Meet the SJ-R volleyball players of the year and all-area team
Here are The State Journal-Register's volleyball players of the year and the other members of the Springfield all-area team.
The large-school winner and honorees are listed first, followed by small-school.
LARGE SCHOOL
Elle Richards, Taylorville
Elle Richards helped the Taylorville volleyball team pull off the impossible.
The senior outside hitter uncorked a critical kill to win the second set and the Tornadoes (30-11-1) stunned Normal University in three sets, 22-25, 26-24, 25-23 of the Class 3A Chatham Glenwood Supersectional for the program’s first ever state berth.
Richards then reached the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association all-state tournament team and the Tornadoes hoisted the fourth-place trophy at Redbird Arena in Normal.
“I had trouble sleeping,” Richards said prior to the state finals. “It was so overwhelming and I was so excited and I’m so proud of my team that we were able to do that but I was so overwhelmed with emotions.”
Richards, The State Journal-Register's Large School Volleyball Player of the Year, generated 373 kills, 311 digs, 43 blocks and 36 aces and was duly tabbed to the all-Apollo Conference first team.
She particularly helped cap an unlikely comeback against the Pioneers.
Taylorville trailed the second set 23-17 before coach Kim Peabody called a timeout in what was the team’s second consecutive supersectional appeareance. It previously fell to Normal West in last year’s supersectional.
Peabody’s group responded and Richards clinched the second set with a kill to extend the match.
“She told us that this is our set, we need one pass, we’re going to get a kill and we’re going to push from there,” Richards said of Peabody’s timeout. “It feels amazing. I never thought I’d be here. Ms. Peabody pushes us so hard so we didn’t do this for us, we did this for her.”
Megan Becker, Springfield High
The senior setter/right-side hitter ushered 403 assists, 241 digs, 133 kills, 50 aces and 70 blocks to lead the Senators to a City title and a 26-10 mark. She was named all-Central State Eight Conference.
Ruth Becker, Springfield High
The junior outside hitter and all-Central State Eight Conference honoree totaled 319 digs, 252 kills, 28 aces and 44 blocks.
More:‘Everybody backs everybody’: How Springfield High volleyball captured elusive City title
Kiera Brown, Southeast
The senior outside hitter collected 341 kills, 359 digs, 29 assists, 26 aces and 25 blocks to pick up Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association all-state second team for Class 3A and 4A.
Emma Dixon, Rochester
The senior outside hitter helped power the Rockets to a third straight Class 3A regional title and returns to the all-area list for a second straight season. The all-Central State Eight Conference pick had 232 kills, 131 digs and 17 blocks.
Riley Drake, Jacksonville
The senior outside hitter and all-Central State Eight Conference honoree buoyed the Crimsons with 239 kills, 251 digs and 25 assists.
Kloe Froebe, Lincoln
The junior outside hitter led the Railsplitters to their first Class 3A regional title since 2014. The all-Apollo Conference first-teamer totaled 294 kills, 246 digs, 22 aces and 11 blocks as the team captain.
Rori Hanken, Sacred Heart-Griffin
The NCAA Division I East Tennessee State University commit and all-Central State Eight Conference pick posted 210 kills and 100 blocks as a middle blocker.
More:Area coaching notebook: New Sacred Heart Griffin volleyball coach ready to get to work
Becca Heitzig, Lincoln
The junior libero and cross country star helped fuel the Railsplitters with 365 digs and 38 assists. She was named all-Apollo Conference first team.
Sophie Mizeur, Taylorville
The senior setter amassed 851 assists, 366 digs and 53 aces to help the Tornadoes reach the Class 3A state finals and earned all-Apollo Conference second team.
Kaylen Reed, Rochester
The senior libero is making her third straight appearance on the all-area list. She accrued 521 digs with 83 assists and 43 aces to boot. The all-Central State Eight Conference pick averaged 6.3 digs per set.
Kyra Staples, Sacred Heart-Griffin
The senior libero compiled 452 digs, 38 aces and 36 aces to earn all-Central State Eight Conference honors.
SMALL SCHOOL
Makenna Cox, Lutheran
Nothing seemed to faze senior outside hitter Makenna Cox and the Crusaders.
Mining subsidence, injuries and early deficits — no matter. Lutheran (38-4) weathered it all en route to a state runner-up finish in Class 1A after garnering fourth place the previous season.
When Lutheran fell behind 7-3 in the first set against Norris City-Omaha-Enfield in the state semifinal at Redbird Arena in Normal, it wasn’t anything that Cox and crew couldn’t handle.
The Crusaders ended up claiming the match 28-26, 25-16 behind 19 kills from Cox before falling to Freeport Aquin 25-20, 25-15 in the finale.
"When we got down 7-3 in the first game, I had a flashback to last year remembering that we got down in every game,” The State Journal-Register's Small School Volleyball Player of the Year said after the semifinal. “We know from experience now that we’re able to come back. We fight for our school and each other.”
Mine subsidence forced the Crusaders to relocate to a temporary new gym at Our Savior’s Lutheran School beginning at the start of the season.
Injuries then beset Cox and senior teammate Kaleigh Bergschneider in the postseason. Cox still mustered 18 kills to win the sectional final over Mendon Unity and followed with 23 kills and 16 digs in a 23-25, 25-14, 25-15 Macon Meridian Supersectional win over then defending state champion Champaign St. Thomas More.
Cox said after the win that this second state berth just felt more meaningful after everything they had to endure.
“The fact that we just kept battling and we came back, it's just amazing,” Cox said.
Cox, who is committed to NCAA Division II Missouri Western State University, totaled 607 kills and 418 digs this season.
The four-year starter lifted the Crusaders to a MSM Conference title each season and surpassed 1,000 career kills and digs over that time.
She also finished her high school career on the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association all-state first team for 1A and 2A.
Becky Barrett, Athens
The all-Sangamo Conference first team pick for a third straight season and NCAA Division I Purdue Fort Wayne commit totaled 489 assists and 345 digs while juggling both setter and her natural libero position as a senior. The Athens star set a school record for career digs with 1,356.
More:How Athens and Mount Pulaski support this former volleyball coach and her family
Hailee Belsher, Raymond Lincolnwood
The senior middle hitter was tabbed IVCA all-state first team for 1A and 2A while generating 328 kills and 100 digs. The Lincoln Land Community College commit finished with 1,260 career kills and 860 career digs.
Kaleigh Bergschneider, Lutheran
The senior outside hitter contributed 319 kills and team-high 427 digs — eclipsing 1,000 career digs. The four-year starter was named to the IVCA all-state second team in 1A and 2A.
Peyton Bergschneider, Pleasant Plains
The unanimous all-Sangamo Conference first team honoree garnered 227 kills, 195 digs, 30 aces and 27 blocks to cap her impressive high school career.
Lauren Buxton, Pleasant Plains
Another unanimous all-Sangamo Conference first teamer for Plains, Buxton chalked up a team-best 292 kills to help lift the Cardinals to their second straight Class 2A sectional title. She also led Plains with 71 blocks in addition to 99 digs and 26 aces. She will play at NCAA Division II Lewis University.
More:These 2 middle hitters are fueling Pleasant Plains to another stellar volleyball season
Caleina Herman, Lutheran
The senior setter dished up 989 assists this season and finished her prolific high school career with 2,008 assists. She was named all-MSM Conference first team.
Brooklyn Holdener, Williamsville
The senior middle hitter fueled the Bullets to the Sangamo Conference title and the Class 2A sectional final with 236 kills, 67 digs, 51 blocks and 50 aces. She was tabbed all-Sangamo Conference first team for a second consecutive season as well as IVCA all-state second team for 1A and 2A.
Haris Legendre, Staunton
The senior hitter led the Bulldogs to a third straight outright South Central Conference title with 462 kills, 48 aces, 32 blocks and 275 digs. She was named all-SCC first team.
Kennedy Legendre, Staunton
Haris’ cousin chalked up 201 kills, 252 digs, 51 aces and 35 blocks and also made all-South Central Conference first team as a senior.
Alaina Marr, Petersburg PORTA/A-C Central
The all-Sangamo Conference first team setter wrapped up her final high school season with 740 assists, 202 digs, 60 kills, 47 aces and 23 blocks.
More:How this senior setter willed Petersburg PORTA volleyball deeper into the playoffs
Ella Prince, South County
Named all-MSM Conference for a second consecutive season, the senior libero soared with 524 digs and 58 aces. The third-year starter finished her high school career with more than 1,300 digs.
Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield IHSA volleyball players of the year, all-area team for 2022
