MaxPreps 2016 Medium Schools All-American Girls Volleyball Team

Video: Meredith Norris' highlights vs. Grant High School
See the Corunna outside hitter and MaxPreps first team Medium School All-American in action.


MaxPreps Medium Schools Player of the Year: Leketor Member-Meneh, Lutheran South (St. Louis, Mo.), 5-9 Sr.

Leketor Member-Meneh's outstanding season was the key to the Lancers' first volleyball state championship. In the state-clinching match, Member-Meneh, an outside hitter, posted a match-high 19 kills and 10 digs. Overall, Lutheran South finished 34-3-3.

Member-Meneh, who has signed with Missouri, totaled 513 kills (a per set average of 7.1) and hitting percentage of .536. She was named the Missouri Volleyball Coaches Association's State 2016 Volleyball Player of the Year. Additional postseason honors include Missouri Metro League Player of the Year, First Team Missouri All-State, All-District and All-Region.

"Leketor has led her team with her athletic abilities but also leadership off the court as well," Reinitz said. "When watching Leketor play you cannot help but be in awe of her abilities. Whether it is a powerful attack or an amazing defensive play in the back row, there is no replacing an athlete like Leketor." 

She also averaged 24.6 points in basketball as a junior. A Nigeria nativer, Member-Meneh was also among the national leaders in kills in 2015 when she received MaxPreps All-American honors.

Coach of the Year: Michelle Phillips, Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.) Phillips guided Cox Mill to a 35-0 season and the North Carolina 3A state title. The championship Cox Mill's first in volleyball, as well as the first team state title since the school opened in 2009.

Led by All-American Taylor Rowland and fellow juniors Courtney Weber, Alison Siersma and Lauren Phillips, the Chargers won 100 of 105 sets and finished No. 9 in MaxPreps Xcellent Volleyball Rankings.

Seniors included Emma Efird, Grace Guarino, Nia Bridges, Tyler Fitzpatrick and Melanie Jones.

The Chargers return 10 players from this year's team, including Rowland, an Auburn recruit, and Weber, a South Carolina commit.

Team of the Year: Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.) 44-0, Class B state champions

Led by All-Americans Brooke Heyne (Kansas State signee) and Allison Schomers (Missouri-Kansas City signee), the Skyhawks dominated this season, winning 104 of 110 sets and never losing more than one set in a match. They averaged 14.4 kills, 15.5 digs per set and served almost 95 percent.

Skutt Catholic finished the season No. 3 in MaxPreps Xcellent Volleyball Rankings. The Skyhawks also won five tournament titles (Bellevue, Millard North, Skutt, Michelle Smith Invite and River City) and beat a trio of power teams from Kansas and Missouri in the process.

Seniors include Heyne, Schomers, Jessica Schlautman, Brooklyn Duren, Nikki White and McKenna Kirkpatrick.

Schomers and Heyne were named to the Nebraska Super All-State team, as well as to the Class B All-State squad. Lily Heyne and Schlautman were named second Team Class B All-State.

Coached by Renee Saunders, Skutt has won 60 in a row and 120 matches and lost just eight in the last three seasons.

Athletes selected as MaxPreps All-Americans were evaluated on season performance, statistics, coaches comments, intangibles and the importance of each athlete's contribution to her team's success.

In addition to Medium Schools National Player of the Year Leketor Member-Meneh, the rest of the 2016 MaxPreps Medium School All-Americans include:

First Team MB - Morgan Davis, Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.), 6-4 Sr.
A Texas A&M signee, Davis lead the Hornets in blocks with 34 and a .419 hitting percentage. She recorded 234 kills as the Hornets repeated as state 5A champions. Davis helped the Hornets, ranked No. 6 in MaxPreps' final Xcellent Rankings, go 6-1 in one of the nation's toughest tournaments at the Phoenix Nike Tournament of Champions.

MH - Lauren Witte, Lake Catholic (Mentor, Ohio), 6-3 Sr.
A big middle presence, Witte averaged 1.4 blocks and 3.2 kills per set as Lake Catholic went 27-1 in 2016. The Ohio All-State first team selection has signed with Ohio State.

MB - Ellie Popelka, Jamestown (Williamsburg, Va.), 6-2 Sr.
Committed to South Carolina, Popelka led her team to 28-2 record and a state Division 4 silver medal. She was named 4A East Region volleyball Player of the Year, averaging 4.6 kills, 2.0 digs and 2.7 serve receptions per set.

OH - Jazz Sweet, Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh, Kan.), 6-4 Sr.
Headed to Nebraska, Sweet earned the Topeka Capitol-Journal's City Player of the Year honors for the third straight season after helping lead the T-Birds to the 5A state championship. Sweet had 478 kills in 907 attacks on the season and 25 solo blocks and 59 block assists. She had 284 digs and contributed 41 service aces. She was named State 5A Player of the Year.

OH - Meredith Norris, Corunna (Mich.), 6-3 Sr.
Named Michigan's 2016 Miss Volleyball, Norris closed out a record-breaking career by killing 839 shots (a 6.3 per set average) and leading Corunna to a 37-win match season. She also recorded 538 digs in 134 sets. She had 3,093 kills, 306 aces, 2,182 digs, 289 blocks and 283 assists in her career. A finalist for the Medium School National Player of the Year, Norris has signed with Michigan State.

OH - Brooke Heyne, Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), 5-11 Sr.
Heyne led the SkyHawks to a 44-0 season, a second straight Class B state title and national rankings of No. 3 by MaxPreps. The two-time, first-team Class B all-stater ripped 474 kills (hitting.451). Heyne also had 362 digs and 40 ace serves. She was a member of the Super All-State team and has signed with Kansas State.

OH - Caroline Marsh, North Henderson (Hendersonville, N.C.), 5-11 Sr.
A three-time Maxpreps All-American, Marsh is a three-time Blue Ridge Times-News Player of the Year, reigning Times-News Female Athlete of the year and three time All-WNCAC team honoree. She has over 2,000 kills and 440 blocks in four seasons. She has signed with UNC-Wilmington.

OH - Charley Andrews, Harper Creek (Battle Creek, Mich.), 5-11 Sr.
A Michigan Miss Volleyball Award finalist, Andrews capped off her high school career by leading Harper Creek to 40 wins as well as league and district championships. Her 2,528 career kills are the sixth highest total in MHSAA history. A Class B All-State First Team selection, she had 734 kills, 83 blocks, 735 digs and 68 aces as a senior. A three-sport standout, Andrews has signed a letter of intent with the Michigan State University women's track and field team.

OH - Kenzie Knuckles, Yorktown (Ind.), 5-9 So.
Knuckles had 30 kills in the state 3A title championship game as Yorktown finished the season 37-1 and ranked No. 7 in the MaxPreps Xcellent Rankings. Knuckles, who has committed to Nebraska, is a big leaper and finished with 467 kills (4.3 per set average) and 397 digs (3.6) and 60 aces as the Tigers won their final 27 matches. She is a finalist for MaxPreps' National Sophomore Player of the Year.

OH - Yvette Burcescu, Panas (Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.), 6-2, Jr.
Burcescu led Panas (51-2-4) to its first state title of any kind and had a lot of triple-digit success in the process. She totaled 187 serve receptions, 253 digs, 103 blocks, 125 aces and a whopping 663 kills (5.1 per set average and a 56.7 kill percentage). She has committed to Tulane.

OH - Taylor Rowland, Cox Mill (Concord, N.C.), 6-3 Jr.
Rowland led Cox Mill to the state 3A title and was the state's top player in the process. She had a kill ratio of 60.5 (5.1 per set), served 43 aces, and average two digs and serve receptions per set. The Chargers finished No. 9 in the final MaxPreps Xcellent Rankings. Rowland has committed to Auburn.

S - Lexie Libs, Providence (Clarksville, Ind.), 5-8 Sr.
Libs, who has signed with East Tennessee, recorded 1,223 assists as a senior to lead the Pioneers to the state finals. Libs also had 140 kills, 79 blocks and 329 digs as a senior. She led Providence to three state titles as setter. Libs is a repeat first-team 3A All-State selection.

S - Alli Schomers, Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), 5-11 Sr.
Schomers, a repeat first-team Super-State selection, recorded 1,372 assists this season to set a Nebraska all-class state record. She also served 47 aces, had 194 digs and 80 kills. Schomers finished her career 3,035 assists and has signed with Missouri-Kansas City.

S - Natalie Robinson, Mercer Island (Wash.), 5-11 Sr.
A repeat MaxPreps All-American, Robinson led the Islanders to a third-place showing at state. She averaged 9.6 assists per set and had 128 kills. Robinson, who will play indoor and sand at Washington, was named to the Seattle Times All-Area Volleyball team.

A-A - Gabby Curry, Buford (Ga.), 5-8 Sr.
Curry, the state 5A Player of the Year and reigning Gatorade winner, led Buford to a 41-4 record and the state 5A title. This season Curry recorded 254 kills, 405 digs and 72 aces. Curry, who has signed with Kentucky, led Buford to a 41-0 season and a No. 12 national ranking as a junior. In her final three seasons, Buford won 122 of 129 matches with Curry on the court.

A-A - Nicklin Hames, Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.), 5-11 Jr.
A 2015 Maxpreps All-American teamed with her sister (Kayleigh, second team All-American) to lead Webb to its fourth-straight state title. Committed to Nebraska, Hames covered the court impressively, averaging 3.5 kills, 3.4 digs and 6.7 assists. She also served for 431 points and 111 aces on 96.7 percent serving.

A-A - Kaitlyn Robinson, Leon (Jewett, Texas), 5-10 Sr.
Named the Texas Small School Volleyball Player of the Year, Robinson led Leon (46-1) to the state semifinals. She hit .411 with 534 kills (4.7 per set average), dished out 605 assists, served 70 aces, had 230 digs and 62 blocks.

Second Team

MB - Bailey Foy, North Lamar (Paris, Texas), 5-11 Sr.
Among the national block leaders (392 for a 3.4 per set average), Foy led the 33-7 Panthers to a deep playoff run. The All-State middle blocker also averaged 3.5 kills (55.4 kill percent) and served 93 percent.

MH - Elizabeth Reich, Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.), 6-1 Sr.
Reich was the Denver's Post state 4A Player of the Year after leading the Rangers to their second 29-0 season in three years. She averaged 2.3 kills per set, blocked 70 shots as a senior and will play college volleyball at the University of Portland.

MH - Emma Flagstead, Montague (Mich.), 6-3 Sr.
A Michigan Miss Volleyball finalist, Flagstead played most of the year with an abdominal injury, but led Montague with 575 kills and a .341 hitting percentage. She was named Muskegon Chronicle's Player of the Year as the Wildcats won the West Michigan Conference title. She has signed with Grand Valley State University.

OH - May Pertofsky, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), 6-2 So.
Named the CIF-Southern Section D4 Player of the Year, Pertofsky led the Trailblazers to a 32-4 season. She averaged 4.4 kills per set with a kill percentage of 51.1. OH - Abby Strait, Bridgeport (W. Va.), 6-2 Sr.
Straight, who will play collegiate volleyball at Wheeling Jesuit, accumulated 819 kills during a 41-7-5 season. She tallied 125 blocks, 163 digs, 53 aces and 32 assists, and was named West Virginia's 2A Player of the Year.

OH - Parker Jones, Acalanes (Lafayette, Calif.), 6-2 Sr.
Jones, who will play at Penn in college, led Acalanes to the D3 state title and a 31-win season. She lead the Dons in most categories (kills, blocks, aces) and was second in digs. Jones posted 18 kills in the state-title match.

OH - Jennifer Laird, Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), 5-11 Sr.
Heading to St. Mary's, Laird was The Tribune's 2016 County Girls Volleyball Player of the Year and led the PAC 8 in total kills (397, 4.5 per set average). She ranked third overall in the CIF-Southern Section in hitting percentage (.416 and 56.3 kill percentage).

OH - Kaylee Martin, Sterling (Ill.), 5-9 Sr.
The two big numbers at Sterling this year: 31 wins and Martin's 7.1 kills per set (56.4 percent). She also was a 92.8 percent server and averaged 3.6 digs per match. Martin has been named First Team All-Northern Illinois Big 12 honors four times, All-Quad Cities Team four times and Player of the Year three times. She committed to William and Mary.

OH - Claire Sheehan, Cambridge-Isanti (Cambridge, Minn.), 6-1 Sr.
It wasn't the best season for the 16-14 Bluejackets, but Sheehan averaged 6.2 kills, 4.9 digs and 3.9 serve receptions per set to close her prep career. In addition, she tallied 42 service aces, 461 digs and 22 blocks to earn first team All-Mississippi 8 Conference accolades for the fourth year. In addition, Sheehan was named to Minnesota's All-State team and will play collegiately at Iowa.

OH - Halee Van Poppel, Argyle (Texas), 5-10 Sr.
Van Poppel averaged over 4 digs and kills, and 4.9 serve receptions to lead 40-11 Argyle to the state-final match. She also served for 266 points at a 93 percent ratio. She was named the Most Versatile Player on the Dallas Morning News All-Area Team. She has signed with Belmont.

S - McKenna Ballard, Peaster (Texas), 5-7 Sr.
Ballard lead Peaster to the state 3A finals, averagin 10.4 assists in 136 sets. She also had 363 digs, 58 blocks, and a 96 percent serving average on over 500 serves.

S - Madison Miner, North Branch (Mich.), 5-8 Sr.
One of 10 finalists for Michigan Miss Volleyball, Miner led Broncos to 58-9 record and their second Class B state championship in three years. A first-team All-State pick, she delivered 1,288 assists, 156 kills, 131 aces and had 311 digs. She has signed to play for Campbell University.

S - McKayla Wuensch, Marian Central Catholic (Woodstock, Ill.), 5-9, Sr.
Wuensch was the quarterback for the Hurricanes' 40-2 season that saw them nationally ranked for much of the year. She set 877 assists (9.4 average) and had 207 digs, 60 blocks and 109 kills for the state runner up Hurricanes. She has signed with Nevada-Reno.

S - Grace Rose, Crossroads (Santa Monica, Calif.), 5-9 Sr.
Rose dished an average of eight assists per set as Crossroads won 27 of 32 matches and reached the state D3 championship game. She was the Southern Section's D6 CIF Player of the Year.

A-A - Marlie Monserez, Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.), 6-0 Jr.
Committed to Florida, Monserez had 67 aces, 354 assists, 206 digs and 168 kills as Bishop Moore captured a consecutive 5A state championship.

A-A - Tori Dilfer, Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.), 5-10 Sr.
Dilfer quarterbacked the Warriors to the state D2 title match when she dished out 8.8 assists and 3.9 digs per set. She also had 31 aces and 61 kills in 64 sets. The daughter of former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, she has signed with TCU.

L - Sam Brinkmann, Lutheran South (St. Louis, Mo.), 5-8 Sr.
Brinkman averaged 7.2 digs and had 459 (6.4) serve receptions as Lutheran South went 34-3-4 and won the state D3 title. She also served 35 aces (91 percent serving average).

Third Team

MH - Marieke Van der Mark, Granby Memorial (Granby, Conn.), 6-5 Sr.
Van der Mark led Granby to the final four of the state tournament and a 22-5 season. She averaged 5.3 kills (55.7 kill percentage), served 108 aces in 87 sets and blocked 44 shots. The two-time all-stater has signed with Baylor.

MB/OH - Allison Dennemann, New Palestine (Ind.), 5-10 Jr.
A first-team All-State pick with 700 kills (6.2 average), Dennerman had nearly 50 percent of the Dragons' kills. She also averaged four digs per set and served 54 aces as New Palestine reached the state 3A semifinals.

OH - Annie Karle, Mount Olive (Flanders, N.J.), 5-11 Jr.
Karle averaged 6.1 kills and 4.9 digs in leading Mount Olive to a 25-3 and the 3A state finals. She was a first team All-State selection. Karle, named the Morris County Daily Record's Player of the Year, averaged 6.4 kills and 4.1 digs per set during the NJSIAA Tournament.

OH - Jayla Norman, Bushland (Texas), 6-0 Sr.
Norman, who will attend the Air Force Academy, led Bushland to the state 4A title and 32 wins in a row to end the season. She had 367 kills, 201 blocks, 207 digs and 32 aces for the season. She is the District 1-4A MVP, Academic All-District, the Region 1 tournament MVP, State Tournament MVP, and All-State the past two years.

OH - Kayleigh Hames, Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.), 6-1 So.
Hames teamed with her sister, Nicklin (first team All-American), to lead Webb to its fourth-straight title. She averaged 5.1 kills and 3.0 digs per set. She also served for 73 aces. A 2015 MaxPreps Freshman All-American, Kayleigh Hames has committed to Pepperdine.

OH - Lyza Myers, Columbia Central (Brooklyn, Mich.), 6-3 Sr.
In leading Columbia Central to a 29-win season, Myers totaled a team-high 55 aces, 739 kills (6.3 per set average), 450 digs and 53 blocks. Named first team All-State and the Jackson Citizen Patriot Player of the Year, Myers has signed with Central Michigan.

OH - Claire Kovensky, Citrus Valley (Redlands, Calif.), 6-0 Sr.
A future Air Force cadet, Kovensky lead Citrus Valley to a 23-7 season when she averaged 5.3 kills, 4.1 serve receptions and 3.8 digs per set. She also served for 209 points and had 61 aces.

OH - Mary Catherine Ball, West Henderson (Hendersonville, N.C.), 5-10 Sr.
Averaging 5.3 kills per set, Ball was a major reason the Falcons won their first 28 matches before losing in the state 3A finals. A four-year starter who has signed with Belmont, the Falcons were 105-7 with Ball on the court.

OH - Mariena Hayden, Belle Plaine (Minn.), 6-0 Sr.
Hayden, a UNLV signee, lead Belle Plain to the small school state title. As a senior, she ripped 574 kills and had 208 digs to with 98 aces. For her career, she tallied 2,445 kills, 1,281 digs and 347 aces and was a three-time All-Conference, All-Metro and All-State selection. She was also a three-time Star and Tribune Dream Dozen honoree.

OH - Tesa Oaks, Woodcrest Christian (Riverside, Calif.), 6-1 Sr.
Oaks closed out her career with another impressive season – 6.1 kills and 3.3 digs per set – as the Royals played deep into the playoffs. Oaks, who will attend California Baptist, averaged over seven kills per set in eight playoff games.

OH - Madeline Furtado, King's Academy (West Palm Beach, Fla.), 5-11 Jr.
Furtado averaged 6.6 kills per set and better than three digs and three serve receptions in King's 20-win season. She was the Florida leader in total kills and kills per set.

S - Maddie Holt, Bloomington Central Catholic (Bloomington, Ill.), 5-10 Sr.
Holt was among the national leaders in assists with a 12.0 per set average as the Saints went 31-7 and placed third at state. The all-stater has signed with Wake Forest.

S - Taylor Ferrante, Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.), 5-5 Sr.
In leading the Lions to a 41-9 season and a berth in the state A2 finals, Ferrante put up a pair of major numbers: 11.7 assists per set and 98 aces. Her 1,574 assists were fifth nationally for all divisions.

S - Katie Wade, Harper Creek (Battle Creek, Mich.), 5-8 Sr.
Wade went out with a bang recording 1,677 assists (11.8 per set) along with 268 kills, 355 digs, 28 blocks and a team-best 70 aces. A four-year varsity member is the city's all-time career assist leader and ranks third in MHSAA history with 4,031. Wade is a two-time All-State and Battle Creek Enquirer selection.

L - Sam Weber, Holy Family (Broomfield, Colo.), 5-3 Sr.
A first team 3A All-State pick, Weber averaged 6.7 digs and served at a 97.7 percent clip to lead Holy Family to a 24-5 record and a state runner up trophy.

L - Sophia Honahni, Tuba City (Ariz.), 5-3, Sr.
Little package and big numbers sums up Honahni. She was among the national leaders in digs with 1,019 for a 10.9 per set average. In a four-set win at Window Rock, she had 79 digs, and 76 in a five-set win at Northland Prep. She also had 48 aces as Tuba City was 22-11 on the season.

A-A - Kayla Joyce, Pleasant Valley (Chico, Calif.), 5-6 Sr.
Joyce was an All-American setter as a junior, but moved up front and responded with 2.6 kills, 5.3 digs and 8.7 serve receptions. She also served for 89 aces as the Vikings reached the second round of state playoffs. A-A - Ali Finch, Cadillac (Mich.), 6-0 Sr.
Headed to Ball State, Finch was everywhere on the court for the 50-8-2 Vikings who reached the state B semifinals. Finch, a Michigan Miss Volleyball finalist, had 355 kills (2.4), 75 aces (94.5 percent), blocked 98 shots, and averaged 3.0 digs and 8.2 assists.