Gwen Gilliam 17-20 serves, 13 kills, 25 digs, 34 pp; Emily Tindall 23-25 serving, 6 aces; Brook Blain 18 kills, 8 trick blocks; Lexi Molnar 16 digs; Ada Garner 13-14 serves, 11 digs, 2 aces; Brylee Mulrony 22-22 servings, 30pp, 21 servings; Lydia Hanning 16-18 serves, 9 digs, 10 kills, 1 block.
]]>THIS WEEK
The North Dakota State volleyball team (18-8, 11-3 Summit) wraps up its home schedule by hosting Omaha (17-8, 12-3 Summit) Thursday at 7:00 p.m. The Bison will end the week against Denver (16-10, Peak 10-5) on Saturday senior day. The first service is set for 1:00 p.m. at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse.
MATCH COVERAGE
Both matches will be streamed and feature live stats on GoBison.com.
TICKETS
General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 3-17, and reserved tickets are $10-12. Game day tickets are sold at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse and are also available at GoBison.com/tickets. Doors open one (1) hour before the game. Free parking is available in visitor park E.
SATURDAY IS SENIOR DAY AT THE BBF
Michelle Glover and Syra Tanchin will be recognized ahead of Saturday’s game against Denver for the senior day.
LAST TIME OUT
Ali Hinze connected on a 19-elimination game to help lead NDSU past North Dakota 3-2 on Saturday night. Kelly Johnson dished out 45 assists with 10 digs and three aces, while Logan O’Brien added a team-record 13 defensive digs. NDSU also landed a total of 14.0 blocks overall with Ally Barth leads the way with a game-best eight.
IN THE MIX
NDSU starts the week in third place in the Summit League standings. South Dakota (24-2, 13-1 Summit) is in first place and has won its last 11 games. Omaha, which has won its last four matches, is in second place.
THERMAL CONTROL
The Bison rank second in the Summit League and rank 27th nationally in eliminations per set with 13.87. The NDSU also paces the conference and ranks 29th in total wins with 1,359. The Bison had 60 or more kills in eight games, including a season-high 70 against Chicago State, the center of the Michigan and Austin Peay.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Syra Tanchin and Ali Hinze have both passed the 300 kill mark this season. Tanchin is ranked fourth in the Summit League with a team best 343 eliminations, while Hinze ranks fifth with 340. NDSU is the only team in the conference with two different players ranked in the top five.
BALL MOVEMENT
The Bison rank second in the Summit League in assists per set with 12.76. Kelly Johnson pace NDSU with a team record 1,308 assists, which leads the conference and ranks 17th in the nation. She’s dished out 50 or more assists in five appearances this season, including a career-high 58 against Chicago State and Central Michigan.
JOHNSON ENTERS THE TOP 10
Kelly Johnson dished out 34 assists in the win over St. Thomas on Sept. 22 to reach the 2,000 career assist mark. She has now amassed 2,552 assists in four seasons and ranks 10th on the all-time list. Johnson is one of five players to reach the mark in the NDSU Division I era.
TANCHIN JOINS THE 1,000 KILLED CLUB
Syra Tanchin connected on 23 eliminations against North Dakota on October 8 to surpass the 1,000 career elimination mark. She has totaled 1,105 eliminations over four seasons and ranks 22nd on the all-time list. Tanchin is one of eight players to hit the mark in the NDSU Division I era.
A POSTMAN OF BOTH ENDS
Michelle Glover recorded a team-best .391 hit percentage, which ranks first in the Summit League and 26th in the nation. She is also ranked ninth in the Summit League in total blocks with 92.0.
WORK ON DEFENSE
The Bison are ranked fifth in the Summit League with 1,556. NDSU posted a season-high 98 digs in the 3-2 win over Southeast Missouri State with five players hitting double digits. Ali Hinze led the Bison with a team-high 21 digs, while Syra Tanchin contributed a career-high 20 digs. Ava Schmoll also posted a career-high 17 digs.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Syra Tanchin and Ali Hinze have been named to the Summit League Players to Watch list. Hinze ranked fifth in the Summit League in eliminations with a career-high 370 and eliminations per set with 3.43 last season. On the defensive end, Hinze contributed a career-high 291 digs and averaged 2.67 digs per set. Tanchin also posted a career-high 370 kills last season and averaged 3.36 kills per set, which ranked seventh in the Summit League. The St. Michael, Minn., native added a record 30 total blocks with 83 digs defensively.
SUMMIT LEAGUE PRESEASON SURVEY
NDSU was chosen to finish seventh in the Summit League Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll. Denver took first place with 75 total points and six first-place votes. South Dakota was picked second with 74 total points and Omaha rounded out the top three with 68 total points in third place.
IT’S OUR HOME
The Bisons have called Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse their home since 1978 and set an overall home record of 402-103 during that span. The NDSU earned its 400th BBF victory after sweeping Kansas City, 3-0, on October 1, 2022.
TAKE CARE OF CLASSROOM AFFAIRS
The NDSU won the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 10th straight year in 2021-22. The Bison also earned a spot on the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll with a team GPA in the top 20% of NCAA Division I. NDSU notched a 3.56 GPA in the spring semester and a 3.63 GPA last year.
NEW TO THE SQUAD
Le Bison added five newcomers to the roster in 2022, including three freshmen: Bailey Randall, Nora Raasch and Ally Barth.
NDSU also added transfers Eke Denessen and Logan O’Brien. Denessen has spent the past two seasons in South Florida and played in 24 games with 13 starts in 2021. O’Brien has played in 49 games and had 201 digs in two seasons in North Florida.
LOTS OF DEPTH IN THE RANGE
The NDSU enters 2022 with 10 players returning from last season, including four seniors: Syra Tanchin, Michelle Glover, Ava Schmoll and Kelly Johnson. The Bisons also have plenty of experience with four players having played at least 60 career games. Glover has played the most career games among active Bison players with 72, including two seasons (46 games) at Illinois-Chicago.
THE VS SERIES. OMAHA
This will mark the 96th all-time meeting between NDSU and Omaha dating back to 1978 with the Mavericks leading the series, 53-42. The Mavericks have won each of the last eight meetings and most recently edged the Bison 3-1 earlier this season. Ali Hinze notched his ninth double-double of the season with 21 digs and 12 kills. Syra Tanchin connected on a team of 14 eliminations.
THE VS SERIES. DENVER
This will only be the 25th all-time meeting between Denver and NDSU with the Pioneers leading the series, 16-8. Earlier this season, the Bison swept the Pioneers, 3-0, and earned their first victory in Denver since 2018. Ali Hinze posted a record 17 kills with a 0.429 kill percentage, while Kelly Johnson added a game of 35 assists.
NEXT
The NDSU will travel to South Dakota on Thursday, November 17. The first service is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
]]>Senior varsity volleyball star Mark Morris, who joined the Monarchs volleyball and basketball teams as a rookie, is playing his senior season for the volleyball team with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Adjectives started flying around in your head, didn’t they? Perhaps the question ‘Why?’ appeared first, however.
That’s the question most people think about when they hear about Fisher’s decision, and the subsequent decisions made by his doctor, his coach, and the team’s athletic trainer that allowed him to do so. . (Editor’s note: MM athletic trainer Chris Reeves declined to be interviewed for this story.)
For Fisher, the simple answer comes down to a desire to experience what could end up being a very special 2022 Monarchs volleyball season in his senior year. And she doesn’t want to watch from the sidelines or in the stands. She wants to be on the pitch, where she has proven that she can consistently help her teammates achieve their highest goals, while creating highlights that their minds will never forget.
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“I already have to have surgery. I will be away for at least a year. So why not do my last year, have these experiences and these memories that I won’t have in the future? Fisher asked. “I would rather have playing memories than sitting.”
But are those memories worth potential future damage to his uninjured right leg or the other major muscles and ligaments in his left leg? The first member of the TDN All-Area Volleyball Team says yes.
Fisher wears a knee brace and her time on the court isn’t as significant as it was last year when she played all six rotations for the Monarchs and averaged eight kills and eight digs per game over the course of the full season. She finished the year with a total of 128 kills, 129 recoveries and 115 service points. That production peaked just in time with 53 eliminations in the state tournament.
“When you watch her play, you would never know. I can’t even explain it,” said Mark Morris volleyball coach Carmen Hewitt. let play with a torn ACL?’ And literally, you have to watch it. You would never know.
However, as athletic as Fisher remains, the awkward gait and impaired mobility caused by his hulking hinged brace would at least provide a clue that his knee isn’t straight.
After qualifying for state in track and field and running the 100 and 200 meters, 300 meters hurdles and 4×400 meters relay events, Fisher entered the summer looking forward to a memorable senior year. Unfortunately, an awkward move on the basketball court in June put those plans in doubt.
Fisher was playing basketball at a summer tournament in Centralia, when she heard a pop in her knee after jumping. She went to the bench not fully understanding the severity of her injury, then returned to action not knowing how her leg would behave. It was unstable as she cautiously returned to the field.
“I went back there and I could feel how unstable my kneecap was when (coach) took me out, so I said, ‘I guess we’ll see how it goes and not even two minutes later I jumped again and my knee gave out. I jumped, I planted him and he went to the left side… So, I (thought), I guess I got out.
Out for how long? The question was how badly the knee was hurt and what the recovery timeline looked like. Fisher was unable to have an MRI for two full months and while waiting to find out the severity of her knee injury, she continued to compete.
“Over time I realized that I could play volleyball…because in my spare time I was playing basketball still on my torn ACL without a brace, which probably wasn’t a good idea but I still wanted to stay active,” Fisher said. . “And I realized that I could still…do whatever I could do in the first place.”
Coach Hewitt initially thought his team had lost Fisher for the season when they heard the injury news. But the tenacious Fisher wanted to attend the team’s July 24-28 volleyball camp to show Hewitt she could play. Although she received permission from her doctor, her parents, and finally her coach to attend camp, Fisher still wasn’t sure if it was the best decision.
And as she considered her options, Fisher heard opinions from both sides.
“There were definitely a lot of people for and against,” Fisher said. “Before going to the camp, I had to be cleared by my surgeon. I tried it at camp and it worked well.“
When Hewitt witnessed Fisher’s movements at camp and saw that her ability to jump and land did not appear to be severely hampered, she was sold.
“I’ll never forget her telling me, ‘Coach, the adults around me tell me what I can’t do, but my body tells me I can,'” Hewitt said. incredibly. You would never have known she was hurt. She didn’t miss anything. »
After camp, Fisher returned home determined to delay surgery in order to play another season of college volleyball for the Monarchs. His coach was sold, his parents and doctor were on board, so Fisher and Hewitt hatched a plan for the season. Although she looked good on the floor, Fisher was and still is an athlete struggling with a serious knee injury. She was going to need regular rest, daily treatment, and a modified approach to both her use and time in the field.
Given the importance of his fourth senior year for the Monarchs in achieving the team’s lofty goal of winning a 2A state championship this year, Hewitt is strategically managing Fisher’s playing time so the Monarchs pull the best of Fisher in the most critical matches.
“As a coach, I told her that I will have to make tough decisions for her. We need her to be healthy and feel good for the big games,” Hewitt said. I focus on managing exposures to polish his leg, while allowing him time to feel mentally comfortable.”
Fisher missed the team’s first game against RA Long and the vast majority of the Yakima Sundome Festival tournament in mid-September. Going into Tuesday night’s competitions at Hockinson, she had played in six of Mark Morris’ seven regular season games where she averaged about six kills and four digs.
Last Thursday, in Mark Morris’ sweep of Washougal, Fisher managed nine decisive wins. Then on Saturday in the one-day Monarch Challenge, Fisher played hard as the Monarchs qualified for the championship against Kelso, losing to the 3A Hilanders in the third-set tiebreaker.
So far, she’s been limited to half a rotation on the court, playing the frontline positions and serving. And it worked well all around.
It helps that Mark Morris is loaded with solid defensive players like seniors Madi Noel and Hallie Watson. This depth has helped limit the amount of bending and diving Fisher has to do.
According to Hewitt, having Fisher play exclusively at net just makes the most sense.
“We need her to hit,” the Monarchs coach said. “She accepts this role and does her best to overcome the mental game on the pitch.”
The psychological element is the most difficult because there is no practiced skill that the athlete can rely on to overcome the invisible obstacle. Instead, the athlete must go it alone, sometimes without the necessary preparation that a real sports psychologist can provide, with the goal of building confidence, overcoming doubts, and performing when called upon without seeing his body will break down further.
And though she hates to admit it, that’s the real danger for Fisher now. Rather than hurting her left knee more than she already has, it’s the very real possibility that she could damage her right leg or left calf, left hamstrings, left quadriceps or achilles. left due to the added stress caused by a compromised left. knee.
Fisher’s surgeon tested her current lower body strength to determine if she was at risk of further injury. To date, the doctor is satisfied with Fisher’s performance. The strength of the surrounding muscles around her left knee was key in allowing her to play the amount she already has with the significant ACL injury.
It becomes a real test of confidence and Fisher admits she has lost some of the confidence she had built up over the years.
“I can still do my normal movements. It’s just the feeling of lack of confidence,” Fisher said. “I’ve lost confidence (in my knee). Am I going to go up and it’s going to be that? I’m very careful how I land and certain things I do.
Mark Morris’ coaching staff helps Fisher take care of his knee with regimented daily care between every practice and game. She takes daily baths in an ice bath. She does quadruple stability work with exercise bands, ice creams and knee bands.
So far, Fisher’s body has held up. The plan is for her to continue competing for the Monarchs through what the team hopes will be a long and prosperous playoff series before going under the knife to repair her left ACL in late November.
“Emma knows it only works if she’s honest,” Hewitt said. “So far she has been.”
And so far, the monarchs are winning. The team is 5-2 in League 2A play from Greater St. Helens, behind Columbia River and Ridgefield who started the season ranked first and second in a state poll.
Fisher likes her team’s chances against the Rapids and Spudders, or any other team she might encounter in a state title chase. The Monarchs took a kick out of the rapids in their previous encounter. They also took a set from a terrific Kelso team that is likely to do some damage in the 3A State Tournament as long as they stay fully healthy.
The same caveat goes for the Monarchs, but there is a level of trust around Mark Morris and his seven seniors. Everyone in blue and red thinks this year is destined to be the team’s big year.
With or without the 2A State title, Fisher has made her decision — insane or inspiring, however you choose to describe it — and is determined to see it through to the end.
“It’s the journey that’s better than the end result,” Fisher said.
Here are the Nebraska high school volleyball champions since 2015.
Following in her big brother’s footsteps may not be the easiest thing for Grand Island’s Tia Traudt.
But the sophomore is making a name for herself as one of the best Class A hitters in the state.
The 6-foot-1 sophomore played in the shadow of her brother Isaac last year at Grand Island, and her 6-foot-10 brother’s shadow was huge. Isaac capped off his four-year college basketball career by averaging 23.1 points and being named Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year.
He is now a freshman at Virginia, leaving his little sister and only brother to carry on for the Islanders. She is third in Class A with 270 wins after finishing her first year with 355.
Coach Marcus Ehrke said he spoke to the second about the possibility of making a name for himself at school.
“Everyone knows her as Isaac’s little sister,” he said. “I told her she had to chart her own path.”
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Tia said she is working hard to achieve this.
“Being known as a little sister is kind of frustrating,” she said. “And I feel some pressure because he played at such a high level.”
Tia also played her big brother’s sport growing up, but she was more interested in volleyball. The 15-year-old is playing at a senior level in her current club team, VCN 16 Elite.
Ehrke, in his third season as Islanders coach, helped lead the team’s turnaround. Grand Island has struggled in recent years, but went 17-14 last year and 13-9 this season.
Traudt’s solid play helped the team’s upward trajectory.
“He told me to take my time with the recruiting process,” Tia Traudt said of her brother, Isaac. “But when it comes to volleyball, he doesn’t know much about it.”
JOSH SALMON, GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT
“I leaned on her a lot last year because she’s a good role model and a hard worker,” Ehrke said. “She’s matured even more this season and I’m counting on her to be more of a vocal leader.”
This can be a challenge for a fairly calm sophomore, but Tia said she tried to follow the coach’s orders.
“It’s a little out of my comfort zone,” she said. “But I feel like I have to take more responsibility this year.”
As the only two children of Brandon and Christy Traudt – she played volleyball at UNK – Tia and Isaac are naturally close.
“We text every day and we talk all the time,” Tia said. “He’s always been very supportive.”
This support is limited to advice on what awaits Tia on the recruiting front and not so much on the intricacies of her sport.
“He told me to take my time with the recruitment process,” she said. “But when it comes to volleyball, he doesn’t know much about it.”
Tia is too young for colleges to contact her directly, but Ehrke knows Division I programs are interested.
“They know her because of her last name,” he said. “And because of his volleyball skills.”
The coach added that she was successful despite being the opponents’ main defensive target.
“We know their reconnaissance reports start with how to try to stop it,” Ehrke said. “She has good size and good technique, and everything seems to come naturally to her.”
Traudt is already a six-rotation player for the Islanders and her goal is to do the same in college.
“I know I’ll have to keep working hard to get there,” she said. “I feel like I need to improve my blocking and overall defense, so that’s a goal.”
Another goal is the state tournament, although this one won’t be easy. Grand Island, a four-time finalist, has never won a state title and hasn’t reached the tournament since 2013.
“We held on last year and we’re doing even better this year,” she said. “Getting to the state would be nice but I know it’s really going to be a challenge.”
Photos: Volleyball teams from all over Nebraska over the years
2021
The 2021 All-Nebraska Volleyball Team: Gretna’s Skylar McCune, Omaha Skutt Abby Schomers, Lincoln Southwest Shaylee Myers, Papillion-La Vista South’s Ava LeGrand, Waverly’s Bekka Allick, Elkhorn South’ Kylie Weeks and Omaha Westside’s Destiny Ndam-Simpson at the Owen Sea Lion Shores Exhibition at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and aquarium. Behind them, a sea lion named Chino investigates a volleyball.
CHRIS MACHIAN, THE HERald OF THE WORLD
2020
Led by Honorary Captain Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt at the head of the table surrounded by, clockwise from left, Whitney Lauenstein of Waverly, Elle Glock of Wahoo, Norah Sis of Papillion- La Vista, Rylee Gray of Elkhorn South, Allie Gray of Omaha Skutt and Kylie of Elkhorn South Semaines.
ILLUSTRATION BY MATT HANEY/THE WORLD-HERALD
2019
Led by honorary captain Marriah Buss, center, of Lincoln Lutheran, All-Nebraska’s first volleyball team. Left to right: Ava LeGrand of Papillion-La Vista South, Norah Sis of Papillion-La Vista, Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt, Kalynn Meyer of Superior, Allie Gray of Omaha Skutt, Izzy Lukens of Millard North.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2018
Left to right are Emily Bressman of Omaha Marian, Kalynn Meyer of Superior, Jaiden Centeno of Millard West, Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt, McKenna Ruch of Millard North and Marriah Buss of Lincoln Lutheran. Not pictured: Izzy Lukens of Millard North.
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2017
Left to right: Fallon Stutheit of Johnson-Brock, Lily Heim (Honorary Captain) of Omaha Marian, Kalynn Meyer of Superior, Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt, Emily Bressman of Marian and Taliyah Flores of Papio South. Not pictured: Jaela Zimmerman of Malcolm.
SARAH HOFFMAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2016
Back row from left: Jaela Zimmerman, Malcolm; Taliyah Flores, Papillion-La Vista; Elise Baumann, Millard North; Fallon Stutheit, Johnson-Brock. Front row from left: Sarah Swanson, Elkhorn South; Alli Schomers, Omaha Skutt; Brooke Heyne, Omaha Skutt.
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2015
From left to right: Olivia Nicholson, North Platte; Raegan LeGrand, Papillion-La Vista South; Allison Schomers, Omaha Skutt; Brittany Witt, Omaha Marian; Elizabeth Loschen, Omaha Marian; Hali McArdle, Gretna; Sarah Swanson, South Elkhorn.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2014
From left to right: Priscilla O’Dowd, Papillion-La Vista; Jessica Peters, Butterfly-La Vista; Raegan LeGrand, Papillion-La Vista South; Megan Wickey, Omaha Concordia; Carley Remmers, Freeman; Tiani Reeves, Gothenburg; Brittany Witt, Omaha Marian.
BRENDAN SULLIVAN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2013
The All-Nebraska football and volleyball teams got together for a photo op, and the cover was designed to look like a Facebook page with the teams taking a big selfie.
RYAN SODERLIN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2012
Left to right: Lexi Elman, Omaha Marian; Kelly Hunter, Papillion-La Vista South; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Sydney Townsend, Lincoln Pius X; Alyssa Frauendorfer, Humphrey; Michaela Mestl, Catholic from Kearney; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South.
KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD
2011
Left to right: Kelly Hunter, Papillion-La Vista South; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Lauren Sieckmann, Elkorn South; Katie Brand, Catholic from Grand Island Central; Cassie Effken, Lincoln Pius X; Kate Elman, Omaha Marian.
REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD
2010
Left to right: Emily Wilson, Omaha Gross; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Sara McClinton, Millard North; Chelsea Albers, Papillion-La Vista; Kelly Hunter, Papillion-La Vista South; Lauren Sieckman, Omaha Marian.
JEFF BEIERMANN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2009
Standing left to right: Emily Wilson, Omaha Gross; Kadie Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Sarah Kemp, Bellevue East; Amber Rolfzen, Papillion-La Vista South; Tenisha Matlock, North Platte. Front row from left: Lauren Sieckmann, Omaha Marian; Julianne Mandolfo, Omaha Marian.
KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD
2008
Left to right: Natalie Braun, Lincoln Pius X; Chelsey Feekin, Papillion-La Vista; Hayley Thramer, Ewing; Jamie Straube, Johnson County; Gina Mancuso, Papillion-La Vista; Lauren Cook, Lincoln Pius X.
REBECCA S. GRATZ/THE WORLD-HERALD
2007
From left to right: Tali Fredrickson, Catholic from Grand Island Central; Caitlin Mahoney, Omaha Marian; Chelsey Feekin, Papillion-La Vista; Keelin Bourne, Millard North; Gina Mancuso, Papillion-La Vista; Lauren Cook, Lincoln Pius X.
JEFF BEIERMANN/THE WORLD-HERALD
2006
Top from left: Catie Wilson, Omaha Gross; Brooke Delano, Bellevue West; Lauren Cook, Lincoln Pie X. Bottom left to right: Gabi Ailes, Bellevue West; Ann Armes, Grand Island; Gina Mancuso, Papillion-La Vista.
JEFF BUNDY/THE WORLD-HERALD
2005
Left to right: Katie Swenson, Omaha Gross; Angela Hlavaty, Lincoln Lutheran; Brooke Delano, Bellevue West; Gabi Wings, Bellevue West; Brooke Bartek, Lincoln North East; Erica Burson, Omaha Gross.
MATT MILLER/THE WORLD-HERALD
2004
Front row from left: Amanda Gates, Columbus; Jordan Larson, Logan View; Alison Jacobs, Elkhorn; Rachel Schwartz, East Lincoln. Back row from left: Kyla Roehrig, Papillion-La Vista; Korie Lebeda, Omaha Marian.
KENT SIEVERS/THE WORLD-HERALD
It’s hard to watch someone else get the championship plate.
But Lockport pushed undefeated Barrington to the limit in Saturday’s final game at the Barb Walaszek Invitational.
Grace Juergens savored the positives and left with a smile.
“It’s a great feeling to know that we could face them, take a set away from them,” Juergens said. “It just makes you excited for the season and gives you confidence that you can go far as a team in the playoffs.
“I have great confidence in this team. Even though we are undersized, we know we can compete with the bigger teams.
Juergens, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter, got off to a great start in her senior season.
The New Haven commit has 92 kills and 18 aces for Lockport (9-3). She also contributed 85 digs and six blocks.
In Saturday’s 16-25, 25-17, 25-17 loss to Barrington, she had nine kills. Six came in an impressive Game 1 performance that caught the eye of coach Nick Mraz.
This didn’t surprise him, however.
“Grace has been our go-to player – back row, front row,” Mraz said. “When we’re out of the system, we want to look to her for her leadership and smart decisions.
“She was attacking that block early on against Barrington and then our service reception kind of fell apart. But she still kept that positivity and made adjustments.
Juergens took the leadership reins in 2021, earning honors from all regions and conferences.
Even then, she was a fighter. In a game against Sandburg, she left the pitch with a bloody left wrist from a burn on the ground. Duct tape stopped the bleeding. Juergens’ courage did the rest as the Porters prevailed.
She is hard. And getting stronger.
“I worked out over the summer in the weight room,” Juergens said. “That’s what I like to do. I really wish we went further than we did last season in the playoffs.
“I’m delighted to take this team far as a senior.”
Fit perfectly: Andrew’s coach, Emily Connolly, had to wait until second-year MaTaia Lawson had fully recovered from an ankle problem to see her play.
But before the Marist transfer took the field for the Thunderbolts, Lawson was already contributing.
“Even when she was hurt, she had the best attitude,” Connolly said. “She was super cheerful for her teammates. And then the moment she arrived, she had a big impact.
Lawson led the way Saturday with seven kills and 23 digs as the Thunderbolts beat Oswego 26-24, 21-25, 25-15 in the fifth-place game at the Barb Walaszek Invitational.
For the season, Lawson has 70 kills, 164 digs and 15 aces for Andrew (7-7). A dual-sport athlete, she also plays softball at an elite level for the Iowa Premier.
In volleyball, she plays in a club for First Alliance. She started her career as a defensive specialist and libero before adding an outside hitter to her resume at the Nationals.
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“For here, I like playing outside,” Lawson said. “I’ve always played defensively. But hitting has been my favorite thing since last year.
“I love volleyball. Would I see myself playing in college? Probably not because of softball. But I’m really happy right now.
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Powerful way: Mother McAuley ended a successful trip to Kentucky by sweeping the field at the Louisville Invitational Tournament. The Mighty Macs beat longtime rival Assumption 25-19, 23-25, 25-21 for the title.
Michigan rookie Ellie White led the way with 92 kills in five games, but middlemen Ellery Rees and Jillian Moonan also drew rave reviews from McAuley coach Jen DeJarld.
In the final against Assumption, Rees and Moonan combined eight kills and eight blocks.
“We were playing against a 6-4 midfielder and a 6-1 midfielder,” DeJarld said. “They were probably two of the best we’ve seen. They fixate a lot. Ellery and Jill did a great job against them.
“Obviously we had Ellie, but we don’t want Ellie to hit every ball. Our setters did a great job moving the ball around and our setters did a great job. Our middlemen did an amazing job.
]]>Continuing their preseason excellence, the Escalon Girls’ Varsity Volleyball Girls picked up three wins last week. They shut out Orestimba and Enochs, 3-0, and edged Ripon Christian, 3-1.
“It’s been a long and fruitful week,” head coach Teresa Williamson said of the trio of competitions. “Everyone contributes to our victories. Each player does his part and dominates in his place.
Against Ripon Christian, the final was 3-1 in favor of Escalon with scores of 2-25, 25-23, 25-27, 25-14.
“Ripon Christian was our game of the week,” Williamson said. “Two great teams fought until the end.”
Rylie Lattig had 41 assists, 3 blocks while Emily Vickers had 19 kills, 20 digs. Gianna Bava also played well 15 kills, 2 aces; Carsyn Hood 8 killed; Sophia Martin 5 kills, 4 recoveries; Lisa Murga 4 blocks; Faye Hernandez 27 digs, 2 aces; Macie Vickers 12 digs.
The scores for the 3-0 win over Enochs were 25-19, 25-10, 25-13. The leaders were Lattig 27 assists, 4 aces; Emily Vickers 14 kills, 6 aces, 15 digs; Bava 7 kills, 3 aces; Claire Barkus, Mallory Berhorst, Carsyn Hood all with 1 block each and Faye Hernandez 12 digs.
Escalon beat Orestimba in threes, 25-9, 25-19, 25-13. Familiar names dominated the leaderboard, with Lattig with 41 assists, 2 aces, 1 block, 10 digs; Emily Vickers 19 kills, 4 aces, 14 digs; Bava 8 kills, 2 blocks; Hood 8 kills, 2 aces; Hernandez and Macie Vickers 7 digs each; Madison Smith 2 wins; Barkus 3 blocks; Berhorst and Murga 2 blocks each.
“We’re on the road Tuesday to face Hilmar in our first league match,” Williamson said, with that contest scheduled for Sept. 6, after The Times went to press. Freshmen, JV, and varsity all start the Trans-Valley League campaign with the game on the road.
University-only is scheduled at home on Wednesday, September 7 against Modesto Christian with a 6 p.m. start and all three teams travel to Oakdale for a non-league game on Thursday, September 8 with games at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. .
JV
Starting the match against Ripon Christian on Tuesday August 30, the JV Lady Cougars battled again but came up short, losing in three sets.
“They’re a good team and they’re challenging us,” coach Shay Beam said. “I wish we could have come out on top.”
The scores were 25-15, 22-25, 13-15.
Madyson Herrera had eight aces and nine kills, she and libero Natalie Giuntoli each had eight digs. Karisa McNeil had 23 assists and Marissa Terry added a block.
“On Wednesday we traveled to Modesto to face Enochs,” Beam said, his team dropping the first set 23-25. “We made a few mistakes but we pulled ourselves together in the second game to win 25-11. we lost 13-15.
Chloe Fraser had four kills and seven digs while Herrera added seven kills and four digs. McNeil provided 17 assists.
On Thursday, they capped off a busy week on the road with a match at Orestimba.
“We came out slow and lost the first set 23-25 but cleaned it up in games two and three winning 25-18 and 15-6,” Beam said of the win.
Herrera had 12 kills, four aces and eight digs; McNeil 14 assists, six digs and two kills; Fraser seven wins.
“After a long week on the road, I think we can enter the league with a hunger for competition and hard work,” Beam said.
]]>PERHAM – Once a year, the Detroit Lakes and Perham volleyball teams face off in a non-conference, non-sectional game. And, for the third straight time, the Lakers have taken over.
Detroit Lakes (3-0) swept Perham (2-1) 3-0 in convincing fashion to stay unbeaten.
Jared Rubado / Detroit Lakes Tribune
“Perham have always been a big rival for us, and I think we’ve come really close,” said junior Rylee Johnson. “We have all become so close on and off the pitch. It’s like we all click together on a different level. It’s really important for us to beat Perham.
Johnson and Grace Gunderson gave the Lakers a 14-8 lead in the opening set with straight wins. Perham took the next two points before Grace Gunderson had one of her 17 kills to take the lead by six points at 21-15.
Detroit Lakes saw a set in each of their first two wins end on the wire. Perham came back in the first set with a 6-0 run behind a pair of wins from Willow Thiel. Grace Gunderson got the last two kills for the Lakers in the 25-22 first-set win.
Jared Rubado / Perham Focus
“For us, it’s getting a good point,” Johnson said of the best way out of a slump. “It takes so little for us to get back to the top and play at that level again when we get into those periods. It just takes the smallest things like a good kill or a good pass. Maybe it’s a dig or a good serve. Once we get that, it’s game over.
The Yellowjackets started behind the eighth ball in the second set. Several unforced errors gave the Lakers a 7-1 lead.
Senior Jalynn Gunderson got heavily involved in the second set, getting plenty of kills from the outside hitter spot. The Detroit Lakes’ 16-9 lead extended to 25-11 as the Lakers took a 2-0 lead after a 10-2 run.
“Their philosophy this year is ‘No Mercy. Keep it up,” Detroit Lakes head coach Lynnsey Machakaire said. “They want to be in every game and keep playing – not giving anything up and never giving up. Last year (the motto) was “All for one and one for all”. This year they played it with the motto “No Mercy”. Competing at every point together and never giving up is how they want to play.
The Detroit Lakes’ outside hitters have been a problem for the Yellowjackets from start to finish. Grace Gunderson, Jalynn Gunderson and Johnson combined for 38 kills.
Jared Rubado / Detroit Lakes Tribune
“During practice we have these competitive games and little things to push each other to be better,” Johnson said. “I think it makes you excited for each other when you’re able to do those little things against each other in practice and know you’re on the same team in the real games. When we get that point, we all want it so we can share it.
Getting that point comes with a good passer. Ava Jones helped the Lakers collect 42 assists on the night.
“We have too many big hitters, so there’s no one you can really focus on,” Machakaire said. “When you have a team with two good hitters, usually one of them rotates while the other rotates up. We don’t have that because we have more than two, and that’s where we’re lucky they can drop a few of our hitters, but as soon as they let go and open up, then Ava (Jones) is a smart enough setter to use it and chase them down.
In the third set, contributions came from all over. The Lakers led 19-11 before wrapping up a 25-21 win. Jalynn Gunderson’s winning kill was his 14th of the night. She also had 16 digs and three aces.
Jones led the Lakers in blocks with two, while Helena Daggett and Sadie Stroeing each had one. Jones also tallied nine digs, while Olivia Clark Burnett had five.
“Their celebration,” Machakaire said when asked what impressed her most about her team. “They all celebrated and they all did their job. They moved the ball so well. Everyone had to play their part, and they all played it with positivity and enthusiasm for each other.
Where the Lakers have separated themselves from their first three opponents is in their ability to improvise when plays come out of their system.
Jared Rubado / Perham Focus
“I think part of it is growing as players, but we’re talking about it,” Machakaire said. “We’re talking about playing each point as its own point and letting everything that happened in that last one roll over their backs. We can’t go back and we can’t fix what happened at an earlier point. They do a good job playing every point positively.
“Another thing is maturity. They have one season under their belt together. They’re maturing as a group of young women, and I think you can see that in the way they carry themselves.
Machakaire hinted at his players’ familiarity with Highway 10 teams following the Lakers’ season-opening sweep of Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. Johnson echoed that sentiment, adding that it helps with preparation ahead of a highly anticipated game like Tuesday’s.
Jared Rubado / Detroit Lakes Tribune
“It’s a lot easier to prepare for them because we know them personally,” Johnson said. “We watch a movie and talk about it during training. We remember what these girls were able to do last year and talk about it in practice. We have hitters attacking us from where they normally hit. Everything they do, we put into our practice because we are so familiar with them. We know what to expect. »
Detroit Lakes are yet to drop a set in three games this season. It’s safe to say the Lakers have found a way to recreate the momentum they found at the end of the 2021 season.
“It’s so much fun to play like that because we knew we had the potential to get to where we were at the end of last year,” Johnson said. “We knew we could go all the way, but we couldn’t put it all together. Now we feel it. »
DETROIT LAKES 3, PERHAM 0
BALTIMORE, Md. (September 2, 2022) – Youth Liz Patterson finished with a team-record nine game-breaking wins, but the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s volleyball team fell to No. 9 Johns Hopkins University on Friday in a non-conference game at Newton H White Center. The contest marked the season opener for both teams.
Second year Sophie Schaefer had five victims and graduate student Kathleen Riegner and senior Enkhsanaa Enkhbayar each provided nine assists for the Ducks, who gave up their first game of the season falling to 0-1. The match was played as part of the annual Greg Giovanazzi Memorial Tournament, which is held in honor of the former Johns Hopkins women’s volleyball head coach and former U.S. Olympic coach, who died in 2012.
Simone Adam led all players with 16 kills and Simrin Carlsen had 10 digs for Johns Hopkins, which won its season opener for the fourth consecutive season. The Blue Jays have suffered just one loss in their last 68 games and have won each of the last four meetings between the teams.
Second year Cleo Shannon scored the Ducks’ first point of the season, setting up an Enkhbayar feed to give the Ducks an early lead. Stevens would open a three-point lead in the early part of the frame. An energetic defense from Stevens controlled the Blue Jays offense, limiting Hopkins to a hit percentage of just .162 in the first frame – the game’s lowest rating for the hosts.
First year Gabbi Roberts recorded his first college point with a kill to give the Ducks a 13-10 advantage. However, Johns Hopkins responded with a six-point run to turn Stevens’ 14-13 lead into a 19-14 deficit for the Ducks. The resilient Ducks bounced back with four of the next five points, then a pair of attacking errors surrounded a Patterson kill to tie the frame at 23. Unfortunately, Chidinma Onukwugha converted a quick set to return the serve to Hopkins and an attacking error gave Hopkins a 25-23 decision in the opening set.
Patterson converted a set from Enkhbayar to give Stevens the opening point of the set for the second stanza in a row. The back and forth dominated the first half of the second set as neither team was able to create a separation until Hopkins picked up four straight points to open a 10-6 lead and force a time. Stevens’ death. A kill from Schaefer brought the Ducks back within three, but a 6-2 run from the home team followed to break the frame. An ace from Adam closed the stanza and gave Hopkins a 2-0 lead in the game. The set saw Stevens put in his best offensive performance of the game, culminating in a .259 hit percentage (10-3-27), however, Hopkins had just two offensive errors (15-2-33) to double his advantage.
Hopkins jumped on the board first in the third set, only to see an ace from Patterson and a kill from Shannon give the Ducks a 4-2 lead. Junior Meg Dion would knock down a set from Riegner to push the Ducks margin to 7-4 and force a timeout from Hopkins. The break in play proved to turn the tide as the Blue Jays scored the next six points to take a 10-7 lead. Kills from Patterson and Schaefer would cut the deficit twice, but a 6-1 run from the Blue Jays would break the set and a 5-1 run after an attack from Dion closed the game.
Inside the numbers
- Hit percentage was a key stat. The host Blue Jays finished the game with an attack percentage of .327, while the Ducks finished at .122.
- Second year students Bailey Axelrad and Nicole Scribner joined Dion and Patterson to serve an ace.
- Dion and Roberts each recorded a solo block. Roberts, who also picked up a pair of wins, was making his college debut.
- Eight different players had at least one point, including senior Ava Smithingwho picked up a pair of wins.
unsung hero
- Axelrad finished with 14 digs, a match and career high. As a team, Stevens finished with 40.
From the Sideline – Head Coach Brianna Jones
- “We played well and it was a great game for us. We lost stamina as the game went on and that will be a priority for us going forward.”
Next
- Women’s volleyball will face St. John Fisher and Marymount on the second and final day of competition.
- A former Empire 8 annual conference opponent, Stevens has the last 10 meetings with St. John Fisher. The Ducks also edged the Saints last season in what was believed to be the first meeting between the programs.
- Links for live stats and video from both games are available at StevensDucks.com.
Facebook: “Like” Stevens Athletics
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
#all rise
BYU’s Erin Livingston (10), Kennedy Eschenberg and Whitney Bower celebrate a point during a women’s varsity volleyball game against Utah at Smith Fieldhouse on Thursday, September 16, 2021. (Photo courtesy of BYU )
Running a 30-2 record and making another appearance in the Sweet 16, BYU’s women’s volleyball team consistently put five All-Americans on the floor last season.
Three of those talented players — Kennedy Eschenberg, Taylen Ballard-Nixon and West Coast Conference Player of the Year Kenzie Koerber — have moved on. Heather Olmstead and her coaching staff have recruited some good talent, but have key positions to fill at center blocker, opposite hitter, outside hitter and libero.
Much is expected of the Cougars, who were picked to win the WCC by league coaches on Wednesday. Last week, BYU earned a No. 10 ranking in the preseason AVCA poll.
Olmstead writes the day’s training schedule on a rolling whiteboard. After the release of the AVCA rankings, she wrote, “So what. Now what?”
“It’s an honor to have such consideration for our ghosts,” Olmstead said. “But we understand that we still have to do the work. We are interested in our ranking at the end of the year. It’s a four month process where we work on the little things to bring us to a big result at the end of the year.
Where were we?
BYU’s only loss in the regular season was to No. 4 Pitt. The Cougars cruised through the WCC game undefeated (18-0) and beat Boise State and Utah to win the program’s ninth trip to the Sweet 16 in the last 10 years. Against Purdue, BYU had a 14-10 advantage in the fifth set but couldn’t wrap it up and lost a heartbreaker.
Koerber was named a third-team All-American while Eschenberg and setter Whitney Bower earned honorable mention All-Americans.
New opportunities
The heart of the team is Bower, who is entering his fourth season as a starter. She leads BYU’s powerful offense and is also a formidable blocker and defensive player.
“As a setter, I need to have that connection with my teammates,” she said. “I learn their strengths and weaknesses and try to lead on and off the pitch. We have plenty of room to grow. They love volleyball and you can see that love pouring out of them. They have a growth mindset and know how to work hard.
Also back is 6-foot-5 senior middle tackle Heather Gneiting, another four-year-old starter who finished second on the team in blocks (1.01 per set) and hit .425. Junior Erin Livingston, who had 241 kills last season, is on course for a breakout season.
Aside from these three players, all other positions are open and competition has been fierce in the spring and summer.
“One of the challenges we’ve had is getting enough reps for everyone who’s going to play opening weekend,” Olmstead said. “As a coaching staff, we can sift through the competition and get a team to play against Ryder (Friday). It is an open competition. They lift each other up. We have a group of girls who want to play.
Senior Whitney Llarenas (6-3) may finally get her chance to start alongside Gneiting at center tackle, but she’s being pushed by 6-3 sophomore Bri Albright and 6-4 rookie Kate Prior.
Senior Kate Grimmer, who was first-team All-WCC last spring (2.94 kills per inning, .318 hitting percentage), will get a chance to fill the opposite hitter role.
6-3 freshman Eden Bower and sophomores Elyse Stowell (6-2) and Sophia Callahan (6-2) are also competing for reps at the batting spots. Eden Bower was an AVCA first-team All-American selection at Skyview High School in Idaho last season.
Starting Libero Madi Allen transferred to Washington this spring, so there’s a good battle there between returning defensive specialist Aria McComber, Saint Mary graduate transfer Kelsey Knudsen, seniors Abbey Dayton and Morgan (Bower) Clinger and rookie Hannah Billeter.
Wyoming transfer Abby Taylor and 6-1 rookie Briley Decker will support Whitney Bower at the passer.
Begin
BYU is hosting a pair of tournaments over the next two weeks, with matchups against Duke, Washington State, Cincinnati, rival Utah State and No. 6 Pitt highlighted. The Cougars also go on the road to play No. 9 Georgia Tech and No. 7 Ohio State.
“Everyone is really hungry to get back on the court and play volleyball at a high level,” Olmstead said. “With our competitiveness, we take our hat off to energy. We have to perform at a high level. Our girls understand the tradition of BYU volleyball and they want to be great.
BYU Women’s Volleyball
Five things to watch out for
Off-season growth
Erin Livingston and Heather Gneiting saved valuable time training and playing in the USA volleyball program over the summer. Head coach Heather Olmstead has also gained valuable experience as an assistant for the USA U21 team which played in Mexico.
Passing is the key
The Cougars will face hard-serving and hard-hitting teams in the preseason, honing their serve-receiving and coming under fire. Developing these skills will be key to a successful season.
Pitt comes to Provo
Last year’s only regular season loss was to Pitt and the sixth-ranked Panthers travel to Smith Fieldhouse on September 3 for what could be a night to remember.
Welcome to Heck
Speaking of the Fieldhouse, BYU has an incredible home field advantage. In Olmstead’s seven seasons as head coach, the Cougars are 105-5 (95%) at home.
BYU is a Bower house
When Cougar basketball player Danny Bower and BYU volleyball star Caroline Steuer met and married in Provo in the 1990s, they had no idea they would provide a steady stream of players to the sports program. Whitney, Morgan and Eden will all play for the Cougars this season, with Alex a junior passer at Skyview, Idaho as well.
Newsletter
The Chandler Basha volleyball program parted ways with head coach Justine Spann on Wednesday night. The decision – technically due to Basha asking Spann to step down – was announced during a meeting between the parents and sporting director Eric Magaña. Spann will be replaced by the program’s junior varsity coach, Bryan Meyer.
Spann had been placed on administrative leave earlier in the week following a series of allegations including verbal abuse, body shaming and inappropriate social media posts, according to four parents who spoke to The Republic . The parents were granted anonymity in order to protect their daughters.
Due to the culture Spann fosters, an unprecedented 23 girls have chosen not to return to the program this year, not including senior graduates. These girls were members of the varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams last season.
Spann returned to the head coaching role last season after his mother, Terri Cox-Spann, left just a year after leading Basha to the 2019 6A State Championship. Justine Spann graduated from Basha in 2016 before joining playing four years in Colorado and one year of beach volleyball at the Grand Canyon.
At the time of his hire, Magaña described Spann as “focused, driven and good for young adults”. Soon, however, a different picture began to emerge.
“There was no coaching,” said a parent. “The majority of what was said to the girls was to put them down and put them down. I think they thought it would make them more successful.
Another parent added: “Demeaning, demeaning, demoralizing comments to girls, about girls, often in front of their teammates, about their volleyball skills, their looks, their character. All for the purpose of embarrassing and harassing – intimidation plain and simple.
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On several occasions, Spann put players down because of their weight, according to the parents interviewed.
At tournaments, she told players that they “were not going to consume any more food because they had had enough of it”. And in games, she told players who were late to prom that they “could have had it if they weren’t so heavy.”
There were also slurs, which included insults and profanity, the parents said.
And, according to a parent, when Spann didn’t believe a group of players were taking post-game ice baths at home, she demanded they send photos of themselves in the baths – meaning that high school girls were sending pictures of themselves in sports bras to their coach’s personal phone number.
The larger theme, however, was a culture of belittling players. A relative went so far as to compile a list of insulting remarks made by Spann as she predicted the situation would escalate throughout the season – as it did.
These quotes included the following:
“You are completely irrelevant on the pitch.”
“Leave her. Let her have her moment of mental weakness.
“You serve like a 5 year old.”
“If we were in practice, I would have broken you mentally by now. You’re lucky it’s senior night.
The Arizona Republic contacted Spann early Thursday for comment.
Due to complaints from parents, the administration held meetings with Spann and put her on an improvement plan for her second year.
For many parents, however, that was not enough.
“To our surprise and disappointment, the same coaching staff has returned this season,” said a parent.
Another described Spann’s decision to return as “unfathomable”.
A third saw it as favoritism because of her connections in the neighborhood, through her mother and others.
During the first training sessions this season, Spann’s behavior continued. Rather than acknowledging her missteps when 23 girls left the program, she “was very angry about it,” according to a parent.
The final straw for the administration came earlier this week when Spann posted a video to his public Instagram and TikTok accounts. In the video, Spann – who is black – sang a sexually explicit song using the N-word.
“I have (a) daughter (in the program),” said a parent. “I don’t want her to have that type of role model.”
Still, there’s a sense of frustration that Basha didn’t ask Spann to step down before this latest incident.
“It’s sad that it took this for the district to remove someone who was not good for the school and good for the kids,” a parent said.
That same parent expressed doubts that Meyer will change the culture established by Spann. Both Arizona Storm Elite Volleyball Club coaches and signed players for their club, while shaming those who play for other clubs.
“There’s a culture in this gym that comes from their club,” the parent said. “…I see it as a global culture. A global culture where children are not coached and supervised, they are abused and manipulated. »
However, the parent added that demeaning behavior was much more prevalent with Spann than with Meyer.
“Maybe it will be good for Coach Meyer,” the parent said. “Maybe he’ll take the chance and realize he can’t behave this way if he wants to stay. So I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
Another parent expressed less optimism about the future.
“(Spann),” the parent said, “burned Basha’s volleyball program for at least three seasons.”
Theo Mackie covers Arizona high school sports and Phoenix Rising FC. He can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter @theo_mackie.
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