While some states are well into their high school volleyball seasons, others are just warming up. Schools in the Midwest and South have eyes on the postseason while some programs in Texas are inching into double-digit contests.
States forging ahead with a traditional calendar, coupled with COVID-19 delays and later starts have made tracking players and teams a unique challenge.
We've assembled a list of 25 players who are into their seasons — some deep — while realizing those who've played longer will have the more appealing numbers. We'll update this list several more times throughout the school year and plan to add those schools with spring starts as well.
Averi Carlson, Lovejoy
Photo by Michael Horbovetz
Ally Batenhorst | Sr. | OH | Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas)The Spartans are off to a 9-0 start and the Nebraska commit is a big reason why. She's posted 200 kills (6.5 per set) in 31 sets this season. She's added 144 digs and 10 aces as large school volleyball in Texas is ramping up.
Eleanor Beavin | Sr. | L | Mercy (Louisville, Ky.)With 301 digs (8 per set) and 222 serve receives in an 11-2 start for the Jaguars, the Kentucky commit is leading the way for Matt Thomerson's squad. Beavin is closing in on 1,500 digs for her career at Mercy.
Julia Bishop | Sr. | S | Mercy (Farmington Hills, Mich.)The Michigan State commit has 593 assists (10.6 per game), 107 digs, 46 aces and 85 kills as the Marlins are 23-0 on the year. Bishop came into the season needing two assists to pass the 1,000-career mark and has now surpassed 1,500.
Clara Brower | Sr. | S | The Woodlands (Texas)The Highlanders dropped their first match of the season on Tuesday, but the Georgia commit became the school's leading setter and now has 3,608 career assists. Brower has 256 assists (8.8 per set) on the season in 29 sets, while adding 97 digs and 37 kills. She also passed the 1,000-dig mark and sits at 1,035.
Riley Buckley | Jr. | MH | North Raleigh Christian Academy (Raleigh, N.C.)The Knights are 11-1 as Buckley has posted 94 kills, 85 digs, 138 assists on the young season.
Averi Carlson | Jr. | S | Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas)The Leopards are 3-0 after having to cancel the first two weeks of the season due to district COVID-19 policies. Now in action, the Baylor commit and MaxPreps Freshman of the Year two seasons ago is starting hot with 71 assists (7.9) thus far. She dished up 31 alone in the season-opening straight sets win over The Colony.
Payton Chamberlain | Sr. | S | Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas)Like her fellow Texans, the Bobcats are just beginning and have started 5-1. The Wyoming commit has posted 186 assists (8.9 per set) to go with 25 blocks and 53 digs.
Kaylee Cox | Sr. | OH | Flower Mound (Texas)The Jags are off to an 8-0 start and the preseason All-American is one reason why. Cox has 56 kills and 37 digs in 10 sets on the young season. A few more reasons why Flower Mound might be the team to beat in Texas — setter
Caroline Dykes and hitters
Angelique Cyr and
Izabella Ortiz.
Shaye Eggleston | Sr. | OH | Brentwood (Tenn.)The Alabama commit is looking to win her fourth state title — and the school's eighth straight — as the Bruins are off to a 31-3 start. Eggleston has 364 kills, 172 digs, 28 aces and 26 blocks while hitting at 33 percent clip.
Ashlyn Goolsby | Sr. | S | Walton (Marietta, Ga.)A freshman when the Raiders were named the 2017 MaxPreps National Champion, Goolsby has come into her own and leads the team with 408 assists (10.2 per set). She's also tallied 86 digs and 42 kills as fellow senior
Emery Dupes also helps pace 16-1 Walton.
Rylee Gray | Sr. | MB | Elkhorn South (Omaha, Neb.)Hitting at a 47 percent clip for the 22-1 Storm, the Nebraska commit has 262 kills, 29 aces and 71 blocks in what's turning out to be an ultra-competitive season in the Cornhusker State. Junior setter
Madi Woodin is also shining with 726 assists on the season.
Lauren Harden | Fr. | OH | Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, Ind.)The lone freshman on the list, Harden is leading a quartet of hitters for the 20-0 Royals. She's notched 216 kills, 83 digs, 23 aces and 24 blocks in 59 sets. Harden has double-digit kills in 15 of 20 matches.
Lauren Harden, Hamilton Southeastern
Photo by Julie Brown
Another in the next line of standout hitters for Ron Kordes, the 6-3 sophomore leads the 9-1 Rockets with 118 kills (4.9 per set) on the young season.
Carly Hendrickson | Sr. | OH | Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati)Has 301 kills (7.0 per set) on the season for the 12-1 Cougars and it closing in on 1,000 career kills. The future Florida Gator has 10 matches this season with at least 19 kills and a high of 35 in a four-set win over Seton.
Ali Hornung | Sr. | L/OH | Providence (Clarksville, Ind.)Leading a quartet of hitters with more than 100 kills for the 18-6 Pioneers, the Purdue commit has 341 kills (4.4), 280 digs and 378 receives. She's hitting at a 38 percent clip.
Ngozi Iloh | Sr. | MH | McIntosh (Peachtree City, Ga.)The preseason All-American is getting it done for the 24-0 Raiders, pounding out 327 kills (5.9 per set), hitting at 45 percent. The Duke commit also has 32 blocks and 18 aces for Georgia's top-ranked squad.
Lindsay Krause | Sr. | MH/OH | Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.)The 6-3 Nebraska commit has 201 kills (5.4 per set) for the 15-1 Skyhawks. In 37 sets, Krause also has 41 aces and 116 digs while posting double-digit kills in all but two matches. Setter
Allie Gray is also having a standout season thus far with 453 assists (12.2 per set).
Brooke Cirigliano | Sr. | MH | Padua Franciscan (Parma, Ohio)The Miami (Ohio) commit leads the 15-0 Bruins with 163 kills (3.4 per set) while adding 71 blocks and 13 aces. Cirigliano is hitting nearly 50 percent and leads four senior hitters (
Maria Futey,
Kate Mihacevich and
Jordan Chessar) with at least 100 kills.
Sophia Powell | Sr. | S | Lowell (Mich.)One of two Red Arrows on the watch list, Powell has dished up 699 assists (10.1 per set) while also adding 94 kills and 165 digs for her 18-3 squad. Powell has tossed up double-digit assist in every match this season with highs of 51, 45 and 40.
Bergen Reilly | So. | S | O'Gorman (Sioux Falls, S.D.)The Swiss Army knife has done a bit of everything for the 14-0 Knights this season. Reilly has 203 kills (5.2 per set), 20 aces, 37 blocks, 144 digs and 62 assists for the South Dakota squad. In 2238 sets for her young prep career, she has 1,114 assists, 586 digs and 457 kills.
Jenna Reitsma | Sr. | OH | Lowell (Mich.)The Marquette commit is leading the Red Arrows with 491 kills (7.1 per set), in addition to 243 digs and 36 aces. She's notched 30 kills in a match three times this season and has double-digit kills in all but one match.
Ellee Stinson | Sr. | OH/L | Yorktown (Ind.)The Tigers are 20-0 and the 5-3 senior is a big reason. The Northwestern commit has 203 kills and 313 digs and provides a great 1-2 punch with 6-0 senior
Jaylynn Dunsmore (212 kills, 44 blocks).
Paris Thompson | Sr. | OH | Fort Myers (Fla.)Headed to Notre Dame, Thompson surpassed 1,000 kills in her career with a 19-kill performance Wednesday in a sweep of Port Charlotte. the 6-3 hitter has posted 288 kills (5.8 per set) this season with 140 digs, 30 aces and 16 blocks.
Mabrey Shaffmaster | Sr. | OH | New Castle (Ind.)The North Carolina commit set the school record for kills on Sept. 30, passing the 2,000 mark with a 46-smash night (also a record). She's got 409 kills on the year (6.3 per set) to go with 47 aces, 26 blocks, 244 digs and 397 serve receives as the Trojans look for a fourth straight state title. For her career, Shaffmaster has 2,166 kills and 893 digs.
Addie VanderWeide | Sr. | OH | Christian (Grand Rapids, Mich.)The Eagles are 16-0 and the 5-11 captain is a big reason why. She's posted 232 kills (5.3 per set), along with 165 digs and 19 aces. She's hit double-digit kills in 13 matches thus far with a high of 27 this week in a five-set win over Byron Center.
Mabrey Shaffmaster, New Castle
Photo by Julie Brown
