State MVPs top preseason volleyball All-American team

U.S. National Team members also make up bulk of MaxPreps preseason All-American volleyball team.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Kevin Askeland
By
Aug 25, 2010, 10:51am
Returning state MVPs dot much of the MaxPreps preseason All-American volleyball first and second teams as a total of 13 members of the 24-player squad earned such honors last year.

Heading the list are four players who earned Gatorade State Player of the Year honors, including Jesuit's Elizabeth Brenner, Marian's Lauren Sieckmann, Edmond Memorial's Micha Hancock and Ozark's Jade Hayes.

Many of the team members also participated on one of three different Team USA squads this summer, including the Youth National team that won the gold medal at the NORCECA Continental Games.

First Team
OH - Krista Vansant, Redlands East Valley (Redlands, Calif.), 6-1, Sr - An all-state player last year in California, Vansant led the Wildcats to the California Division II state championship game before falling to Archbishop Mitty. Vansant had 565 kills last season.

Krista Vansant, Redlands East Valley
Krista Vansant, Redlands East Valley
Photo by Jann Hendry
OH - Taylor Simpson, Doherty (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 6-4, Sr - The Colorado 5A state player of the year as a junior, Simpson was also a Team USA member this past summer. She had a 446 kills for the Spartans, who were 23-7 last season.

OH - Crystal Graff, La Follette (Madison, Wis.), 6-3, Sr - The Gatorade State Player of the year in Wisconsin as a junior, Graf earned a spot on Team USA this summer for the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, which are being held this week. She will play at Wisconsin next season.

OH - Hayley Eckerman, Waterloo East (Waterloo, Iowa), 6-2, Sr - The player of the year in Iowa as a junior, Eckerman was selected to the US Girls' Youth National Training Team this summer.

MB - Elizabeth Brenner, Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 6-2, Sr - The Gatorade State Player of the Year in Oregon, Brenner helped lead Jesuit to the 6A state championship game and was also selected to the MaxPreps All-American team.

MB - Kathryn Bell, North Mesquite (Mesquite, Texas), 6-2, Sr - One of the national leaders in kills last year with 910, Bell was all-state in Texas as a junior.

MB - Madelyn Hutson, Ravenwood (Brentwood, Tenn.), 6-5, Sr - Helped lead Ravenwood to the AAA state championship game in Tennessee and was an all-state selection. She is a member of the U.S. Girls' Youth National Training Team this summer.

Li - Jade Hayes, Ozark (Mo.), 6-1, Sr - The Gatorade State Player of the Year in Missouri, Hayes did a little bit of everything for state champion Ozark last year. She was the reported state leader in kills with 556 and also had 366 digs and 129 blocked shots.

Li - Lara Dykstra, Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 5-11, Sr - One of the top beach volleyball players in the country, Dykstra earned All-CIF Southern Section honors last year for Redondo Union.

St - Micha Hancock, Edmond Memorial (Edmond, Okla.), 5-9, Sr - The state player of the year in Oklahoma as a junior, Hancock is a member of the U.S. Youth Olympic Team which is competing this week in Singapore.

St - Lauren Sieckmann, Marian (Omaha, Neb.), 5-11, Jr - The Gatorade State Player of the Year in Nebraska as a sophomore, Sieckmann is also a member of the U.S. Girls' Youth National Team.

AA - Jordan Burgess, Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), 6-0, Jr - Led Berkeley Prep to the state championship in Florida and was named the 3A state player of the Year by the Dairy Farmers Association. She is also a member of the U.S. Girls' Youth National Team.

Second Team
OH - Aiyana Whitney, Northern Valley (Old Tappan, N.J.), 6-5, Sr - The only underclassman to make all-state in New Jersey last year, Whitney is a member of the U.S. Girls' Youth National Training Team. She had 279 kills last year and will play at Penn State.

OH - Berkley Whaley, Lakewood (St. Petersburg, Fla.), 6-1, Jr - Named the Player of the Year by the St. Petersburg Times as a sophomore, Whaley has already committed to play at Florida following her senior year.

OH - Mary Hoey, Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 6-0, Sr - The Gatorade State Player of the Year in Georgia, Hoey led Pope to the AAAAA state championship last year. She had 519 kills and 266 digs as a junior.

OH - Ellen Chapman, Glenbrook South (Glenview, Ill.), 6-4, Sr - An all-state pick by the Chicago Tribune as a junior, Chapman had 463 kills for the Titans last year.

MB - Liz McMahon, Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio), 6-6, Sr - A member of the U.S. Women's Junior National Team that won the gold medal at the NORCECA championships, McMahon was a second team all-Ohio selection as a junior.

MB - Samantha Cash, Canyon Crest Academy (San Diego), 6-3, Sr - Cash posted 417 kills last year for the Ravens and earned All-San Diego Section honors. She was also a member of the gold medal U.S. Women's Junior National Team this summer.

MB - Katie Messing, The Woodlands (Texas), 6-4, Sr - A member of the U.S. Youth National Training Team, Messing was a first team all-Greater Houston Team and an all-state pick in Texas as a junior with 560 kills.

Li - Danielle Thompson, Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 5-7, Sr - Named the Georgia State Player of the Year by the Georgia Coaches Association, Thompson was a key defender for the Greyhounds en route to their AAAAA state championship.

Li - Jackie Napper, Assumption (Louisville, Ky.), 5-6, Sr - Napper earned all-state honors last year by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association and is a member of the AVCA Seniors to Watch List for the Rockets, who are ranked No. 1 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 preseason rankings.

St - Madison Bugg, Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.), 5-11, Jr - The Gatorade State Player of the Year in North Carolina, Bugg led Cardinal Gibbons to the 3A state championship. She was a member of the U.S. Youth National team that won the NORCECA gold medal this summer.

St - Ciara Parker, Snow Canyon (St. George, Utah), Jr - Named the Class 4A state MVP as a sophomore after posting 843 assists, 126 aces, 328 digs and 117 kills for Snow Canyon last year.

AA - Jane Croson, Los Alamitos (Calif.), 6-0, Sr - Earned a spot on the All-CIF Southern Section first team after leading Los Alamitos to a 29-10 record.

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