The remarkable number of high-level volleyball players across Central Indiana (and the state, for that matter) has been well-documented. That wealth and balance of talent should make for an exhilarating and fairly wide-open state tournament, which is slated to begin this week with sectionals.
Here are 26 players to have an eye on as potential difference makers for their teams as the fun-and-games get underway.
Sectionals:Scores, schedule, updated pairings
Bella Brownfield, New Palestine, Sr., outside hitter
The senior has shined as the Dragons' go-to hitter, tallying 272 kills (3.3 per set) on 828 swings, with 55 aces, 19 blocks and 246 digs. Her efforts have been critical for the Dragons (25-5), who received a favorable draw in a daunting sectional (see: Yorktown). New Pal opens vs. Richmond, with the winner facing either Greenfield-Central or Mt. Vernon.
Alayna Christner, Western Boone, Sr., right side
Much attention is paid to Raegan Durbin (rightfully so), but Christner may be the key to another state tournament run for the Stars. The 6-2 Southeastern Missouri commit is hitting .273 with 189 kills through 87 sets, with 43 terminations over the past four matches (included wins over Tri-West and Plainfield). No one's actually contained Durbin this year, but activate Christner on the attack and things should open up for No. 2, making the Stars that much more dangerous.
Kennedy Cherry, Hamilton Heights, Jr., libero
Amid their first 20-win season in over a decade per MaxPreps, the Huskies head to Bishop Chatard in search of their first sectional title since 2008 and third overall. Sophom*ore Macie Smith and senior Lauren Lewis spearhead the attack, and Cherry has shined defensively. The Western Kentucky commit, who cleared 1,000 career digs earlier this year, had 358 digs for the season entering last Thursday's match vs. Sheridan with just nine errors on 302 receptions.
Maycee Cole, Morristown, Sr., middle blocker
Cole is among the state leaders in blocks with a school-record 162 (107 solo). The 6-foot senior has had four double-digit block outings, and logged eight blocks (four solo) plus seven kills against potential semifinal foe Oldenburg Academy at the end of August. Cole, who also has 146 kills this season, owns 237 career blocks (171 solo).
Lauren Evans, Carmel, Sr., outside hitter
Evans was a sophom*ore when the Greyhounds upset Hamilton Southeastern in sectionals a couple years ago. Repeating that feat will require beating either Fishers or Noblesville, and for Evans to take over. The Butler commit boasts 266 kills on the season with 248 digs, 31 aces and 22 total blocks. She had nine kills in a season-opening win over Fishers, and 13 (.320 hit%) vs. Noblesville.
Hadleigh Filipovich, Lutheran, Sr., outside hitter
Filipovich, fellow senior Grace King and junior Cathryn Erwin played key roles in the Saints' run to the semistate finals last fall. All three are back, with Filiovich leading the attack once again. She has 262 kills and 200 digs thus far for Lutheran, which opens against Victory College Preparatory on Tuesday.
Randee Garringer, Mooresville, Jr., middle hitter
The 6-1 Garringer is tied for second nationally with 214 total blocks, 84 of which have been solo efforts. In addition to her 2.5 blocks per set, the junior also has 97 kills, 10 aces and 34 digs. Fun fact: Garringer is one of three Pioneers with over 100 blocks this season, joined by freshman Marley Vanwazeele (150) and senior Kalyn Bunch (120).
Lexi Gin, Brebeuf Jesuit, Jr., libero
The Braves are young with just two seniors in their regular rotation (Meryl Zunk and Lola Schumacher), but they have a talented, battle-tested lineup that's been led defensively by Gin, who has 511 digs in her first season as starting libero. Brebeuf avoided Roncalli's side of the bracket, and will open against Franklin Central on Tuesday with the winner taking on Ben Davis or Perry Meridian.
Mya Grigsby, Greenfield-Central, Sr., outside hitter
It's been a banner year for both Grigsby and the Cougars, with the 5-11 senior leading her side to a 22-7 regular-season finish. She enjoyed a break-out campaign as a junior and has exceeded those numbers in 2023, notching 400 kills with a .358 hit%, plus 41 aces, 23 blocks and 313 digs. GC lost to first-round opponent Mt. Vernon on Sept. 12, but has gone 9-4 since.
Ava Hunter, Hamilton Southeastern, Jr., setter
It's easy to lose track of all the talented players on the top-ranked Royals' roster, with depth and Division I talent at every position. That includes setter, where the Loyola Chicago-bound Hunter splits time with Santa Clara-bound senior Macy Hinshaw, and accumulated 388 assists and 120 digs through her first 176 sets.
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Laney Jarrett, Speedway, Jr., setter
The Sparkplugs' offense has been powered by a couple underclassmen (freshman Mallory Short and sophom*ore Hayli Clampitt) and a senior (Alex DeLisle), and it's been quarterbacked by the junior Jarrett, who has a career-high 630 assists, 66 aces and 214 digs in her third varsity season. Host Speedway received a bye and awaits the winner of Christel House and Purdue Polytechnic on Saturday.
Lucy Kay, Fishers, Sr., middle blocker
The 6-2 middle blocker is on a tear entering Thursday's sectional quarterfinal vs. Noblesville. She's averaging 17 kills over her past nine matches, with 25 against both Pendleton Heights and Mt. Vernon. She's hitting .302 this season with 357 kills, plus 38 aces and 65 total blocks (16 solo).
Faith Kresge, Greenwood Christian Academy, Jr., outside hitter
Kresge leads the way for GCA with 204 kills, 39 aces and 62 blocks. Her efforts have helped the Class A Cougars score 19 wins against an extremely difficult schedule (mostly 4A and 3A teams), though their path to regionals will likely intersect with Lutheran. Fun fact: Faith's sister, sophom*ore Aiva Kresge, is the team's starting setter (407 assists).
Mackenzie Kruer, Roncalli, Jr., middle blocker
Though committed to Michigan State for soccer, Kruer's made a name for herself as a volleyball player. The 6-0 middle hitter has amassed 171 blocks over the past two seasons, 91 of which have come in 2023. She also averages about two kills per set (155 total) and holds a .337 hit%. The Royals jump into action Thursday vs. Southport.
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Izzy Masten, Tri-West, So., outside hitter
The Bruins made quite the statement last week, taking rival (and potential sectional finals opponent) Western Boone to five sets, before scoring a five-set win over 4A power Center Grove. Masten led the team in kills, aces, solo blocks and digs entering late September. Tri-West will play either Lebanon or Monrovia in Saturday's sectional semifinal.
Lauren Paska, Lapel, Sr., outside hitter
The senior opened the regular season with 23 kills vs. Frankton, she closed it out with 61 over her final four matches. Paska has a career-high 319 kills with a .273 hit%, 57 aces and 176 digs for the Bulldogs, who are on a five-game win streak but got a tough first-round draw with perennial power Wapahani.
Sophia Poehlein, Zionsville, Sr., outside hitter/middle hitter
It's been a breakout year for Poehlein, who stepped up when sister Isabelle was injured at the beginning of the season and has not let up. The Bentley commit has a career-high 244 kills (.264 hit%), plus 31 aces, 17 solo blocks (27 total) and 259 digs. The Eagles, who started 12-0, have lost four of their past six, but beat first-round opponent Westfield on Aug. 31. If Zionsville advances, it will face HSE for the third time since Sept. 21.
Leah Richmond, Lawrence North, Sr., setter
The Western Michigan commit leads LN in assists (772) and blocks (87), and ranks second in kills (201, .418 hit%) and digs (221). She had 39 assists in a four-set loss to Cathedral, a potential semifinal foe, and tore through last week, accumulating 142 assists (season-high 44 in win over North Central), 31 kills, 46 digs, 10 aces and 10 blocks. LN will likely have to face Cathedral in Saturday's second semifinal.
Delaney Steers, Brownsburg, Jr., outside hitter
The Bulldogs had the massive task of replacing Quinci Thomas at outside hitter, and have done so with a trio of players led by Steers. The 5-10 junior has 288 kills on 947 attempts, plus 24 blocks, 20 aces, 267 digs and 31 assists. She, along with seniors Keira Fetz and Abby Sollenberger, have served as the Bulldogs' primary attackers. They'll face the winner of Plainfield-Terre Haute South on Saturday.
Alaleh Tolliver, North Central, Sr., outside hitter
The Panthers are among the most senior-heavy outfits in the area, and Tolliver stands as their go-to attacker. The Butler commit has cleared 300 kills and is hitting over .300, with nearly 50 aces and over 200 digs on the season. She shined amid the team's 20-match win streak (25 kills vs. Carmel; 20 vs. Westfield), and should have North Central playing for a sectional championship opposite Cathedral or North Central on Saturday night.
Kennedy Urban, Franklin, Sr., setter
In search of their first sectional championship since 2011, the Grizzly Cubs boast a potent attack with sophom*ore Rose Mahin and senior Scarlett Kimbrell, plus an extremely talented setter in Urban. The senior is averaging about 10 assists per set (848 total, about 50 shy of her career-high) with 48 aces and 258 digs. Franklin has not faced East Central, but is 5-0 against the rest of the sectional (all sweeps; beat Whiteland twice).
Kamryn Utley, Cathedral, Sr., setter
Utley's chemistry with her hitters — specifically fellow senior Taylor Lewis and freshman Hayden Mandsager — is invaluable, and she has over 800 assists to show for it. But there's a lot of value in her defensive capabilities, as well. The senior Lehigh commit averages about three digs per set (eight per match), highlighted by a season-high 15 vs. Center Grove. The Irish are favored to win their sectional, but that Saturday doubleheader won't be easy with Lawrence North and North Central likely in their way.
Ava Utterback, Plainfield, Sr., outside hitter
The Louisville commit is healthy and on an absolute tear alongside fellow senior Maddie Lynch. Utterback, who missed most of last season due to injury, has a career-high 503 kills (.316 hit%), 41 aces, 65 blocks and 271 digs. The Quakers have won seven of eight entering a wide-open (and extremely competitive) sectional with Avon, Brownsburg and Terre Haute North and South.
Molly Welborn, Scecina, Jr., outside hitter
The 5-7 Welborn has upped her efficiency (.266 hit%) and nearly doubled her kill total (451) in her second varsity season, powering the Crusaders (20-11) against a schedule that's included Greenfield-Central, Lutheran, FW Blackhawk Christian, Franklin, Hamilton Heights and Cathedral. Scecina swept first-round opponent Triton Central on Sept. 26.
Faith Wiseman, Indian Creek, Sr., middle hitter
The senior Indiana basketball commit is averaging around four kills per set with a robust .380 hit%. She's also put down 42 blocks, 15 of which have been solo efforts. One of two seniors on the roster — setter Grayson Burkett is the other — Wiseman helped the Braves to an 18-4 regular-season finish. They beat first-round opponent Edgewood in four sets on Sept. 14
Ellen Zapp, Center Grove, Jr., outside hitter
The Trojans rejoined the 20-win club this season, collecting 24 against a schedule that included Cathedral, Plainfield, Providence, Roncalli and HSE. Zapp leads the same trio of attackers (Reese Dunkle and Sophie Sabol) with a team-high 341 kills. She had 18 terminations and hit .273 in a five-set loss to Tri-West in the regular-season finale.
Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at@Brian_Haenchen.
