High school volleyball: Macaria Spears of Texas leads 2023 MaxPreps Junior All-America Team

By Aaron Williams Nov 29, 2023, 11:30am

Lone Star State outside hitter has led Prestonwood Christian to back-to-back state titles.

The 2023 high school volleyball season is complete with state champions crowned across the country. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) is the MaxPreps National Champion and senior outside hitter Lauren Harden of Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.) is the MaxPreps National Player of the Year.

The postseason honors continue with the unveiling of the MaxPreps Junior All-America Team.

The 25-player team is led by MaxPreps National Junior of the Year Macaria Spears of Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas). Spears, the daughter of former Dallas Cowboy Marcus Spears and former WNBA player Aiysha (Smith) Spears, is a force on the court with 334 kills in 88 sets as the Lions landed at No. 3 in the final MaxPreps Top 25 rankings. 

Spears shined when the lights were the brightest, taking over an ESPN-televised match against Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.) with thunderous kills. The Texas commit led Prestonwood Christian to back-to-back TAPPS 6A titles after winning a third state title with Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.) as a freshman.



Read on for a complete look at the MaxPreps Junior All-America Team.
Mya Allen, Reagan (San Antonio)
5-10 | Middle blocker | Uncommitted
The high-flying standout has created social media buzz but she's got the game to back it up. She hammered 766 kills this season, fifth-best in the state, while helping Reagan to a 33-13 record and Class 6A regional quarterfinals appearance. She added 71 blocks, 778 serve receptions and 501 digs.

Maya Baker, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.)
5-10 | Setter | Notre Dame

The Monarchs reached the CIF Open Division final and Baker served up 837 assists for the No. 8 team in the country. She also had 128 digs, 24 blocks and 40 kills.

Logan Bell, Roncalli (Indianapolis)
5-10 | Outside hitter | Oregon

Helped the Royals go 30-4 with a semi-state finish. Bell dropped 409 kills on the season along with 223 digs, 347 serve receptions and 258 blocks.

Izzy Busignani, Marian (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
6-1 | Outside hitter | Cincinnati

Led the 44-8 Mustangs in kills (640) and digs (358) while adding 76 aces and 407 serve receptions. 

Samara Coleman, Grand Oaks (Spring, Texas)
6-1 | Outside hitter | Pittsburgh

Passed the 1,000-career kill mark this season with her senior year left to play. Coleman pounded 472 kills this season as the Grizzlies went 50-1, won the Class 6A title and finished No. 2 in the MaxPreps Top 25.

Ellis Crawford, Pope (Marietta, Ga.)
6-3 | Outside hitter | Maryland

Led the 39-4 Greyhounds in kills with 362 and added 79 blocks. She enters her senior season closing in on 1,000 career kills.

Suli Ane Davis, Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)
6-2 | Outside hitter | BYU

Among the state leaders in kills, the future Cougar hammered 793 kills in 148 sets while hitting at 45 percent. The Panthers went 40-11, reaching the Class 5A semifinals.

Chloe Elarton, Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
5-11 | Setter | Georgia

A first-team all-state player, she helped the Eagles to a 29-0 record, a Class 5A title and finish just outside the MaxPreps Top 25. The daughter of former Major Leaguer Scott Elarton tossed up 975 assists along with 282 digs, 54 blocks and 48 aces.

Reagan Ennist, Shenendehowa (Clifton Park, N.Y.)
6-2 | Outside hitter | Uncommitted

Hammered 456 kills for the Plainsmen as they reached the Class AAA semifinals with a 40-7-1 record. She added 160 digs and 34 blocks, and is approaching 1,000 career kills.



Maya Evens, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
5-7 | Libero | Maryland

Helped the Dons reach the Southern California Open Division final as a stalwart on defense. She had 310 serve receptions, 260 digs and 20 aces as her team went 34-5 and finished No. 11 nationally.

Megan Fitch, Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio)
6-1 | Outside hitter | Texas A&M

Dropped 459 kills in 102 sets as her team went 34-7 against a national schedule, finishing No. 24 in the MaxPreps Top 25.

Emilee Fuller, Assumption (Louisville, Ky.)
5-7 | Setter | Uncommitted

The Rockets won their 23rd state title behind the stellar play of hitter Moriarty and the setting of Fuller, who tossed up 1,290 assists (11.7 per set). She had double-digit assists in all but one match as the Rockets finished 37-5 and ranked No. 7 nationally.

Julia Grace, Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Ky.)
5-6 | Libero | Uncommitted

With 496 serve receptions and 419 digs, she helped the Pandas to a 35-7 season and state runner-up finish.

Lauren Hurst, Cleveland (Tenn.)
6-3 | Outside hitter | Uncommitted

Closing in on 2,000 career kills after posting 766 this season while Cleveland went 42-8 and captured the Division I Class AAA title.

Kaira Knox, Nolensville (Tenn.)
5-10 | Outside hitter | Western Kentucky

Helped the 30-16 Knights back to the state title match before falling to Cleveland. She pounded 516 kills in 135 sets and enters her final season with 1,248 total. She added 49 aces, 87 blocks, 682 serve receptions and 326 digs.

Abigail Li, Alpharetta (Ga.)
6-2 | Setter | SMU

The 38-3 Raiders grabbed the AAAAAA title and No. 13 ranking as the future Mustang threw up 1,153 assists. She added 87 kills, 74 aces and 244 digs.

Paris McQuirter, McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.)
5-10 | Outside hitter | North Alabama

The Class 7A tournament MVP helped the Yellowjackets to the title and dropped 535 kills on the season. McGill-Toolen went 46-8 as she added 48 blocks and 145 serve receptions.

Reese Messer, St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.)
5-11 | Setter | USC

The motor of the Thunder's engine with 872 assists, Messer also added 251 digs, 150 kills and 50 blocks. St. James Academy finished 33-6

Madison Quest, Divine Savior Holy Angels (Milwaukee)
6-3 | Outside hitter | Wisconsin

Hammered 557 kills this season as her team won its second straight Division 1 title while going 44-1 and finishing No. 6 nationally.

Teraya Sigler, Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
6-3 | Outside hitter | Nebraska

The future Husker dropped 30 kills in the five-set, state-title win over Millennium. For the season, she pounded 614 kills (5.2 per set) and added 358 digs as the Huskies went 32-10.

MAXPREPS NATIONAL JUNIOR OF THE YEAR
Macaria Spears, Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
6-3 | Outside hitter | Texas

Helped the Lions to back-to-back TAPPS 6A titles with 334 kills while hitting 37 percent. She added 26 aces and 37 blocks in 88 sets.

Kaia Thiele, Cornerstone Christian
5-11 | Setter | UNLV

Helped the Warriors to a 34-7 record and No. 24 finish in the MaxPreps Top 25 as the San Antonio club played a grueling national schedule. She had 596 assists, 222 digs and 21 aces in 104 sets.

Paige Theis, Oregon City (Ore.)
6-2 | Outside hitter | Arizona

Helped the Pioneers to a Class 6A final appearance with 404 kills this season. Named state POY by The Oregonian.

Charlotte Vinson, Yorktown (Ind.)
6-2 | Outside hitter | Indiana

Vinson has been putting up insane kill totals for three seasons and had 759 in 2023 as the Tigers went 27-6. She has already passed the 1,500-kill milestone with a season left to play.

Aniya Warren, Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.)
5-8 | Libero | Indiana
Was a wall in the back row as she tallied 447 digs, 91 assists and 21 aces for the 39-3 Redwings, who reached the 4A title match for the second straight year.