2025 Kane County Chronicle girls volleyball team preview

Aurora Christian

Coach: Mayra Johnson (fifth season)

Last season: 22-10, 4-3 Chicagoland Christian (third)

Top athletes: Hope Wagner, sr., OH/DS; Breanna Hard, sr., S; Ashlyn Aseltine, sr., Libero

Worth noting: The Eagles have had 20+ wins in consecutive seasons for just the second time in school history, with the only other time being four straight from 2015-2018. And with five starters returning this year, they’ll have a good shot to continue that streak. Wagner, a Wisconsin - Milwaukee commit, once again led the team in kills with 261 last year, while Roberts Wesleyan commit Hard paced Aurora Christian in aces (62) and assists (628). And with Aseltine, an Oral Roberts commit, back to control the backfield, Johnson is excited to see if the Eagles can get their first regional title since 2018. “Five players of the starting lineup are returning players who played with each other last season and are bringing great chemistry and talent this year,” Johnson said. “The program has been growing in number and talent the last couple years, and we are excited for what’s to come.”

Aurora Central Catholic

Coach: Becky Ramey (first season)

Last season: 19-17, 3-3 GCAC (eighth)

Top athletes: Karan Bohr, sr., S; Abby Gambro, jr., MB; Leah Burscheid, sr., MB; Marisa Scupbach, jr., Libero; Abigail Brinka, jr., OH; Isabel Perez, so., OH; Sophia Martinez, jr., OH

Worth noting: The Chargers return a good chunk of their team from last year, providing a good base for Ramey, who replaced Michelle Chavez after five seasons. While the majority of their losses came from the backfield, ACC will have plenty of depth at the net led Bohr at the setter position and Gambro and Burscheid in the middle. “We have a fresh feel in the gym and I was happy to see our summer camp turnout,” Ramey said. “Everyone is optimistic about our season. The team chemistry looks good and we are looking competitive.”

Batavia

Coach: Tom Barry (first season)

Last season: 14-21, 4-3 DuKane (third)

Top athletes: Sydney Enger, sr., MH; Morgan Raiser, jr., S; Delaney Wik, jr., DS/Libero

Worth noting: The Bulldogs will have a much different look compared to last season among all facts. Barry, a long-time assistant, takes over as coach after McKenna Kelsay stepped down, and the program graduated 12 seniors, including All-Area libero Teagan Koros. Batavia does return some height at the net, with Enger, Raiser and junior Olivia Dibiase all being key offensive returners, while Wik will fill in the role Koros had to hopefully lead the otherwise young team. “The team is young but eager to make their mark on a tough conference,” Barry said.

Burlington Central

Coach: Julia Smagacz (fourth season)

Last season: 28-9, 13-5 Fox Valley (third)

Top players: Haidyn Schatz, sr., OH; Peyton Strout, sr., MB; Ainsley Wilson, jr., MB; Tiernan Naus, jr., S; Julia Johnson, sr., RS; Rukmini Gangavarapu, sr., RS/MB; LaRaiya Cunningham-Duncan, so., OH; Keaton Campbell, jr., DS/L

Worth noting: The Rockets made a big jump in the FVC last year, jumping four spots after a seventh-place finish in 2023, while their 28 wins represented an eight-win improvement. Central beat Vernon Hills in the Class 3A Sycamore Regional final for the program’s first postseason title since 2014. ... Strout (Minnesota State University–Mankato commit) earned Northwest Herald All-Area honors and was second in the FVC in blocks (69). Wilson is committed to Dayton and led the FVC in hitting percentage (.349%). Schatz tallied 50 aces, and Naus is more than halfway to 1,000 career assists entering her junior year. ... “Central is looking to build upon its successful 2024 with solid roster depth and a healthy mix of returners and newcomers,” Smagacz said. “We’ll have a younger team this season but are very optimistic with the depth and talent we have in our program.”

- Alex Kantecki

Geneva

Coach: Lauren Kosecki (fifth season)

Last season: 21-16, 5-2 DuKane (second)

Top athletes: Ally Stevenson, jr., S; Emma Peterson, so, S/OH; Evie Ross, so., OH/RS

Worth noting: The Vikings finished with five wins in conference play for the third consecutive season and had their highest finish in the DuKane since 2020. Geneva will look a little different on the court this season, after 12 of their 13 players graduated. Stevenson is the only returner from last season, and averaged 4.3 assists across 52 sets played. ″We are going to be a competitive young team," Kosecki said. “Looking to make lots of progress and growth throughout the season.”

Kaneland

Coach: Cynthia Violett (19th year)

Last season: 24-13, 7-3 Interstate Eight (second)

Top athletes: Abi Carter, sr., S; Emma Gatz, sr., S; Zoe Krauss, sr., L; Grace Remsen, sr., MH; Brielle Gadomski, jr., OH; Natalie Remsen, fr., MH

Worth noting: The Knights are shooting for their seventh regional title in as many years. First, they’ll look to compete in the Intestate Eight. “We have experienced setters (Abi Carter and Emma Gatz) who demonstrate leadership and knowledge of the game,” Knights coach Cynthia Violett said. “The team works hard every day.”

-Chris Walker

Rosary

Coach: Kate Scafidi (second season)

Last season: 18-19, 4-2 GCAC (sixth)

Top athletes: Aerin Leonard, sr., OH; Lorely González, sr., MB; Gwen Figueras, sr., DS/Libero; Olivia Sipes, so., DS/Libero; Emily Eissens, sr., OH

Worth noting: The Royals were just a win away from their first winning record since 2019 in their first season under Scafidi. While Rosary lost eight seniors to graduation, they replaced them with nine seniors this season, which has Scafidi very hopeful about how the team will do this season. “It’s a really fun and talented group, and a special combination of experienced returners and high-potential rising stars,” Scafidi said. “Seeing them mesh in the first few weeks of the season has been incredible, and I can’t wait to see how much progress we make throughout the rest of the year.”

St. Charles East

Coach: Lynnette Summins (first season)

Last season: 10-25, 2-5 DuKane (fifth)

Top athletes: Kaylee McInnis, sr., OH; Scarlett Dickerson, jr., OH/Opp; Ava Romero, sr., MB; Lexi Schrandt, sr., S

Worth noting: Summins, a former assistant coach at NIU, comes into the Saints program that’s coming off consecutive 10-25 seasons following the retirement of Hall of Fame coach Jennie Kull. St. Charles East is expected to have a young team overall, with eight new varsity players on the roster, but Summins is excited to see the energy that the new squad will bring to the court. “The group will be mostly young with a couple key players to bring high-level experience to the court,” Summins said. “We expect to see this group continuing to improve throughout the season.”

St. Charles North

Coach: Lindsey Hawkins (17th season)

Last season: 32-7, 7-0 DuKane (first)

Top athletes: Haley Burgdorf, sr., OH; Mia McCall, sr., S; Sidney Wright, sr., MH

Worth noting: The North Stars put up their fifth 30-win season under Hawkins, and are looking to extend on their success last season with a good chunk of returners. Expected to lead the charge once again is Burgdorf, a Penn State commit and reigning Kane County Chronicle girls volleyball Player of the Year after putting up 611 kills, 268 digs, 48 aces and 44 blocks to earn All-State honors as a junior. McCall, a Valaparasio commit with 816 assists last year, and Wright, committed to Illinois State, also return as multi-year starters coming off successful junior campaigns. With multiple other role players returning, Hawkins is excited to see if the North Stars can get to state weekend for the first time since 2017. “The core of this group has been playing together for quite some time and gained a lot of experience together, so I expect them to start the season very strong,” Hawkins said. “The girls seem hungry for more and driven to finish better this year, so I like how we are starting out.”

St. Francis

Coach: Lisa Ston (10th season)

Last season: 27-13, 5-3 GCAC (seventh)

Top athletes: Mackenzie Krzus, sr., S/RS; Addi Samolinski, sr., Libero; Grace Grover, jr, MH

Worth noting: Coming off of back-to-back state titles, the Spartans were just a win away from their third consecutive trip downstate before falling to Prairie Ridge in the supersectional. And while St. Francis returns a good chunk of experienced starters highlighted by George Washington commit Krzus and Central Michigan commit Samolinski, they will have to deal with filling in a hole left by two-time All-Stater Addy Horner, who’s playing at Wisconsin. But Ston is confident that under the right leadership, the team will learn to come together as a unit and succeed when it matters most. “This year’s team is driven to be successful and motivated to be highly competitive in every match we play,” Ston said. “Our team has a great mix of experienced returners and enthusiastic newcomers who will make an immediate impact on the team in a variety of different ways. These girls are prepared to rise to the challenge, fully aware of what it takes to succeed.”

West Aurora

Coach: Alyssa Farney (first season)

Last season: 18-14, 5-0 Upstate Eight West (first)

Top athletes: Sydney Wagner, sr., OH; Ella Maxwell, sr., S; Natalie Mitchell, jr., OH; Anna Tarr, jr., MH; Janessa Garcia, jr., DS; Addison Taylor, sr., MH

Worth noting: The Blackhawks are coming off their first winning season since 2020, and will be hoping to build off that success in their first year under Farney, who succeeds Brandon Vicory after spending three years as an assistant. West Aurora lost six seniors to graduation, but did return some key offensive pieces in Mitchell, Wagner and Maxwell, with the latter committed to play at Michigan Tech in college. “Our strengths will be offense and team unity,” Farney said. “We are striving to win Conference again and make a run in the postseason.”