The Republic's 2022 All-Arizona girls HS volleyball Player of the Year nominees, Coach of the Year
Here is The Arizona Republic's All-Arizona girls volleyball team for the fall 2022 season and coach of the year. Players are listed in alphabetical order. Members of the All-Arizona girls volleyball team are nominees for Girls Volleyball Player of the Year to be announced at the 2023 Arizona High School Sports Awards, produced in partnership with Diamond Kitchen and Bath. Nominated athletes can click here to register.
The show will be held this spring. Date and location to be announced.
Melia Barlow, Sr., S, Chandler Hamilton
Although Hamilton came one match short of a 6A three-peat, Barlow once again stood out as an elite setter. For the second year in a row, she led the state in assists, with 1,299, including a season-high 58 in Hamilton’s semifinal win over Liberty.
Kierstyn Barton, Sr., OH, Tempe Corona del Sol
When Corona del Sol needed her most in the 6A championship game, Barton took over. First, she kept the Aztecs alive with six kills in the fourth set. Then, in the decisive fifth set, she knocked down five kills to carry Corona del Sol to its third state title. Barton will play at Washington next fall.
Neomi Beach, Sr, OH, Hamilton
After earning an All-Arizona honorable mention last fall, Beach had an unenviable task this season. As Hamilton’s most talented outside hitter, the San Diego commit had to replace the production of two of the school’s best-ever players, Jordan Middleton and Micah Gryniewicz. Beach, though, lived up to the challenge admirably. She knocked down 673 kills, the best mark among big-school players, and guided the Huskies back to the title game.
Avery Burks, Sr., OH, Gilbert Perry
After being named to the All-Arizona team a year ago, Burks upped her game even more this fall. She knocked down 534 kills, good for 4.8 per set — up 1.2 from last season. With her dominance, the Tulane commit helped lead Perry to the 6A semifinals.
Raechelle Dykstra, Jr., OH, Buckeye Verrado
From under .500 last year to 32-7 in 2022, Verrado was one of the surprises of the season across the state. In large part, that success can be credited to Dykstra’s dominance. She knocked down an incredible 5.8 kills per set and led 5A with 598 on the season.
Aubrey Goodere, Jr., MB, Goodyear Estrella Foothills
Goodere might not have the flashy stats of some of the other top players in the state, but at 6-foot-3, she’s the type of do-everything presence that can win matches. That was certainly the case this year, as she helped Estrella Foothills to a 32-1 record en route to the 4A title — the first in program history. Not only did she do her job as a middle blocker with 81 blocks, but she also paced the Wolves with 3.2 kills per set.
Evan Hendrix, Jr., OH, Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep
Hendrix didn’t skip a beat with Notre Dame Prep moving from 4A to 5A after last year’s state championship. For the second year in a row, she knocked down 5.0 kills per set, finishing second in 5A with 557 on the year.
Eryn Jones, Sr., OH, Goodyear Millennium
Jones helped lead Millennium to a third-straight 5A championship game this fall, even if the Tigers ultimately fell short. She finishes her career with an incredible 1,255 kills across four seasons in which she was consistently one of the most dangerous players in the state. Jones is committed to play at TCU.
Ella Lomigoria, Sr., MB, Tempe Corona del Sol
To illustrate Lomigoria’s formidability as a middle blocker, the gap between her 161 blocks and the second-best mark in 6A (123) is bigger than the gap between second and seventh place on that list. Lomigoria also recorded the second best hitting percentage in 6A and knocked down 361 kills, creating a nearly unstoppable duo alongside Barton on Corona del Sol’s path to a state championship. The Long Beach State commit also stepped up when the Aztecs needed her most, recording double-digit kills in all four postseason matches.
Kendal Murphy, Sr., OH, Scottsdale Horizon
As the key returning piece from last year’s 5A championship team, Murphy, who is committed to Baylor, dominated once again as a senior. She knocked down 459 kills — 97 more than a year ago — helping lead Horizon to a repeat title.
Mckenzie Schoenhardt, Sr., L, Gilbert
It’s not easy to stand out as a libero, nor is it easy to stand out on a team that gets knocked out in the quarterfinals, as Gilbert did in 6A. But Schoenhardt did just that this season, thanks to her elite range. Her 669 digs were nearly 200 more than anyone else in 6A as she helped Gilbert to a 26-win season.
Teraya Sigler, So., OH, Horizon
From the moment she became eligible on Sept. 26 after transferring from Phoenix Country Day, Sigler flat-out dominated. She finished the season with 4.5 kills per set, but even that doesn’t fully illustrate the impact she had on every match Horizon played. Her performance in the 5A state championship game was the most impressive in the state this year, as she knocked down 26 kills, repeatedly rescuing the Huskies in precarious situations.
Honorable mentions: Arianne Begay, Rock Point; Kenna Cogill, Perry; Milan Mendoza, Chandler Basha; Tatum Longnecker, Phoenix Arcadia; Lauren Mullings, Hamilton; Korah Nordin, Chandler Valley Christian; Julia Owens, Corona del Sol; Francesca Pieroni, Tucson Salpointe Catholic; Marielle Ramos, Surprise Valley Vista; Quincy Rodin, Phoenix Country Day; Livi Schneider, Snowflake; Ellie Trimble, Peoria Liberty; Lexi Yoza, Notre Dame Prep
Coach of the year
Ben Maxfield, Corona del Sol
On the court, Corona del Sol was led by Barton and Lomigoria. But Maxfield brought it all together, providing a talented group with the leadership necessary to win his and the program’s first title since 2016. No match exemplified that better than the state championship, when Maxfield’s team displayed the requisite poise to overcome a 2-1 deficit and knock off two-time reigning champion Hamilton.
Also considered: Sharon Vanis, Hamilton; Valorie McKenzie, Horizon; Jennifer Gonzales, Estrella Foothills; Heather Moore-Martin, Salpointe Catholic; Jamie Robinson, Snowflake; Kat Glaeseman, Phoenix Country Day
How they were selected
The players and coaches were chosen by the azcentral sports high school sports reporters, using personal observations and interviews with players and coaches as well as statistics and rankings.
Theo Mackie covers Arizona high school sports and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He can be reached by email at theo.mackie@gannett.com and on Twitter @theo_mackie.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2022 All-Arizona girls volleyball team, Coach of the Year
