MaxPreps 2014 All-American Girls Volleyball Team
Photos by MaxPreps photographers
Player of the Year - Alexa Smith, Lewis-Palmer (Monument, Colo.)
Smith capped a brilliant four-year career at Lewis-Palmer by being named MaxPreps 2014 National Volleyball Player of the Year.
Smith, who will attend Purdue, led the Rangers to a perfect 2014 season and state 4A title when she averaged 4.2 kills (51.9% kill pct.), an ace per set (72 overall at a 93.6 pct.), 2.3 digs, while blocking 38 shots and returning 415 serves with just 14 errors.
But statistics aren't what sets the 6-1 Smith atop the final POY voting. In fact, her numbers are down from previous years.
Photoby Matt Daniels
Alexa Smith, Lewis-Palmer
That's because most teams played away from her, not wanting to experience her hitting ability. Yet Smith still managed to be the Rangers' primary passer in all six rotations and led the team with a passing percentage of 2.43.
It's that all-around ability that enabled Smith to be chosen as a member of the U.S. Women's Junior National Team last summer, and named an Under Armour All-American, as well as Colorado's 2014 State 4A Player of the Year. She was also honored as the Gatorade Player of the Year for Colorado.
Ranger coach Susan Odenbaugh knew Smith was special the first time they met.
"From the moment that she stepped on the court at Lewis-Palmer, we all knew that Alexa was something special," said Odenbaugh. "What makes Alexa so special is that she is a gifted six-position player."
Odenbaugh noted that after Smith's first two matches as a freshman, she was honored by a local newspaper as Player of the Week.
"Her response was ‘this is crazy. I am only a freshman.' That type of humility continued throughout her high-school career," said Odenbaugh. "Every time she received any type of accolades, she accepted those awards with both grace and humility and was quick to acknowledge her teammates as being key factors behind her success."
As a freshman, Smith set the all-time state 4A record for both kills in a match with 47 and kills in a season with 545. She will graduate as second in the state with 1,857 career kills. Her career kill percentage is an impressive 50.9 percent, and her hitting percentage is .396. Add to that 1,264 career digs, and a 92 percent career serving percentage.
But her leadership was likely her greatest asset in 2014.
"Alexa's teammates love playing with her because she is such an innately gifted leader who has guided them to play selflessly by playing for one another," said Odenbaugh. "Never did Alexa seek the limelight or consider herself the ‘star" of the team.
"She simply exudes a grace and confidence on the court that is admired by almost everyone, both players and coaches alike. The passion that she exhibited ignited our team's success. She will certainly be missed at L-P as she will graduate as the most gifted athlete ever to have played for our school."
Coach of the Year - Susan Odenbaugh, Lewis-Palmer
Odenbaugh has been coaching for 32 years, the last 13 as head coach at Lewis-Palmer.
She said her team's depth, work ethic and dedication keyed the dream national championship season.
"It has been an honor and a privilege to coach such talented and gifted young ladies of such impeccable character," said Odenbaugh. "All of the credit goes to them. They are easily the most talented team that I have coached, and we were successful because of our depth."
She emphasized that all players contributed to the team's success.
The Rangers had just two seniors (Smith and Nicole Montgomery), six juniors, three sophomores and a pair of freshmen. Seven players recorded more than 75 kills, six served double digit aces, six recorded 15 or more blocked shots, and six had 75 digs or more.
"They are an exceptional group of passionate players who not only knew how to have fun while they were playing, but who also kept everything in perspective," said Odenbaugh. "It was truly a blessing to be able to coach these young ladies; this has certainly been one of the most memorable seasons of my coaching career."
Team of the Year - Lewis-Palmer
Make it a clean sweep - POY, COY and now Team of the Year. Finishing atop the MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Volleyball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard gives Lewis-Palmer the 2014 mythical national championship.
The Rangers won Colorado's 4A title and all 29 of their matches, losing just five sets and winning 83.
"That we ‘swept' all categories is certainly an amazing honor," said Odenbaugh. "Alexa is certainly the contributing factor behind that kind of success. Undoubtedly, she is one of the most gifted all-around players in the history of our state. She plays with such ease and grace that it almost seems as though everything comes effortlessly to her; however, she is one of the most hard-working, dedicated athletes whom I have had the pleasure of coaching, and she is a student of the game."
2014 MaxPreps Volleyball All-American Team
First Team
OH - Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani, Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 6-4 Sr.
Photoby Daryl Chan
Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani, Redondo Union
Bedart-Ghani, who was committed to Texas, was California's Gatorade winner after leading the Sea Hawks to a 39-2 record and the D-I state title. Bedart-Ghani slammed 483 kills while compiling a .538 kill percentage and .403 hitting percentage. Also an Under Armour First Team All-America selection as named by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, she added 163 digs, 82 blocks and 63 service aces in 2014. She was a sophomore at Marymount (Los Angeles) when the Sailors captured the 2012 D-I state title.
OH - Madison Duello, Liberty (Liberty, Mo.), 6-3 Sr.
Duello recorded 546 kills, 239 digs, 53 blocks and 23 aces in leading the Blue Jays (34-2-1) to a fourth-place finish in the Class 4 state tournament. Duello posted a hitting percentage of .403 and a kill percentage of .495. A 2014 First Team All-America selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Duello concluded her prep volleyball career with 1,391 kills and 699 digs and was Missouri's Gatorade winner. She will attend Wisconsin.
OH - Courtney Furlong, Oviedo (Fla.), 6-3 Sr.
Furlong, who has committed to South Carolina, slammed 487 kills while recording a .450 kill percentage and .325 hitting percentage this past season, leading the Lions (20-9) to the Class 7A regional semifinals. The two-time Class 7A Player of the Year as named by the Florida Dairy Farmers, Furlong also collected 592 service receptions, 361 digs, 37 blocks and 32 service aces.
OH - Alyssa Enneking, Clear Falls (League City, Texas), 5-11 Sr.
Enneking, who has signed with the University of Oklahoma, amassed 858 kills, 580 digs and 63 blocks while leading the Knights (33-11) to the Class 6A state finals. A 2014-15 Under Armour First Team All-America selection, Enneking is a three-time All-State honoree and was chosen Class 5A-6A Athlete of the Year by the Texas Girls Coaches Association.
OH - Katherine Carlson, Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac, Mich.), 5-11, Sr.
Carlson amassed 1,042 kills, 425 digs, 114 service aces and 63 blocks while posting a kill percentage of .600 and leading the Fighting Irish (57-6) to the Class B semifinals this past season. The state's 2014 Miss Volleyball winner, she is a 2014-15 American Volleyball Coaches Association Under Armour All-America Honorable Mention selection and a three-time First Team All-State honoree. She will attend Valparaiso.
MH - Audriana Fitzmorris, St. James Academy (Lenexa, Kan.), 6-5 Jr.
St. James had its streak of state titles snapped at six, but Fitzmorris had a monster year with 667 kills (6.5 avg.), 111 blocks and 217 digs as the Thunder got the runner-up trophy and finished 40-7. Fitzmorris also played on the U.S. Junior National team last summer.
MB - Rachael Fara, Benet Academy (Lisle, Ill.), 6-3 Sr.
Fara led Benet to the 4A state title and 41-1 record. She was state tournament MVP and MVP at the Benet Invite, Wheaton Classic and Mizuno Cup, as well as the East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year. She was a first team all-state pick. The Northwestern recruit had a team-high 89 blocks to go with 229 kills.
MB - Merideth Jewell, Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 6-3 Sr.
Jewell led the Jaguars to a 40-1 record, the state championship and a No. 2 ranking nationally by MaxPreps. Jewell recorded 475 kills, 375 digs, 98 blocks and 82 service aces. A 2014-15 Under Armour First Team All-America honoree, she was also named Miss Kentucky Volleyball by the Kentucky Volleyball Coaches Association. She has signed with Morehead St.
MB - Anna Walsh, Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 6-3 Sr.
The Virginia signee finished third in the Dallas area in kills with 657, ranked among the area leaders with 55 solo blocks and 81 block assists and had a hitting percentage of .462. In addition to being a force at the net, the star middle blocker also had 241 digs.
MH - Mikaela Foecke, Holy Trinity Catholic (Fort Madison, Iowa), 6-3 Sr.
Foecke slammed 812 kills and amassed 270 digs, 170 service aces and 95 blocks this past season, leading the Crusaders to a 48-4 record and the school's first state title in any sport. Named Gatorade's National POY, she anchored the U.S. Women's Junior National Team that won gold at last summer's NORCECA Women's U20 Continental Championship. She concluded her prep career with a state-record 2,813 kills. Foecke was named Elite All-State Co-Player of the Year, Iowa Class 1A Player of the Year, All-Hawkeye Player of the Year and State Tournament MVP. Foecke has signed with Nebraska.
S - Kristin Krause, Parkland (Allentown, Pa.), 5-9 Jr.
Krause distributed 842 assists during regular match play and had 1,233 assists in all competitions. The All-State choice totaled 105 aces and a 92.0 serve percentage. Krause was named an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 first-teamer.
S - Jordyn Poulter, Eaglecrest (Centennial, Colo.), 6-0 Sr.
Photoby Matt Daniels
Jordyn Poulter, Eaglecrest
The future University of Illinois player averaged a team-leading 10 assists per set in 2014. The Colorado 5A Player of the Year also led Eaglecrest in aces and blocks and was second in kills, averaging more than three per set, despite setting exclusively. She was also a member of the U.S. Women's Junior National team last summer.
S - Katie Kemp, Brentwood (Tenn.), 5-9 Sr.
Kemp lead Brentwood to the state large school title and a 60-1 record, including victories in its final 60 matches. She dished out 1,703 assists (10.6 per set average), had 2,326 digs and 81 aces with a 92 percent serving average.
S - Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.), 6-0 Sr.
Seliger-Swenson was named Minnesota's Miss Volleyball after leading the Royals (23-6) to the Class 3A Section 6 semifinals, amassing 1,063 total assists (12.8 per set), 268 digs (2.9) and 98 service aces (1.1). She was the state large school POY, three-time First Team All-State selection and the 2014 Minneapolis Star Tribune Player of the Year. She has signed with Minnesota.
A-A - Carly Townsend, Germantown (Wis.), 5-11 Sr.
Townsend recorded 689 assists, 582 kills, 65 blocks and 42 service aces while posting a kill percentage of .583 and leading the Warhawks (37-14) to the DI semifinals. The 2014 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel POY, Townsend has signed with Toledo.
A-A - Ryann DeJarld, Mother McAuley (Chicago), 5-10 Sr.
DeJarld, who has signed with Notre Dame, was named All-State and the Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year. The outside hitter had 289 kills and 306 digs and served for 65 aces. She was the GCAC Red Player of the Year and earned second-team honors on the Under Armour All-American squad.
A-A - Jenna Tunnell, Desert Vista (Phoenix), 5-11 Sr.
Tunnell led the Thunder to a 41-3 record and the D-I state title. She was also the 2014 Arizona Republic Big School Player of the Year. Tunnell dished out 500 assists and compiled 309 kills, 199 digs, 87 blocks and 41 service aces while posing a .478 kill percentage. She has signed with Pepperdine.
Second Team
OH - Molly Haggerty, St. Francis (Wheaton, Ill.), 6-2 Jr.
Haggerty led the Spartans to a 38-4 record and the Class 3A state title and slammed 381 kills with 152 digs, 53 blocks and 20 service aces while posting a .540 kill percentage. The 2014 News-Gazette All-State Volleyball Player of the Year was also the Illinois Gatorade winner.
OH - Lindsey Ruddins, Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, Calif.), 6-2 Sr.
Ruddins, who has committed to Santa Barbara, led the Wolverines to a high national ranking and a 29-2 season. She averaged 5.4 kills per set and was among team leaders in digs, blocks and serving. The was CIF Southern Section D-I Player of the Year.
OH - Khalia Lanier, Xavier College Prep (Phoenix), 6-2 Jr.
Photoby Mark Jones
Khalia Lanier, Xavier College Prep
Named Arizona's Large School Player of the Year last season as a sophomore, she led Xavier to 37-4 season as a junior. She averaged five kills and four digs per set, and led the state semifinal team with 45 aces, She has committed to USC.
OH - Taylor Lord, Musselman (Inwood, W. Va.), 5-9 Sr.
Lord led the Applemen to a 49-6-1 record and a second consecutive 3A state championship. The state's returning Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year, Lord slammed 758 kills while recording a .505 kill percentage and .418 hitting percentage. A two-time State Player of the Year, Lord also amassed 479 service receptions, 341 digs, 57 service aces and 43 blocks. She has signed with West Virginia.
L - Amber MacDonald, Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 5-4 Sr.
The Titans won two state championships during MacDonald's tenure, including in 2014, and advanced to the state tournament finals all four years. She finished her career with 2,355 digs, including 787 as a senior. MacDonald, who is second all-time in Georgia state history in career digs, has committed to Wisconsin.
S - Kylie Pickrell, Coppell (Texas), 5-11 Sr.
Pickrell, who has committed to Arizona State, led a young Coppell team to a 32-12 record when she totaled 197 kills, 41 aces, 73 blocks, 411 digs and 1,152 assists in 127 sets.
MB - Lexie Hamrick, Mercy (Louisville, Ky.), 6-3 Sr.
Hamrick guided Mercy to the Kentucky state championship and a 41-1 record, and was named State Tournament MVP. She led Mercy in blocks (344) and hitting percentage (.496) and was named to the Kentucky High School All-State Tournament team and All-Region team in 2013 and 2014. She has signed with North Carolina.
MB - Leah Meyer, St. Mary's (Lancaster, N.Y.), 6-3 Sr.
Meyer led the Lancers to a 47-0-1 record and the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association championship. Meyer recorded 460 kills, 139 digs, 79 blocks and 53 service aces this past season, with a hitting percentage of .468. A four-time All-Conference selection and a three-time Monsignor Martin League MVP. She has signed with Duke.
MH - Jess Schaben, Harlan (Iowa), 6-1 Sr.
Schaben, who has signed with Iowa State, led Harlan to a 39-2 record and the state 4A title. She boosted 472 kills (5.0 avg.), 30 aces, 70 blocks, and 175 digs on the season.
OH - Jessica Bartholomew, East Coweta (Sharpsburg, Ga.), 6-1 Sr.
Bartholomew elevated her game so much from her junior to senior seasons that she was named Georgia large school Player of the Year. As a senior, she averaged 4.8 kills, 3.1 digs, 3.9 serve receptions and blocked 54 shots and served 69 aces. She has signed with Duke.
OH - Carly Skjodt, Carmel (Ind.), 6-0 Sr.
Skjodt led the Greyhounds to a 32-7 record and the Class 4A state championship this past season. An Under Armour First Team All-America selection as named by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Skjodt slammed 584 kills while recording a .414 hitting percentage. A three-time Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association Class 4A First Team All-State honoree, Skjodt also amassed 465 digs, 332 service receptions, 93 blocks, 33 service aces and 30 assists. Skjodt will attend Michigan.
S - Symone Tran, Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 5-9 Sr.
The quarterback to Jesuit's 37-0 season and 6A state title, Tran averaged 12.4 assists per set (1,078 total) and chipped in 149 digs and 39 aces with a serving average of 95.6. She has signed with Seattle Pacific University.
S - Jessie Prichard, Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 5-7 Jr.
Photoby Michael Jaynes
Jessie Prichard, Santiago
Prichard earned CIF Southern Section first-team honors for the second consecutive season after helping the Sharks reach the D-IA championship match. Prichard finished the season with an area-high 1,195 assists, the second-highest total in area history, and she also registered 63 aces and 53 blocks.
S - Caitlyn Floyd, Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 5-7 Jr.
Floyd was the setter on the nation's No. 10 team and dished out 1,151 assists (12 per set) as her team won 47 of 49 games and the New Jersey Tournament of Champions. She also served 78 aces en route to being named all-state.
L - Tori Roe, Lafayette (Wildwood, Mo.), 5-6 Sr.
Roe finished with a team-high 514 digs this past season, giving her more than 1,046 over three seasons. She handled 317 serves with only 20 errors for a lofty 93.69 service-receive success percentage and led Lafayette to the 4A state title. Roe, who has signed with Oral Roberts, was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Player of the Year.
A-A - Amanda Carroll, Sandia (Albuquerque, N.M.), 5-11 Sr.
Carroll, New Mexico's Gatorade two-time champ, tallied 331 kills, 353 digs, 113 blocks and 27 service aces this past season, leading the Matadors (20-1) to the Class 6A state semifinals. Carroll is a two-time District 5-5A Player of the Year. She will attend Florida Gulf Coast University.
Third Team
MB - Alexa Dreyer, Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 6-4 Sr.
Photoby Jann Hendry
Alexa Dreyer, Archbishop Mitty
Named the top player in one of the toughest leagues either side of the Mississippi, Dreyer led Mitty to another state title with 286 kills (3.0), 26 aces (92 pct.), and 61 blocks. She will attend UCLA.
MH - Sarah Kelly, Chaska (Minn.), 5-11 Sr.
Often overlooked because of Chaska's depth, Kelly is one of the most dynamic hitters in the state. She had 345 kills as Chaska won the large school state title. She will play at Minnesota-Duluth.
OH - Alyse Ford, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 5-9 Sr.
Though she missed half of the season, Ford made her presence known in the final 60 sets when the Monarchs went 16-2, losing only to California state champion Redondo Union. The future USC Trojan was named CIF Southern Section co-Player of the Year after recording 5.4 kills (51 pct.) and 166 digs.
OH - Lindsey Vander Weide, Pitman (Turlock, Calif.), 6-3 Sr.
Vander Weide led The Pride to the large school state title game and a 44-2 season. She totaled 471 kills (4.7), 92 percent serving, 260 digs and returned 333 serves. She has signed with Oregon.
OH/MB - Micaya White, Centennial (Frisco, Texas), 6-1 Sr.
The Texas-bound White averaged 5.1 kills (53 pct. hitting), and three digs per set in leading Centennial to a 40-win season.
OH - Morgan Johnson, DeSoto (Texas), 6-2 Sr.
Morgan led the Eagles to a 36-win season with 205 blocks (two per set), 420 kills (4.0 and 63 pct. hitting) and 22 digs. She has signed with Texas.
OH - Carmen Annevelink, Los Altos (Calif.), 6-3 Sr.
Annevelink led the Eagles to a 34-7 record and deep playoff run with big numbers: 5.6 kills per set, 65 aces, 218 digs and 360 serve receptions. She will attend California.
OH - McKenna Granato, Punahou (Honolulu), 5-11 Sr.
Granato led the Buff n' Blue to a 28-3 record and the D-I state title when she tallied 375 kills, 295 digs, 127 blocks and 96 service aces while posting a .551 kill percentage and a .521 hitting percentage. A 2014-15 American Volleyball Coaches Association Under Armour First Team All-America selection, she was Hawaii's Gatorade winner. She will attend Hawaii.
OH - Beth Prince, Avon (Ind.), 6-3 Sr.
Headed to the University of Illinois, Prince concluded an award-winning four years by leading Avon to a 28-9 season and deep playoff run. She averaged 4.5 kills, and had 60 blocks, 181 digs and 28 aces in 103 sets.
S - Hannah Juley, Lyons (LaGrange, Ill.), 5-10 Sr.
Juley led the Lions to the sectional finals before wrapping up her career with more than 1,500 assists, 300 kills, 80 aces and 140 blocks. She will attend Wisconsin.
S - Audrey Alford, Norman North (Okla.), 5-10, Sr.
Signed with Oklahoma, Alford recorded 1,021 assists, 292 digs, 99 kills and 56 service aces while posting a kill percentage of .420 and leading the Timberwolves to the Class 6A quarterfinals. A 2014 First Team All-State selection, Alford is also a 2014-15 American Volleyball Coaches Association Second Team Under Armour All-America honoree.
S - Kori Kutsch, South (Torrance, Calif.), 5-8 Sr.
Photoby Daryl Chan
Kori Kutsch, South
Kutsch was quarterback on the state's No. 2 D-II team as she dished out 1, 298 assists (11.6 avg.) and recorded 438 digs (4.0) and served 52 aces.
S - Maggie Marsh, Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), 5-11 Sr.
During Wando's 4A state championship season, Marsh proved to be a floor leader as the Warriors compiled a 57-6 record. She led the team with 1,183 assists. She also had 114 blocks and 140 kills. She signed with Newberry College.
L - Margo Wolf, Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati), 5-8 Sr.
Wolf led the Cougars to a 27-2 record and their second straight D-I state title. A 2014-15 American Volleyball Coaches Association Honorable Mention Under Armour All-America selection, she recorded 480 digs (16.6 per match), along with 24 service aces. Wolf is a two-time First Team All-State honoree and was named the 2014 Girls Greater Catholic League POY and state Gatorade winner. She has signed with Dayton.
A-A - Morgan Miller, Magnolia (Texas), 6-0 Sr.
Miller recorded 689 kills in 45 matches for Magnolia, which finished the season with a 22-23 record. She also tallied 466 digs, 92 aces, 89 assists and 35 blocks and helped the Lady Bulldogs reach the regional quarterfinals. She has signed with Louisville.
A-A - Lo Utchen, Monte Vista (Danville, Calif.), 5-7, Sr.
Utchen, a setter and the East Bay Area League MVP, was a floor leader for the 30-7 team, finishing with 69 aces, 77 blocks, 213 digs, and 946 assists.
