Prep Volleyball- The 2024 Iowa high school volleyball season is set to have their first serve take place on Monday, August 26th, which is a mere two weeks away. So, let’s look at the Southeast Iowa Super Conference (SEISC) and who some of the big players are going to be.
SEISC-North
Wapello was the top team in the North last season with an 8-0 regular season record against the North, but a 6-10 record against the SEISC South. One of those six wins came against Central Lee in the SEISC tournament, which claimed 3rd place for the Arrows.
A big reason for the success was their seniors: Emily Hemphil, Tyra Lanz, and Jacie Hoeg. Hemphil led the North in kills by over 100 with 326 for the season and 47 blocks, while Lanz added 119 kills and 40 blocks of her own. Hoeg was one of the two Arrows dishing up passes with 304 assists, which ranked 5th in the North.
Despite the trio graduating, the Arrows have multiple reasons to be optimistic. Annaka Greiner, now a sophomore, led the team in assists last season with 347 and was in the top 10 in service aces. Another freshman that ranked high in the conference was Mya Wagner with the third most digs with 317.
Expect Kate Lanz, a junior, to step up in the attacking position as she tabbed 56 kills and 25 blocks in her sophomore campaign.
Biggest Strength: Passing
Biggest Question: Attacking
Winfield-Mt. Union went 7-2 in the SEISC-North with a senior heavy squad. Audrie Gipple led the team with 200 kills. Aurey Meeker led the team in assists and aces with 274 and 37, respectively, followed by Jessi Renken with 179. Additionally, Lily Freeman led the conference with 42 blocks.
Pacey Schlee will look to lead the squad in her senior season as she notched 34 aces and 159 digs. Kellee Milks ranked second on the team in kills with 103 for her sophomore season, while Quin Smith tabbed 22 blocks.
Biggest Strength: Serving
Biggest Question: Passing
Highland went 6-2 in the SEISC North with seniors Sarah Burton and Lorelei Lueck providing the two-headed offensive attack, combining for 285 kills. Grace Prybil also helped with a team leading 28 aces and 234 assists for her senior season.
Adeline Krotz will be looking to take a big step forward in her senior campaign after totaling 104 kills and 25 blocks. Nevertheless, that’s about it for returning players. So, the Huskies will have to look for their summer development to aid their success.
Biggest Strength: Adeline Krotz
Biggest Question: Serving
WACO finished 5-3 in North play with a veteran crew. Seniors Emma Wagler, Marie Farmer, and Zoey Dennler combined for 379 kills, while Meredith Roth was the main distributor with 493 assists, tops in the North. Additionally, Halle Shelman notched 335 digs.
Serving is also going to see almost entirely new Warriors back at the line with seniors accounting for over 80% of the team’s aces. Ally Rinner, Ella Huisenga, and Brenna Graber will look to step up at the net as Rinner had 34 blocks.
Morgan Meyer will most likely be the top server with 24 aces, but she will need to improve her serve efficiency of 90.1%.
Biggest Strength: Blocking
Biggest Question: Setter
Columbus, Hillcrest Academy, Pekin, Lone Tree, and Louisa-Muscatine finish out the rest of the North standings, respectively. The Ravens and Wildcats return Claire Withrow and Daniela Diaz the second and third best setters in the North, respectively.
Withrow will team up with senior Malia Yoder, who totaled 209 kills last season, to make Hillcrest Academy a team to fear for the upcoming season. Lone Tree will boast a senior-heavy lineup, which could see the Lions propel up the standings.
SEISC-South
Last year’s conference and state runner-up Holy Trinity Catholic is hoping to keep the tradition rolling after making it to state for the 13th time in the past 14 years. The Crusaders were led by five All-Southeast players and, of course, District Coach of the Year, Melissa Freesmeier.
However, two of those All-Southeast members were seniors: Mary Kate Bendlage, who tabbed over 1,000 career kills, and Natalie Randolph, an all-around talent. Taegan Denning, Reagen Holvoet, and Jenna Hellman also graduated from the squad.
Nevertheless, the Crusaders will be returning towering junior Presley Myers and an experienced sophomore in Adalyn Kruse as the two combined for 479 kills and 206 blocks.
Additionally, Anna Bendlage has had two successful seasons of being the team’s main setter under her belt and Teagan Snaadt is a defensive specialist that keeps plays alive as she led the team with 482 digs.
This squad will have to replace two talented pieces from last year’s state runner-up team but should still be feared in SEISC play.
Biggest Strength: Blocking
Biggest Question: Third Attacker
The South was packed to the gills in talent as West Burlington, last year’s SEISC champion, finished second in the regular season with a 6-1 record. Moreover, the Crusaders and Falcons combined for a perfect record against the North.
West Burlington could very well control the SEISC this year after graduating just two players from last season’s squad. However, one of those names is Taryn Havener as she led the team in kills with 335 and blocks with 68.
A good candidate to fill that slot will be junior Brenna Beggs, who posted 241 kills and 34 blocks in her sophomore campaign. Taryn Snodgrass returns after nabbing 900 assists last season, which led all of the conference.
Their top servers in Madelyn Hamelton and Carli Cline return and following behind are their 107 combined aces. The Falcons could soar to a spot in the Class 2A state tournament.
Biggest Strength: Serving
Biggest Question: Second Attacker
Burlington Notre Dame has been apart of the upper echelons of southeast Iowa volleyball for the past couple of years, collecting a state championship back in 2021. Last year, the squad finished 5-2 in conference play and 26-15 overall.
The Nikes lost a strong trio to graduation with their top two attackers—Aviana West and Taryn Stephens—and their main setter—Lauren Krieger, who finished her career with over 1,000 assists—graduating.
Additionally, the team will be without Lexi Korschgen after a knee injury ended her season and she was second on the team in assists.
The Nikes will be leaning on junior Madalynn Knapp and sophomore Addi Brockway to help lead this team in a stacked South division. A positive note is the team did compete in a tournament in early August at Central College, finishing 7-2 and 5th out of 32 teams.
Biggest Strength: Blocking (Returns 80% of their total blocks)
Biggest Question: Setter
Mediapolis hung out around the middle of the pack last year, collecting a 4-3 conference record against the South. The Bulldogs might have the most to replace from last year with their top four servers graduating.
Jaydon Wirt—their setter—Haley Steffener, Hanna Wagenbach, and Ella Russell all graduate as the latter three combined for 497 of the team’s 672 kills. Add in Lilly Luttenegger generating a team leading 235 digs.
Mediapolis will be very inexperienced this season and they will be asking a lot of Brenna Thie and Maddy Carter in terms of generating attacks.
Biggest Strength: Net Presence
Biggest Question: Setting and Serving
Van Buren County went 3-4 in the conference last season and for the Warriors they will have to replace a big piece in the middle of their front row: Ivy Davison. The senior tallied 311 kills with a 0.320 efficiency and blocked 109 swings.
While that is a big piece of last year’s success now graduated, Van Buren County returns a good amount of talent. Tessa Sayre brought home 68 aces and Sopia Jirak tallied 534 assists as these two will step up for the senior season.
Marlee Mertens could take a big step forward in her junior campaign after nailing 26 aces and 92 kills.
Biggest Strength: Setting and Serving
Biggest Question: Attacking
Danville, New London, and Central Lee round out the rest of the South, combining for a 3-18 record during the regular season last year in division play.
Danville is in a similar boat as Mediapolis as they graduated top producers in Kenna Furnald (All-Southeast), Rylee Morris, and Jaeda Molle to name a few. Miya Orbiana and Micah Svoboda will be the senior leaders for the Bears.
New London was a very young team last season with only two seniors on the squad in Sophie Malott (All-Southeast) and Tysann Gipple. The Tigers struggled to find their main setters last year, depending on two sophomores, there should be more experience this season. Morgan Jones could be quite the versatile piece for New London.
Central Lee found success later in the season, picking up conference wins during the tournament, resulting in a 4th place finish in the SEISC tournament. The Hawks should be very excited about this year’s squad, returning the team leaders in kills, assists, blocks, and digs. Central Lee could make a push towards top three in the South.
