2022 Volleyball Preview Capsules

Rob McCurdy, Marion Star
·9 min read
Izzy Wickline of Cardington sends the ball over the net in the Division III district volleyball final.
Izzy Wickline of Cardington sends the ball over the net in the Division III district volleyball final.

Cardington Pirates

  • Conference: Knox Morrow Athletic.

  • Coach: Ryan Trease (fifth season, 75-26).

  • Assistants: Linda Brininger, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Christian Jamal, Sam Brininger.

  • Last Year: 21-4, Division III district champs.

  • Roster: Izzy Wickline (Sr., 5-11, MH, second-team KMAC and district, three letters), Payton Goodman (Sr., 5-6, OH, two letters), Madison Linkous (Sr., 5-9, RS, three letters), Jadine Mills (Sr., S, second-team KMAC and district, two letters), Audrey Brininger (Sr., 5-11, OH, first-team and Player of the Year in KMAC and district, first-team All-Ohio, three letters), Alexis Crone (Sr., 5-9, MH, letter), Cadie Long (Sr., 5-6, L, first-team KMAC and district, three letters), Lily Clark (Jr., 5-7, OH), Autumn Holt (Jr., 5-6, MH/OH), Abby Ufferman (Jr., 5-8, S)

  • Notes: The Pirates return six starters and four have started since their freshman season ... Four of the returnees are all-league and all-district ... They have experience playing in the last three district finals and winning it last season for the first time in program history ... Cardington plays extremely well when out of system ... Audrey Brininger is one of the top 22 high school volleyball players in the state, according to a USA Today Network-Ohio poll ... They must replace five impactful grads in Emalee Artz, Olivia Holt, Kayleigh Ufferman, Maggie Wade and Riley Burchett ... The Pirates need to heal up and stay healthy.

  • Comment: "I hate doing this, but we are the favorite again. Centerburg will be the biggest challenge this season to us," Trease said.

Elgin Comets

  • Conference: Northwest Central.

  • Coach: Alyssa Harrer (first season).

  • Assistants: Kristi Brown, Josi Wolf.

  • Roster: Maddi Casey (So.), Madelyn Ruth (Jr,, 5-1, S), Katie Penry (Jr., 5-2, DS), Jordan Wall (Fr., 5-6, MB), Belainy Boles (So., 5-6, MB), Gracie Isler (Jr., 5-3, DS), Mekena Smith (Sr., 5-2, DS), Sierra Deal (Jr., 5-10, MB), Emmalee Hunter (Sr., 5-7, OH), Taylor Schoen (Jr., 5-10, MB), Hanah Rhodes (Jr., 5-7, MB), Sarah St. Germain (Sr., 5-3, OH), Isabel Pauly (So., 5-8, S/MB), Alyvia Roth (Sr., 5-5, S/OH).

  • Notes: All but three players have some varsity experience ... Others have been playing varsity for three or four seasons ... Key returnees are back to run the offense and control the defense ... After a couple of sub-par seasons, the Comets want to turn their team around ... Isler is coming back from a knee injury ... Mikayla Hill, Tifffany Hix and Katie Yates graduated ... Harrer wants to see her team rise to the challenge of improving this year.

  • Comment: "Our team goal this year is to be competitive in the NWCC," Harrer said.

Highland's Zoya Winkelfoos returns a serve by River Valley in a volleyball match in 2021.
Highland's Zoya Winkelfoos returns a serve by River Valley in a volleyball match in 2021.

Highland Scots

  • Conference: Mid Ohio Athletic.

  • Coach: Rob Terrill (11th season, 252-40; 13th season overall, 282-56).

  • Assistants: Shannon Belcher, Abby Steele, Gena West.

  • Last Year: 22-5, MOAC champs, Division II district champs.

  • Returnees: Zoya Winkelfoos (Sr., 5-8, S/OH, second-team MOAC, HM district, 58 aces, 204 digs), Brooke Schott (Sr., 5-10, MH, 91 kills), Alexis Eusey (Sr., 5-8, OH/DS, 120 digs), Camryn Miller (Jr., 5-4, L, 61 digs, 10 aces), Larsen Terrill (So., 5-11, S/OH, 125 kills, Kameron Stover (So., 5-9, OH/DS, 124 kills).

  • Notes: The Scots will lean on their six letter winners ... Highland has good ball control, serving and court awareness ... They lack depth and lost the majority of their offense last year with the graduation of All-Ohioans Ashlynn Belcher and Kendall Stover ... Belcher is playing at Old Dominion and Stover at Grand Valley State.

  • Comment: "We hope to challenge River Valley and Galion for the MOAC, and Pleasant and Shelby should contend as well," Terrill said.

Marion Harding Presidents

  • Conference: MOAC.

  • Coach: Olivia Davis (first season).

  • Assistants: Kylie Borland, Amie Ramsey.

  • Last Year: 6-17.

  • Roster: Jada Davis (Sr., DS/L, second-team MOAC, 4.8 digs per set, 358 digs, 21 aces), Macie Cameron (Jr., DS/L), Paige Powers ((Sr., MH, letter), Ayris Rich (Sr., RS/S, letter), Ayla Longacre (So., DS), Emily Ratliff (So., MH/RS), Nyla Sharp-Holmes (Jr., RS/OH, letter), Allure McDuffie (Sr., RS), Keyani Jackson (Sr., OH/S, letter), Taylor Myers (Sr., RS/S, HM MOAC, 5.7 assists per set, 421 assists, 31 aces), Jaela Woods (So., MH/OH, letter), Sami Torassa (Sr., RS, letter)

  • Notes: The Presidents have experienced seniors who are pushing and leading the underclassmen in the right direction ... They have athletes who can play multiple positions ... The lineup is unsettled but offers many options ... Harding was winless in the MOAC last season so they want to be more competitive in the league ... They lost Alex Vanderborne, Kamry Thompson and Layla Byers to graduation ... Davis is a longtime assistant at Harding who is in her first season as the head coach.

  • Comment: "We are hoping to make some adjustments on both the offensive and defensive ends which will put us in a position to come out and be competitive in the league," Davis said.

Mount Gilead Indians

  • Conference: KMAC.

  • Notes: Mount Gilead was late hiring a coach and did not return information for this season.

Northmor's volleyball team meets during a timeout at the Division IV district semifinal match at Worthington Christian last season.
Northmor's volleyball team meets during a timeout at the Division IV district semifinal match at Worthington Christian last season.

Northmor Golden Knights

  • Conference: KMAC.

  • Coach: Josh Lehman (third season, 35-12).

  • Assistants: Tiffany Kohls, Jeanette Kincaid.

  • Last Year: Division IV district runners-up.

  • Roster: Madelyn Blunk (Sr., LH, letter), Abby Conant (Sr., MH, letter), Amanda Kincaid (Sr., MH, letter), Emily Zeger (Sr., L, letter), Lizzie Erlsten (So., S, letter), Maggie Brewer (Jr., RS, letter), Chloey Keen (Jr., LHm letter), Ali Sheriff (Jr., DS), Hannah James (Fr., MH).

  • Notes: The Golden Knights will count on their defense to carry them this season ... Offensively they need to overcome height disparities at the net ... They moved up from Division IV to III this fall ... Lexi Wenger, Reagan Swihart, Riley Yunker, Rachael Ervin and Maggie Tuttle all graduated.

  • Comment: "Based on last year's teams and what I know, the top teams are going to be Cardington, Fredericktown and Northmor," Lehman said. "I hope we fit in at the top, but Cardington at least is going to be very hard to beat. I don't know how many starters Fredericktown has returning, but they were a great team last year."

North Union Wildcats

  • Conference: Central Buckeye Mad River Division.

  • Coach: Alexis Maenz (third season, 27-20).

  • Assistants: Abbi Osborne, Kaity O'Connors.

  • Last Year: 5-18.

  • Roster: Lyndsey Bard (Sr., 5-4, DS/L), Hope Hall (Sr., 5-7, OH, 119 kills, 28 aces, 107 points, letter), Ellie Keever (Sr., 5-4, DS/L, 151 receptions, letter), Zoe Wedding (Jr., 5-5, S/RS, 171 assists, 221 digs, letter), Riley Heminger (Jr., 5-8, OH/MH, letter), Chailyn Fishbaugh (Sr., 5-5, DS/L, letter), Cagney Stewart (Sr., 5-5, S/RS), Lindsay Willis (Jr., 5-5, OH/S), Sienna Ballinger (Jr., 5-9, MB/RS, CBC Sportsmanship Award, 114 kills, 39 blocks, highest hitting percentage on team, letter), Emma Padovano (Jr., 5-10, MB), Abi Zimmerman (Jr., 5-10, OH/MB, 56 kills, 19 blocks, letter).

  • Notes: The Wildcats are a determined and scrappy bunch ... They have some returnees with experience this season ... They have a positive attitude and want to improve ... The team needs to learn to bounce back from mistakes and move forward ... They lack some height at the net ... North Union will play in Division II this season, up from Division III.

  • Comment: "We expect to play disciplined, team defense and come into the gym every day to compete like it is game day. We are still in the process of setting team goals for our season, but we are always determined to compete for our conference title and are excited being in a new division to make a run in the tournament," Maenz said.

Pleasant's Lexi Olt goes up for a kill during a volleyball match at River Valley last year.
Pleasant's Lexi Olt goes up for a kill during a volleyball match at River Valley last year.

Pleasant Spartans

  • Conference: MOAC.

  • Coach: Kory Ute (first season at Pleasant)

  • Assistants: Matthew McConnaughey, Melinda Wilkins, Dawn Malcom.

  • Last Year: 11-11, 6-8.

  • Roster: Sydney Smith (letter), Emerson Williams (letter), Audrey James (letter), Kenna Ambrose (letter), Lexi Olt (letter), Lily Hawthorne, Madi Pendleton, Maddie Ervin, Avery Malcom, Kenzley Davis, Maddie Aurigemma.

  • Notes: Ute comes to Pleasant after stints at Elgin and Ridgedale ... The team is hungry to win and is learning quickly ... The Spartans need to be mentally focused throughout matches ... Lost to graduation were Ellie Smith, Ella Chase, Lauren Gierhart, Elizabeth Blubaugh and Aleah Robinson.

  • Comment: "They want to continue to grow throughout the season and surprise teams, especially at tournament time. They know to do that they must focus on teamwork as well as being accountable to each other and themselves," Ute said.

Ridgedale's Grace Staton goes up for a block during a volleyball match against Upper Scioto Valley last year.
Ridgedale's Grace Staton goes up for a block during a volleyball match against Upper Scioto Valley last year.

Ridgedale Rockets

  • Conference: NWCC.

  • Coach: Tyler Clark (third season, 25-20).

  • Assistant: Rachel Outcalt.

  • Roster: Lauren Leslie (Jr., 5-7, OH, HM NWCC), Grace Staton (Sr., 5-10, OH/MH, second-team NWCC), Hannah Cook (Jr., 5-2, S, letter), Lilly Ruth (Jr., 5-5, MH/Opp, letter), Mya Brown (Sr., 5-0, L/DS, letter), Richelle Gleespen (Fr., 5-4, OH/MH), Hannah Murphy (Fr., 5-5, OH/S), Mylee Mullins (Fr., 5-6, MH/PH), Brenda Scott (So., 5-7, MH).

  • Notes: With five letter winners returning, the Rockets work hard and communicate well on and off the court ... The numbers are low, so they can't afford absences from anyone ... Three freshmen will be asked to play roles on varsity ... They lost Raylynn Mullins, Jordyn Nutter, Dani Mergy, Emily Mulvaine and Caitlyn Thiel to graduation and one other player who is not playing.

  • Comment: "Our goal is to win the league and make it to the district tournament. We expect to make it to the top of the league, and we expect to have to work hard and work together to make that happen," Clark said.

River Valley gathers during a timeout at last year's Division II volleyball district semifinal match against London at Licking Heights.
River Valley gathers during a timeout at last year's Division II volleyball district semifinal match against London at Licking Heights.

River Valley Vikings

  • Conference: MOAC

  • Coach: Jayne Klingel.

  • Assistants: Jenn Chiles, Nicole Hummel, Leticia Harbolt.

  • Last Year: 18-6.

  • Roster: Morgan Nemeth (Sr., 5-6, S, two letters), Janelle Hoback (Sr., 5-6, Opp, two letters), Haleigh Creps (Sr., 6-0, MH, two letters, first-team MOAC and district), Reagan Hummel (Sr., 5-7, OH, letter), Eden Osborne (Sr., 5-5, L, letter), Kendall Smith (Jr., MH), Camryn Rogers (Jr., S), Carly Cerny (Jr., OH), Kennedy Hummel (Jr,, OH), Madi Ward (Jr., Opp), Reagan Fitsko (So., MH), Emma Shiles (Fr., S).

  • Notes: Creps is one of the top hitters in the league and Central District ... Nemeth as a setter and Hoback on the opposite side are veterans ... With the graduation of libero Nichole Green, there is concern with RV's passing and serve reception ... Also lost to graduation was Hannah Logan, the school record holder for blocks, and Samantha Osborne.

  • Comment: "We would love to win the MOAC," Klingel said.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: 2022 Volleyball Preview Capsules