The 2023 high school volleyball season saw Mabel-Canton (14-0, 36-3) win its second straight Section 1A title and make state for a second straight year. Caledonia (9-1, 28-7) won the Section 1AA title and also made state. Each took fourth on the big stage. Fillmore Central (8-2, 23-8) was 1A runner-up, Chatfield (10-0, 26-3) made the 1AA final four, and Spring Grove (12-2, 22-7) also won 20-plus matches. LeRoy-Ostrander (11-3, 19-11), Grand Meadow (11-3, 14-13), Lanesboro (7-7, 14-10), and Rushford-Peterson (4-6, 15-13) won more than they lost while Kingsland (5-9, 8-18) and Houston (4-10, 6-22) were below five-hundred. Chatfield won the TRC, M-C the SEC-East, and L-O and GM split the SEC-West. Six kids from the above schools made All-State. M-C, Chatfield and SG specifically return talented teams while strong programs Caledonia and FC will have to retool. Four of the All-State players return. It again should be a strong season of volleyball for the Journal-covered teams.
The monkey is absolutely gone. After almost two decades of being a section contender but never making state, Lonnie Morken’s Mabel-Canton Cougars are now the two-time reigning and defending 1A champions. After taking third place in 2022 at state, the Coug’s took fourth a year ago, falling to Mayer Lutheran 3-1 in the semifinals and New Life Academy 3-2 in the third-place match. M-C finished 36-3, tying the school record for wins in a season. They won the SEC-East (14-0), claiming their 26th straight league title. This season will be one of expectations. The Cougars graduated exactly no one. M-C returns all four of its All-SEC picks and two Class A All-State players in setter Sahara Morken (5’4” Sr.) and middle hitter Kinley Soiney (5’10” Jr.). Morken (1,211 assists, team-best 373 digs, 89 aces, 96.4% serving, 78 kills) is a three-time All-SEC performer and the reigning Player of the Year. She already is over 3,000 career assists, having posted 1,000-plus three straight seasons. She is also over 1,000 career digs. Soiney led the Cougars with a crazy-high number of kills (585 at a .449 clip, 209 digs, 61 aces, 91 total blocks). She is already over 1,000 career spikes entering her junior year. Also back is three-time All-SEC pick, the Cougars’ second big hitter Saijal Slater (5’8” Sr.). Slafter (363 kills at 44.7% clip, 258 digs, 60 aces) had a team-second-best spike total and is on her way to 1,000 for her career. M-C also returns its fourth All-SEC pick a year ago in Lydia Vatland (5’4” Sr. libero > 269 digs, 56 aces), its All-SEC HM selection Kailey Ingvalson (5’7” Sr. OH > 186 kills, 274 digs, 47 aces) plus regulars Tylar Wenthold (5’7” Jr. RS > 148 kills, 93 digs) and Ava Jacobsen (5’4” Sr. DS > 178 digs, 47 aces). Hope Erickson (5’9” Sr. MH), Ella Halverson (5’8” So. OH) and Lainey Hosting (5’4” Sr. DS) also return after having played in at least 35 of the teams’ 109 sets last season. Erickson was a regular in 2022 but missed a good chunk of last year due to injury. All told, M-C has eight seniors, as Chloe Murray (5’5” MH) joins the seven listed above, a rare situation for the small-program. They are not big but they are as skilled and as seasoned as a squad can be. Schedule-wise, M-C has tourneys at Floodwood and Heritage Christian Academy plus the Class A Showcase in Burnsville (where they were runner-up last year). Key SEC battles will be with Spring Grove September 5 (away) and October 1 (home). M-C starts the year ranked #1 in Class A.
The Chatfield Gophers put forth an excellent season a year ago. In their first year under Coach Kristi Rindels, the Goph’s were Class AA Showcase runner-up. They won the TRC (10-0) and tied their best season ever by going 26-3. Chatfield’s campaign ended at the hands of Cannon Falls by 3-2 tally in the 1AA semis (a match Chatfield led 2-1). Chatfield graduated five seniors with three contributing heavily. Their top departures were All-TRC middle hitter Evy Goldsmith (5’8” > 176 kills) and All-TRC HM pick Alexis Hinckley (5’6” DS > 158 digs). But their other three All-TRC picks return. Two were Class AA All-State selections in the forms of Jaelyn LaPlante (5’8” Sr. OH) and Harper Goldsmith (5’9” Jr. setter/RS). The high leaping LaPlante is one of the top hitters in the area, as she led the squad in kills last year (378 kills, 193 digs, 95.6% serving) in earning her third All-TRC nod. She should top 1,000 career kills this season. Goldsmith morphed from pure setter to a rare triple-double-threat (202 kills, 498 assists, 202 digs, 75 aces) with her versatility, earning her second All-TRC nod. She is already over 1,000 career set assists. Super-libero Cora Bicknese (5’6” So.) is the Gophers’ third returning All-TRC pick. She is one of the area’s top defensive players (team-best 505 digs, 96% serving). The threesome gives Chatfield a splendid passer/setter/hitter combo. Also returning are All-TRC HM picks Trindy Barkeim (5’8” Jr. OH > 166 kills, 99 digs), a third-year player, and Hannah Tweten (5’2” Jr. setter/DS > 318 assists, 142 digs, 59 aces) plus Kylin Schroeder (5’10” Sr. MH > 36 totals blocks). Mya Henry (5’4” DS), Addie Allen (5’4” DS), and Carly Backen (5’9” MB) join with LaPlante and Schroeder to give the Gophers five returning seniors. The Gophers are a favorite to defend their TRC crown and they are also a 1AA title contender. They start the year ranked #2 in Class AA. Schedule-wise, the Gophers will take on tourneys in Apple Valley (Aerie Challenge) and Burnsville twice (including the Class AA Showcase). Key TRC dates are September 5 (home vs FC) and September 10 (at Caledonia). The Gophers open by hosting Cannon Falls in a rematch of last year’s 1AA semifinal.
Caledonia had an epic season a year ago, advancing to the state tourney for the first time since 2016 and third time overall. The Warriors took second in the TRC (9-1) but knocked off state-ranked teams Zumbrota-Mazeppa and Cannon Falls in the semis and finals of the 1AA tourney, including coming back from down 0-2 to beat the Bombers. Scott Koepke’s group was knocking on the door of the state title match too, but fell 3-2 to eventual state champion Pequot Lakes in the semifinals. They then fell 3-1 in the state third place match to Southwest Christian, taking fourth on the big stage. Caledonia finished the year 28-7. Graduation took a toll on the Warriors, as six relied-upon seniors departed. Notably included were four All-TRC picks, top hitter Logan Koepke (5’10” OH > 489 kills, .256 hitting, 308 digs, 42 aces), setter Emma Rommes (5’7” > 1,037 assists, 230 digs, 56 aces, 60 kills), middle Braelyn Lange (5’10” MH > 202 kills, 31 blocks), and libero Emme Kittleson (5’6” > 384 digs, 41 aces). Koepke was three times All-TRC, made Class AA All-State last year, and finished with over 1,000 career kills and digs. Rommes finished with over 1,000 career assists. There will be a bunch of retooling in Warrior-land. And it starts at the top, as Scott Koepke, after an illustrious 600-plus win career, has stepped down. Eighteen-year assistant Dan Reinhart takes over. His cupboard includes three key returning mainstays. All-TRC pick Liv Myhre (6’2” MH > 290 kills, 50 ½ blocks), the team’s second leading hitter last year, heads the cast with her rare length. Aubrie Klug (5’8” Jr. OH/DS > 107 kills, 365 digs) and Sienna Augedahl (6’0” Sr. MH > 123 kills, 54 ½ blocks) are also back after making All-TRC HM. They are the only returnees to really play a lot last season. Aliyah Gantenbein (5’6” DS) and Mariah VonArx (5’6” DS) played a smidge and join Myhre and Augedahl to from a four-girl returning senior class. The squad has seven juniors. The Warriors have tourneys in Apple Valley (Aerie Challenge) and Lakeville-North. Matches with Chatfield (home) and Fillmore Central (away) are September 10 and 24. The Warriors have notable non-conference matches versus Winona and Byron on the road while hosting Decorah and Z-M.
Spring Grove coach Kelsey Morken, after three straight 20-plus-win seasons, welcomes her most experienced lineup ever, including all four All-SEC standouts. The Lions (22-7) were SEC East runners-up to Mabel-Canton for a third straight campaign and for the seventh time in the last nine seasons. SG, which had straight-set wins over both SEC West co-champions, closed with a 3-2 section quarterfinal loss to 24-win Alden-Conger. Five of the seven Lion losses came against state-ranked clubs. Graduation claimed only SEC Honorable Mention Katelyn Kraus. Back to direct the attack is two-time All-SEC senior setter Kendal VanMinsel (5’11”) who has 1,499 career assists, including 661 (8.4 per set) last autumn along with 97 kills of her own and was second on the team with 58 service aces and third with 21 total blocks. All-SEC and team MVP Joelle Halverson (5’9” Sr. OH) led the Lions with a 93.4 serving percentage, 11 solo blocks, 25 total blocks and 28% hitting efficiency and the second-most 199 kills. All-SEC last year after a previous HM campaign, senior Sydney Holland (5’5” Sr. DS/Lib) led the Lions with 248 digs (3.1 per set) plus the second-best serving percentage (92.1%), the second-most 59 assists and third-most 50 service aces. All-SEC Jordis Neeley (5’10” Sr. OH) had team-highs with 259 kills (3.2 per set) and 76 service aces and was second with 23 total blocks and 23.6% hitting efficiency while ranking third with 160 digs. Letterwinner Hailey Normann (5’10” Jr. OPP) had a breakout varsity debut, ranking third in both kills (143) and hitting efficiency (23.5%) while contributing to 15 blocks. Already a two-year letterwinner, sophomore Izabel Kaufmann (5’5” DS/Lib), who defended with a second-most 169 digs, was valuable receiving serves to initiate the offense. Senior letterwinner Emerson Ingvalson (5’8” OH) had 109 kills and served 90.4% with 30 aces while senior letterwinner Katie Klug (5’6” DS) served 91.5% with another 30 aces. Look for valuable contributions from junior Kylie Hammel (5’10” MB) sophomore Brinley Middendorf (5’10” MB) and junior Carlie Halverson (5’6” DS/OH). SG plays in tournaments at Rochester Century and Goodhue plus the Class A showcase in Burnsville. Again, the key SEC clashes will be against Mabel-Canton September 5 (home) and October 1 (away).
The Fillmore Central Falcons enter this season coming off their third section title match in school history. Travis Malley’s group went 8-2 in the TRC, only losing to conference champ Chatfield and 1AA champ Caledonia. They then progressed to the 1A finals before falling to Mabel-Canton 3-0. FC finished at 23-8 overall, their best win total since 2014 (another 1A title game team). The Falcons lost a trio of key assets. The biggest was hitter Kammry Broadwater (5’10” OH), who was thrice All-TRC and Class A All-State a season ago after leading the team in kills (415 kills, 269 digs). She finished as only the second Falcon with 1,000 career spikes. Four-year player and fellow All-TRC pick Alyssa Britton (6’0” MH > 212 kills, 49 total blocks, 67 aces) also graduated, as did co-setter and All-TRC MH pick Katie Pickett (5’5” > 382 assists, 207 digs). The Falcons do return two All-TRC picks in juniors Kyla Hellickson (5’7” libero) and Aubrey Daniels (5’6” setter). Hellickson has led the Falcons in digs three-years running including last year with 491. She has over 1,000 digs for her career already. Daniels returns at setter (team-leading 430 assists, 216 digs, 95.4% serving) where she topped 1,000 career assists last year. Also back is All-TRC HM selection Lily Miller (5’7” Sr. DS > 204 digs, 46 aces). FC returns five supplementary hitters from last year, who will need to step up; Izzy Nagel (5’7” Sr. OH > 121 kills, 73 digs), Annika Mensink (5’7” Sr. MH > 115 kills, 54 total blocks), Ella Dahly (5’7” Sr. RS > 53 kills, 52 digs), Brooklyn Simon (5’8” Sr. RH), and Cora Britton (6’0” Jr. MH). Replacing the 627-kill void of Broadwater and Britton is one notable story to watch. Miller, Mensink, E-Dahly, Nagel and Simon to give FC five returning seniors. The Falcons have not had a losing season in over a decade, much of it under Coach Malley. They have tourneys in Apple Valley (Aerie Challenge), Burnsville (Class A Showcase), and Chaska. Notable TRC dates are September 5 (at Chatfield) and September 24 (versus Caledonia).
By sharing the SEC-West with LeRoy-Ostrander, Grand Meadow kept its division title winning streak alive. The Superlarks (11-3) won their eighth consecutive West crown. GM fell in the first round of the 1A playoffs to Rushford-Peterson and finished 14-13 overall. Matt Rosaaen’s Larks were young last season with just two seniors. One was All-SEC pick Lexy Foster (5’10” MH > team-best 174 kills, 29 total blocks). They will look to improve as they return five girls who played in all 27 matches and another who came close. Lauren Queensland (5’11” Sr. OH) is the top returnee. A two-time All-SEC pick, Queensland was the Larks’ best all-around player a year ago (153 kills, 269 digs, 98.5% serving). She is their top returning hitter. Also back is All-SEC HM pick Haylie Paul (5’11” Sr. MB > 142 kills, team-best 46 aces). From there, they return their most used setter Hallie Hendrickson (5’8” Jr. > 391 assists, 92 digs, 38 aces), their libero Cheyenne Bakken (5’4” Jr. > team-high 319 digs) plus Gracie Foster (5’7” Jr. OH > 83 kills, 189 digs, 32 aces), Kendall Jack (5’7” Jr. OH/MH > 55 kills, 95 digs), and Rylee Schaufler (5’11” Sr. setter > 184 assists, 97 digs). Alyssa Peterson (5’5” MH/OH) joins Queensland, Paul, and Schaufler to give the Larks four seniors. GM has a lot of continuity which should help increase its win total. The Larks have tourneys at Pine Island (season-opener), W-E-M, and Apple Valley. Their SEC schedule includes matches with L-O on September 12 (home) and October 8 (away). GM’s SEC opener is hosting 1A champion M-C on August 27.
LeRoy-Ostrander put forth their best season in over a decade a year ago. The Cardinals went 11-3 in SEC play to share the West title with Grand Meadow. Lindsey Milk’s group was looking for a 20th win in the playoffs, but they fell in the Round of 16 of the 1A playoffs to Goodhue by 3-1 final. L-O finished at 19-11, improving by eight wins from their 11-18 mark in 2022. L-O will look to again contend in the SEC-West. The Cardinals had three All-SEC picks and only one graduated, but it was their setter Jenna Olson (5’5” > 747 assists, 160 digs). The two-time All-SEC pick finished with over 1,500 career assists. She was one of only two seniors to play in every match. Five every-game assets return including All-SEC picks Benita Nolt (5’11” Sr. MH) and Brooke Jasper (5’8” Sr. OH). Nolt has twice been All-SEC. She was L-O’s big hitter a season ago (400 kills, 251 digs, 61 total blocks). With a good year, she can attain 1,000 career kills. Jasper was the second-best hitter (173 kills) and top defender (313 digs). Also back are regulars Kaci McKenzie (5’8” Sr. MH > 140 kills, team-best 57 aces), an All-SEC HM pick, Keira Lewison (5’4” So. DS > 211 digs, 46 aces), and Maria Almaraz-Nolt (5’7” So. setter > 74 kills, 228 digs). Nolt, McKenzie, and Jasper are the teams three seniors. Breaking in a new setter or setters is L-O’s most notable change. The Cards have tourneys in Hayfield, Wabasha, and Goodhue. Notable SEC games with Grand Meadow are September 12 (away) and October 8 (home). After their opener versus Lanesboro, L-O has five straight road league games.
Rushford-Peterson had another solid year last season. Under first year coach Jenny Lee, the Trojans went 4-6 in the TRC. But they won a firs
t-round playoff game, made Rochester for a second straight year, before falling to Kenyon-Wanamingo 3-0 in the 1A quarterfinals. The Trojans finished the year 15-13. Team green had just one All-TRC pick in long-armed Tayler Helgemoe (5’11” MH > 233 kills, 91 ½ blocks), but she graduated. She was one of seven seniors to depart and five were key assets. Their top returnee is libero Torryn Schneider (5’5” Jr > team-best 436 digs, team-best 34 aces), who made All-TRC honorable mention. After her, Lindsey Hoiness (5’6” Sr. OH > 106 kills, 251 digs), Ava Helgemoe (5’8” Jr. OH > 124 kills), Kayla Magin (5’6” Jr. setter > 150 assists, 114 digs), and Shelby Tesch (5’9” Jr. MH) played substantially, but the Trojans will then have new people in new spots. Nevaeh Happel (5’9” OH) and Shelby Lutz join Hoiness as the only returning varsity seniors, though Kenna Gudmundson, Macy Rye, and Delaney Vaughn are back after playing JV as juniors, giving R-P six seniors. The Trojans notably host a tourney on September 14 while also travelling to events in Lake City and Goodhue. They open at Medford while also playing Houston on the road non-conference. Conference-wise, they host Caledonia (August 27) and Chatfield (October 1) while playing at Fillmore Central (October 15) in the season-finale.
Lanesboro won more than it lost a year ago. The Burros went 7-7 in the SEC, taking third in the East. They fell to Faribault B.A. 3-0 in the Round of 16 of the 1A playoffs and finished with a 14-10 record. It was their fifth straight winning season. Frankie Kohn-Nelson’s group had one All-SEC pick a year ago in Jensyn Storhoff (5’6” OH), and she is the biggest returnee. The junior had 297 digs and 178 kills last season. All-SEC HM pick Ellie Anderson (5’9” RS/OH) departed alongside three other seniors including oft-used assets Claire Keasling (setter) and Julia Keasling (OH). Joining Storhoff with lots of experience are libero Ellie Howard (5’5” Jr. > 257 digs), Taylor Hanson (5’11” Sr. MH > 78 kills), Ava Rein (5’6” Sr. MH), and Sari Rein (5’8” Jr. MH). MiKenna Halvorson (DS), Cora Schnebly (OH), Lauren Olson (OH), and Riley Johnson join with T-Hanson and A-Rein to give the Burros six seniors. Team Lanesboro will break in a new setter with C-Keasling’s departure, but a good chunk of their rotation remains the same lending its hand to another mostly competitive season. The Burros have tourneys at Wabasha, Waukon, and Byron. They open the season at LeRoy-Ostrander and finish by hosting Grand Meadow.
Houston begins the year with a new coach. Robin Thesing takes over for Hailyn Kittleson. It is the Hurricanes’ fourth coach in recent memory. Team double-H went 4-10 in the SEC a year ago. They won a playoff play-in game versus Kingsland, but fell to Mabel-Canton 3-0 in the 1A Round of 16. The Hurricanes finished at 6-22. Houston will look to improve, as they had just two seniors on the roster last year. Neither were every-match contributors. The ‘Canes return their entire lineup from a year ago, including All-SEC pick Emily Botcher (5’10” Sr. setter/RS > 231 assists, 141 kills, 159 digs, 54 aces) and All-SEC HM pick Avery Kingsley (5’6” Jr. OH > team-best 145 kills, 90 digs). From there, Jaden Woodard (5’8” Sr. MH > 88 kills), Ellasyn Carrier (5’4” Sr. DS > 266 digs), Emmie Melbo (5’6” So. OH > 49 kills), and Cadence Koehler (5’5” Jr. DS > 108 digs) played in at least 70 sets while Averie Evanson (6’0” Jr. MH), Taylor Stutzka (5’6” Jr. RH), Olivia Yohe (5’5” Jr. setter > 56 assists), and Jorja Meyer (5’10” Jr. MH) also saw action. Woodard was All-SEC HM in 2022. Botcher, Carrier,and Woodard are the team’s three seniors. The Hurricanes have tourneys at Winona-Cotter and Wabasha-Kellogg. Their sole non-conference match is hosting Rushford-Peterson (September 30). Houston opens by hosting G-E and then Spring Grove.
Kingsland also starts the year with a new coach. Cassie Watson takes over to Amanda Siskow. The Knights went 5-9 in the SEC a year ago. They were ousted in a 1A play-in game by Houston 3-2 and finished the year 8-18. The Knights watched a seven-girl senior class graduate. Included was their sole All-SEC pick Morgan Phillips (5’8” MB > team-best 180 kills, 71 ½ total blocks, 52 aces, 138 digs) and their All-SEC HM pick Kaylin Mensink (5’5” setter/RS > 57 kills, team-best 223 assists, 180 digs). Five notable contributors graduated. Kingsland returns four key assets from last year’s squad in Macie Rasmussen (5’6” Sr. setter/RS > 118 assists, 84 digs, 48 aces), Vaira Merkel (5’7” Sr. MH > 91 kills, 44 digs), Paisley Robinson (5’5” Jr. libero > 95 digs), and Kaelynn Howard (5’5” Jr. OH/RH > 38 kills, 31 assists, 41 digs). Chantle Reiland (5’5” Sr. OH/RS) also returns to the fold after a one-year hiatus. She was All-SEC HM as a sophomore in 2022 (71 kills, 162 digs, 58 aces). Rasmussen, Merkel, and Reiland are the team’s three seniors and all played a lot dating back to their sophomore seasons. Team double-K has tourneys in Lake City, Wabasha, and Riceville. They play at Grand Meadow on August 29. Games with L-O are September 5 (home) and October 1 (away). They start by hosting Schaeffer Academy August 22.
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