The State’s best: Meet the 2023 all-area high school girls volleyball team
A look at The State’s all-area girls volleyball team from Midlands-area high schools for the 2023 season.
The State’s Player of the Year
Christiana Greene, Cardinal Newman
Player of the Year, reader’s choice (Fan vote)
Alexis Jodie, River Bluff
First Team
▪ Addie Bittner, North Central: Junior was Region 5-2A Region Player of Year and all-state selection. Bittner had 410 Kills, 19 blocks, 77 aces, a 90 percent serve percentage and 282 digs
▪ Laila Brown, Dreher: Senior was all-region and all-state selection for the Blue Devils.
▪ Courtney Burgess, A.C. Flora: Sophomore was all-region and all-state selection this year for the Falcons.
▪ Aryanna Connell, Camden: Junior was all-region and all-state selection with 163 kills, 40 aces, 77.3 serve percentage, 60 blocks, 155 digs and 29 assists.
▪ Kellee Craig, Cardinal Newman: Senior was SCISA North-South All-Star selection with 725 serve receptions, 425 digs, 102 assists and 84 aces.
▪ Destiny Drakeford, Ridge View: Senior was all-region and all-state selection.
▪ Abby Edwards, Chapin: Senior North-South selection was injured during the season but still had 55 assists 14 aces, 90 percent serve efficiency, 49 kills, five blocks and 76 digs. Signed with Virginia Commonwealth.
▪ Joyce Edwards, Camden: Senior North-South selection had 196 kills, 46.7 kill percentage, 33 blocks and 27 digs this season. Signed with South Carolina for basketball.
▪ Damia Ellis, Westwood: Senior was North-South All-Star and had 89 kills, 337 assists, 120 digs, 44 blocks and 30 aces.
▪ Christiana Greene, Cardinal Newman: Senior and Temple signee was SCISA Region 1-4A Player of Year and North-South selection in helping the Cardinals to state championship. Greene had 592 Kills, 46.9 kill percentage, 407 serve receptions, 278 digs, 61 blocks and 55 aces.
▪ Mackenzie Head, Gilbert: Senior had 234 kills, 40 blocks, 53 digs and 25 aces. Signed to play at Coker.
▪ Shamiya Jefferson, Ben Lippen: Freshman had 133 kills and 140 blocks (tops in SCISA) for the Falcons and was a North-South All-Star selection.
▪ Camryn Jeffery, Westwood: Junior was Region 5-4A Player of Year, all-state selection and is committed to play at LSU. Jeffery had 228 kills, 16 aces, 90 percent serving percentage, 129 serve receptions, 89 blocks and 178 digs.
▪ Alexis Jodie, River Bluff: Sophomore was Region 4-5A Player of Year and all-state selection. Jodie had 913 assists, 303 digs and 101 kills this season.
▪ Jayden Johnson, Cardinal Newman: Senior was SCISA all-star selection and had 676 assists, 292 digs, 183 kills, 52 aces and 24 blocks.
▪ Madalyn Jones, Blythewood: Senior North-South selection had 437 digs, 53 aces, 667 service receptions.
▪ Meredith McEnulty, Gilbert: Senior was Region 5-3A Player of Year, all-state selection North-South All-Star selection and committed to Charleston Southern. McEnulty had 153 aces, 183 kills, 296 assists, 104 digs and 16 total blocks.
▪ Masyn McClanahan, River Bluff: Junior libero all-region selection had 444 digs and 45 aces this season for the Gators.
▪ Dani Mejia Chapin: Senior was all-state selection despite being injured early in the season. Finished with 118 kills, 21 aces, 81 digs and 83 percent serve efficiency.
▪ Margaret Northcutt, Pelion: Senior was Region 3-2A Player of Year and all-state selection. Northcutt had 23 aces, 90 percent serving percentage, 127 kills, 46 percent kill percentage and 27 blocks.
▪ Mary Norwood, North Central: Junior was all-state selection and had 393 Kills, 33 blocks, 51 aces, 95 percent serve percentage and 89 digs
▪ Kyasia Savage, Keenan: Savage was all-state selection and had 87 kills, 54.7 kill percentage, 36 aces, 89.2 serve percentage, 81 digs and 82 serve receptions.
▪ Sara Sykes, Lexington: Senior North-South selection had 39 aces, 437 serve receptions, 440 digs, 112 assists this season. Signed with James Madison.
▪ Avery Tucker, Gray Collegiate: Senior was Region 4-2A Player of Year and had 304 digs this season. Signed to play at Ferrum College.
▪ Kendall Vinson, Lexington: Senior was North-South selection had 42 aces, 325 kills, 321 serve receptions, 11 blocks, 245 digs.
▪ Kylie Wilson, River Bluff: Senior was all-region selection and had 344 kills, 207 digs and 23 aces for the Gators.
Second Team
Aria Caldwell, Westwood; Kaitlyn Cannon, Lexington; Ceigan Carter, Keenan; Khloe Cheeks, Newberry Academy; Lou Christian, Heathwood Hall; Kaitlyn Clyburn, Camden; Nicolette Connell, Camden; Reagan Funderburk, Northside Christian; Natalia Gray, Fairfield Central; Dymond Harmon, Keenan; Madison Hines, Hammond; Emma Holland, Pelion; Julia Hurd, Ben Lippen; Hadley Lindner, Northside Christian; Alivia Martin, Ben Lippen; Hannah Miles, Gilbert; McKenna Miller, Cardinal Newman; Weslen McDowell, Gray Collegiate; Lauren Rivers, Cardinal Newman; Taaj Rockman, Blythewood; Kyah Shephard, Gray Collegiate; Lila Smith, Richard Winn; Remi Stripling, Spring Valley; Caroline Tucker, River Bluff
