Three returning POY's highlight Colorado volleyball season

Perhaps 2014 will be the year of the repeat in Colorado volleyball, and we're not necessarily talking about teams capturing back-to-back titles.

Three of the five all-state players of the year, as voted on by statewide coaches and recognized by CHSAANow and MaxPreps, are back this season and ready to defend their individual titles, as well as those of their teams. There is Alexa Smith of Lewis-Palmer (Monument) in Class 4A, Eaton's Kortney Lockey in 3A and Fleming's Timmi Keisel in 1A. All are seniors this season and looking for a repeat in more ways than one.

Smith's Lewis-Palmer squad checks in as a heavy favorite in the 4A preseason CHSAANow.com rankings, with the Rangers receiving all but one first-place vote. Lockey's Reds are ranked No. 2 in 3A, trailing stacked Manitou Springs. Keisel's Fleming squad is a narrow favorite in the opening 1A poll, a few ticks above Sangre de Cristo (Mosca).

Rampart (Colorado Springs) begins the season atop the 5A poll and defending champion Resurrection Christian (Loveland) holds pole position in 2A.

Top storylines

* While the past two seasons largely were about Doherty standout Haleigh Washington, a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year now at Penn State, some of the state's other marquee names in 5A will have a chance to rise to the forefront. At the top of that list are Eaglecrest (Centennial) setter Jordyn Poulter, who will play at Illinois, and Grandview (Aurora) outside hitter Haley McLaren. The 6-foot-3 McLaren is bound for Oregon. Poulter and Smith were preseason All-America selections by MaxPreps.

* Can Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) repeat in 5A? Voters believe the Bruins will be competitive once again, but they are not labeling them a favorite. Cherry Creek checks in at No. 5 in the preseason poll.

* While the Purdue-bound Smith and Lewis-Palmer are favorites for a reason, the Rangers aren't the only 4A team to return top-notch talent. Ponderosa (Parker), Air Academy (US Air Force Academy) and Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs) each return one first-team and one second-team all-state selection. (Full list of returning all-state players below).

* Thomas Jefferson (Denver) is doing its best to give city volleyball a boost. The Spartans, who check in at No. 10 in the 4A poll, return all-state outside hitter Jessica Jackson.

* Why is Manitou Springs the favorite in 3A? Look no further than a pair of junior outside hitters, Nicole Mack and Katie McKiel. The only other team in the classification to return two first-teamers is No. 4 Valley (Gilcrest), with seniors Cori Aafedt and Emily Dellenbach. For Manitou Springs, junior setter Angala Jensen also is back in the fold.

* There's a reason Resurrection Christian is the favorite to repeat in 2A. The Cougars return two first-team all-staters in outside hitter Preston Lienemann, setter Madison Webb and second-teamer Abby Skipworth, another outside hitter.

* Ditto Fleming in 1A. The Wildcats had three juniors named first-team all-state last year and all are back. Keisel, a middle hitter, is joined by libero Megan Chintala and setter Rachel Frantz. Second-teamer Deborah Kurtz, an outside hitter, also will be a senior this season.

Top players

Returning CHSAANow/MaxPreps all-state selections:

Class 5A: Haley McLaren, Grandview, Sr. (1st team), Jordyn Poulter, Eaglecrest, Sr. (1st), Allyson Clancy, Douglas County, Sr. (2nd), Shannon Lanza, Fossil Ridge, Sr. (2nd), Madison Laufenberg, Castle View, Sr. (2nd), Bridget Lococo, Fossil Ridge, Sr. (2nd), Kaitlyn Schwartz, Fossil Ridge, Sr., (2nd), Santaisha Sturges, Regis Jesuit, Sr. (2nd), Chelsie Thompson, Rangeview, Sr. (2nd).

Class 4A: Mika Dickson, Cheyenne Mountain, Jr. (1st team), Jessica Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Sr. (1st), Becca Page, Ponderosa, Sr. (1st), Jordan Pingel, Air Academy, Sr. (1st), Alexa Smith, Lewis-Palmer, Sr. (1st; player of the year), Mattison Dabovich, Pueblo West, Sr. (2nd), Ashley Pagan, Air Academy, Jr. (2nd), Jenna Price, Cheyenne Mountain, Sr. (2nd), Allegra Shippy, Pueblo West, Sr. (2nd), Allison Smith, Ponderosa, Jr. (2nd).

Class 3A: Cori Aafedt, Valley, Sr. (1st team), Madi Arnell, Lutheran, Jr. (1st), Emily Dellenbach, Valley, Sr. (1st), Kortney Lockey, Eaton, Sr. (1st; player of the year), Nicole Mack, Manitou Springs, Jr. (1st), Katie McKiel, Manitou Springs, Jr. (1st), Mackenzie Chrisman, Sterling, Sr. (2nd), Kirstie Hillyer, Bayfield, Sr. (2nd), Angala Jensen, Manitou Springs, Sr. (2nd), Caiden Rexius, Eaton, Jr. (2nd), Abby Skrastins, Colorado Springs Christian, Jr. (2nd).

Class 2A: Jordan Baer, Akron, Sr. (1st), Preston Lienemann, Resurrection Christian, Sr. (1st), Tara Traphagan, Yuma, Jr. (1st), Madison Webb, Resurrection Christian, Sr. (1st), Bryna Burns, Rye, Sr. (2nd), Taylor Carsten, Paonia, Jr. (2nd), Ali Ridings, Meeker, Sr. (2nd), Leah Roberson, Swink, Sr. (2nd), Abby Skipworth, Resurrection Christian, Jr. (2nd).

Class 1A: Megan Chintala, Fleming, Sr., (1st team), Rachael Edler, Caliche, Sr. (1st), Rachel Frantz, Fleming, Sr. (1st), Tania Hansen, Eads, Sr. (1st), Timmi Keisel, Fleming, Sr. (1st; player of the year), Kylee Kuntz, Otis, Jr., (1st), Antonya Schaffert, Otis, Jr. (1st), Hanna Herman, Hi-Plains, Sr. (2nd), Aurelia Isenbart, Kit Carson, Sr. (2nd), Brooklyn Krehmeyer, Weldon Valley, Jr. (2nd), Deborah Kurtzer, Fleming, Sr. (2nd), Reagan Shaffer, Idalia, Jr. (2nd).

Top upcoming games

Class 5A: Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch) at Legend (Parker), Sept. 12; Grandview at Eaglecrest, Sept. 23; Cherokee Trail (Aurora) at Cherry Creek, Sept. 24.

Class 4A: Elizabeth at Air Academy, Sept. 6; Ponderosa at Rampart, Sept. 9; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch) at Longmont, Sept. 20.

Class 3A: Sterling at Eaton, Aug. 30; St. Mary's (Colorado Springs) at Manitou Springs, Sept. 6; Valley at Eaton, Sept. 18.

Class 2A: Dayspring Christian (Greeley) at Akron, Sept. 6; Swink at Fowler, Sept. 9; Resurrection Christian at Lyons, Sept. 23.

Class 1A: Fleming at Idalia, Sept. 6; Otis at Hi-Plains (Seibert), Sept. 26.