Joelle Halverson was voted Spring Grove’s top volleyball honor as 2023 Impact Player of the Year (MVP) and was one of four Lions named by the coaches to the All-Southeast Conference Team. Kendal VanMinsel is a repeat All-SEC honoree while Sydney Holland moves up to First Team All-SEC this year after receiving Honorable Mention last year. Jordis Neeley completes the all-league quartet. Katelyn Kraus received Honorable Mention All-SEC, was voted the “AO” (all-out) Award by her Spring Grove teammates and earned recognition as Academic All-State. Hailey Normann was the Lions’ choice for Most Improved while Neeley and Izabel Kaufmann shared the Heart Award.
Halverson (MVP, All-SEC), a 5’9” junior outside hitter, 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. VanMinsel (All-SEC, 2nd year), a 5’11” junior setter had 661 set assists (8.4 per set) this season and 1,499 career assists with a senior campaign remaining. She scored with 97 kills of her own was second on the team with 58 service aces and third with 21 total blocks.
Holland (All-SEC), a 5’5” junior libero, led the Lions with 248 digs (3.1 per set) plus the second-best serving percentage (92.1%) and third-most 50 service aces. Despite playing exclusively in the back row, Holland had the second-most 59 assists. Neeley (All-SEC, Heart Award), a 5’10” junior outside hitter 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.
Kraus (Hon. Mention All-SEC, AO Award), a 5’10” senior middle blocker, is Academic All-State, one of the state’s most prestigious individual achievements. The honor goes to seniors on the section playoff roster who have a 3.80 GPA – cumulative through their four-year high school careers. She was voted the “AO” Award, which according to head coach Kelsey Morken, recognizes a “player who exemplifies our program in all-out, all-in and all-for-one mentality. Kraus scored with 61 kills and 21 total blocks.
Kaufmann (Heart Award), a 5’5” freshman defensive specialist shared the Heart Award, which according to coach Morken, “This teammate has so much passion for this sport which is evident. This player may not be the “best” player on the team but has the heart/passion for the sport and their teammates.” Thompson was honored for her valuable non-statistical contributions, but when in action, she defended with 169 digs, second most on the team, and was valuable while receiving serves to initiate the offense. Normann (Most Improved), a 5’10” sophomore hitter, had a breakout campaign in her first season in a varsity uniform. She ranked third on the team in both kills (143) and hitting efficiency (23.5%). She contributed to 15 blocks.
Kraus received her third varsity volleyball letter while second-year letter winners were Holland, VanMinsel, Halverson and Kaufmann. Earning their first letter were Neeley, Normann, Emerson Ingvalson and Katie Klug.
Spring Grove, at 22-7, enjoyed a third consecutive season with at least 20 wins and at 12-2, finished as East Division runner-up also for a third straight year and for the seventh time in the last nine seasons. Again, for a third straight time, the Lions received the No. 4 section seed, this year behind three state-ranked teams. Five of the seven setbacks came against state-ranked competition.
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