2023 Northwest Herald volleyball team preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Burlington Central

Coach: Julia Smagacz (second season)

Last season: 18-18, 8-10 FVC (tied for sixth)

Top returners: Leah Freesemann, jr., OH; Brianna Gritzman, jr., L; Ashley Arceo, sr., S; Ashli Bonds, sr., OH; Sarah Jack, jr., S; Emily Maramba, jr., RS; Delilah Ostrye, jr., DS

Key newcomers: Rukmini Gangavarapu, so., MB; Julia Johnson, so., RS; Haidyn Schatz, so., OH; Angelina Drew, sr., RS

Worth noting: The Rockets fell to St. Francis 24-26, 25-10, 25-14 in the Class 3A St. Francis Regional championship. Central last won a regional title in 2014.. … The team graduated its captain Brooke Hoffman, a Northwest Herald All-Area first-team pick who is now at NCAA Division II Mar Hills University (North Carolina). … Freesemann led the Rockets offensively in many matches last year. ... Smagacz said the team’s biggest strengths are its depth and versatility. “With the majority of our core players returning, we are looking to improve upon last season’s conference and overall records and make a statement in the FVC,” Smagacz said.

Cary-Grove

Coach: Patty Langanis (29th season)

Last season: 17-20, 5-13 FVC (eighth)

Top returners: Morgan Haslow, sr, L; Ellie Gilbert, sr., OH; Lucy Wittenberg, so., L; Addison DeKett, jr., RS

Key newcomers: Taylor Nygren, sr., MB; Veronica Bijos, jr., OH; Sarah Barklow, sr., MB; Olivia Kessler, sr., S

Worth noting: Cary-Grove lost to St. Viator 25-15, 25-16 in the Class 3A Wauconda Regional championship. … The Trojans graduated both of their All-FVC picks in middle blocker Tricia Kennedy (266 kills, 151 digs, 58 aces, 61 blocks) and setter Isabelle Strader (340 assists, 104 digs). Kennedy was an All-Area second-team choice and now is at DII Michigan Tech. … Langanis said the Trojans won’t be outworked. “We are very excited about this group’s work ethic,” Langanis said. “They are giving everything they have and are ready to compete. We know we’ll see major improvement as the season progresses.”

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Amy Johnson (third season)

Last season: 21-16, 13-5 FVC (second)

Top returners: Mykaela Wallen, jr., OH-RS; Mia Ginter, jr., L; Vivian Akalaonu, sr., MB; Siena Smiejek, jr., MB; Gabbie Anderson, jr., S; Anna Starr, so., OH-RS; Abigail Gallagher, jr., OH-RS; Marissa Stavropoulos, sr., S; Makenna Grams, so., OH-RS; Emily Mazza, so., MB; Quin O’Donnell, sr., OH-RS; Tessa Popp, so., DS; Alexis Hadeler so., OH-RS

Key newcomers: Becca Kuehn, jr., RS-S; Angel Rodriguez, jr., DS; Olivia Doppke, jr., MB

Worth noting: The Tigers finished second in the FVC after going 8-10 and tying for sixth place in 2021. Central fell to Prairie Ridge 25-12, 24-26, 25-17 in the Class 3A Crystal Lake South Regional championship. ... Wallen and graduate Bree Hubacher both were All-Area honorable mention selections. Wallen had 172 kills and 327 digs, and Hubacher had 189 kills and 44 aces. ... Smiejek, an All-FVC member, led the team with 58 blocks. Starr was the 2022 Northwest Herald Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year and enters her second year on varsity. ... “The young Tigers of last year are another year older and have set expectations high,” Johnson said. “We are expecting to continue to fight hard for each and every point and display a love and passion for the game and each other.”

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Annie Moore (second season)

Last season: 24-11, 12-6 FVC (third)

Top returners: Gabby Wire, sr., OH; Morgan Johnson, jr., OH; Bella Toniolo sr., OH; Kendall Brandt, jr., MB

Key newcomers: Grace Meyer, sr., S; Olivia Apt, jr., S; Maddy Cook, so. DS; Laken LePage, so., DS; Bobbi Wire, fr., OH; Logan Georgy, fr., MB; Emma Feinberg, fr., DS

Worth noting: Moore led the Gators to their third straight season with 20 wins in her first year. … Gabby Wire was an All-Area first-team choice and second among area players with 327 kills, along with 296 digs and 97 assists. She’ll play next year at DI Wisconsin-Milwaukee. … Johnson earned All-Area honorable mention and will help form a dynamic attack with Wire. Johnson had 214 kills, 50 aces and 220 digs as a sophomore. … The Gators will have to replace setter Emma Stowasser, an All-Area second-team pick. She had 716 assists and 42 aces, surpassing 1,000 career assists. Libero Kaityln Brandt (298 digs, 40 aces) also graduated. … “I’m super excited about the team,” Moore said. “This group of girls is extremely hardworking and energetic. They strive to be better with every touch and have very high expectations. With so much young talent, we’ll need to spend more time finding our rhythm, but the future looks very bright.”

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Alexis Cayton (first season)

Last season: 21-12, 10-8 FVC (fourth)

Top returners: Courtney Komperda, sr., S; Sydney Komperda, sr., L; Audrey Prusko, sr., MB; Taylor Findlay, sr., OH; Coley Di Silvio, jr., MB

Key newcomers: Allison Mathesius, jr.; Riley Jedras, jr.; Maura Minogue, so.

Worth noting: Cayton takes over for Tiffany Dumas, who has been a coach on the varsity team since 2016. … The Chargers made huge strides last year and improved by 13 wins, going from last to fourth place in the FVC ... D-C fell to Hampshire 23-25, 25-15, 25-23 in the Class 4A Hampshire Regional final. … Prusko earned All-Area honorable mention and was named the team’s MVP with 221 kills, 43 aces and 50 blocks. The Chargers graduated setter Kylie Hanson, a four-year player who did a little bit of everything with 211 kills, 49 aces, 124 digs and 249 assists. … “We ended on a great note last year and are ready to do the same this year with hopes of taking it farther,” Cayton said. “This group of players is very special. They have worked so hard to make it to their senior year and to leave a legacy at Dundee-Crown. As a staff, we could not be more proud of them.”

Hampshire

Coach: Rejhan Vunic (second season)

Last season: 16-21, 3-15 FVC (10th)

Top returners: Jorah Rutter, jr., S; Katelyn Petterson, so., OH-RS; Elizabeth King, so., OH-RS; Sam Freeman, so., MB; Peyton Wurtz, so., DS

Key newcomers: Anna Schiltz, so., MB; Hailey Homola, so., MB

Worth noting: Hampshire defeated Dundee-Crown 23-25, 25-15, 25-23 to win the Class 4A Hampshire Regional final for the team’s first regional championship since 2008. … Rutter tallied 428 assists as a sophomore, Petterson had 111 kills as a freshman, and Freeman had 56 blocks as a freshman. … The Whips graduated top hitter Gabi Peter, an All-Area second-team selection who had 261 kills and 68 aces. Peter, who led the team in kills and blocks every year from her sophomore to senior year, is now at UIC. … “Young and driven group,” Vunic said. “Looking forward to seeing the growth and see how high they can push their ceiling.”

Huntley

Coach: Karen Naymola (12th season)

Last season: 32-7, 18-0 FVC (first)

Top returners: Morgan Jones, sr.; OH; Georgia Watson, jr., OH; Mari Rodriguez, jr., L/DS; Alex Goritz, jr., L/DS; Lizzy Williams, sr., L/DS; Laura Boberg, sr., S

Key newcomers: Siena Robertson, jr., OH; Jocelyn Erling, jr., MB; Avery Gonzalez, sr., MB

Worth noting: The Red Raiders won their sixth straight regional and third straight sectional titles and were the last area team playing for the third year in a row. Barrington held off three match points to stun Huntley 10-25, 25-14, 28-26 in the Class 4A Dundee-Crown Supersectional. ... The Raiders will look very different after graduating several impact players including setter Maggie Duyos (Austin Peay), Avary DeBlieck (Loyola), Ally Panzloff (Brown University) and libero Luma Acevedo. .... Duyos led all area players with 744 assists, DeBlieck had 210 kills and 101 blocks, and Panzloff had a team-high 228 kills. ... Jones was an All-Area second-team pick with 201 kills. She added 49 aces and 156 digs and is committed to DI Missouri. ... Watson stepped up in the playoffs last year for an injured DeBlieck and earned All-Area honorable mention. She tallied 211 kills, 40 blocks and 127 digs. She committed to Kentucky on Monday. ... Gonzalez is committed to DII Illinois-Springfield.... Naymola isn’t expecting a big drop-off with new players ready to take on key roles. “I believe this team will be strong,” Naymola said. “People assume since we lost so many seniors that we will be down this year. However, this group of kids work hard, and I think we will surprise a lot of teams. Offensively, we will have so many strong options, we will run a fast offense and it will be hard to stop.”

Jacobs

Coach: Mike Depa (third season)

Last season: 13-22, 8-10 FVC (tied for sixth)

Top returners: Gracie Breeze, sr., L; Abby Deacon, sr., S; Cassie Gorrity, sr., OH; Carter Papp, sr., MB; Lily Pentz, sr., MB; Ali Pierre, sr., MB; Meghan Retzler, sr., S; Isabella Van De Burgt, sr., OH; Teagan Van Stone, sr., RS

Key newcomers: Mia Koltuniuk, jr., RS; Jordan Miller, jr., OH

Worth noting: The Golden Eagles dropped seven of their last eight matches last season but put up a strong fight against Hononegah in the Class 4A Jefferson Regional championship before falling 25-18, 25-23. … Pierre earned All-FVC honors with 103 kills and 30 blocks. Teagan Van Stone had 94 kills. … Jacobs has 13 upperclassmen on its roster, including nine seniors. … “We have a lot of senior leadership,” Depa said. “I see us as a team that will frustrate other teams with the way we play defense. In addition to our defense we have a well-rounded group of girls who can put the ball down from multiple positions on the court.”

McHenry

Coach: Kyle Hobson (first season)

Last season: 17-19, 4-14 FVC (ninth)

Top returners: Mollie Hobson, sr., OH-OPP; Ella Boland, sr, OH; Ella Jenkins, jr., S

Key newcomers: Sophie Zieba, jr., MB

Worth noting: Kyle Hobson, Mollie’s mom, takes over for Hillary Agnello, who led the Warriors for the past five seasons. Agnello left for a dean’s job at Crystal Lake South. Kyle Hobson graduated from Harvard in 1993 and played at West Virginia. She coached one season at Harvard, then eight at Richmond-Burton. Isidora Visnjevac, a 2019 McHenry grad, will be head junior varsity and assistant varsity coach. … McHenry ended its season with a loss to Harlem in the Class 4A McHenry Regional semifinals. … Mollie Hobson is committed to DIII St. Cloud State University (Minnesota), and Boland will play at DIII Stevens Institute of Technology (New Jersey). … Boland was an All-FVC selection last year. … “We are a senior heavy team with a lot of experience and talent,” Kyle Hobson said. “If we stay disciplined and focused, we are hoping to see success in the FVC.”

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Stefanie Otto (27th season)

Last season: 16-22, 9-9 FVC (fifth)

Top returners: Ashley Stiefer, sr., MB; Mackenzie Schmidt, sr., MB; Amelia Bowen, sr., MB-OPP; Grace Jansen, jr., S; Addi Gertz, sr., OH

Key newcomers: Maizy Agnello, fr., OH; Tegan Vrbancic, fr., DS-L; Allie Rogers, jr., DS-L; Adeline Grider, fr., OH

Worth noting: The Wolves defeated Crystal Lake South in the semifinals and Crystal Lake Central in the final to win the Class 3A Crystal Lake South Regional final for Prairie Ridge’s first regional title since 2018. … The Wolves graduated top outside hitter Katya Flaugher, who led the area with 355 kills, along with 34 aces and 199 digs. … Jansen had 376 assists, 59 kills and 41 aces and was named to the All-FVC team. Stiefer tallied 114 kills and Schmidt had 106. … “We have a lot of new faces this year,” Otto said. “Our expectations are to be in every match and see how the experience upperclassmen can mesh with the freshmen and how fast they can compete at the varsity level.”

Kishwaukee River Conference

Harvard

Coach: Alex Muschong (second season)

Last season: 4-21, 0-10 KRC (sixth)

Top returners: Jaclyn McMillan, sr., OH; Mindy Krasinski, jr., OH; and Britta Livdahl, sr., OH-RS-L

Key newcomers: Ella Martin, so., MB; Summer Jones, fr., MB; and Emma Kizer, so., DS-L

Worth noting: Muschong said the Hornets have seen a big increase in players who also play club volleyball in the offseason. ... Harvard graduated its lone All-KRC selection in outside hitter Asha Billstrand. The team finished with four wins for the second year in a row. ... “Our team is very young this year,” Muschong said. “We have a lot of athleticism and it will be fun to see how that translates onto the court. The team has put in the work in the offseason and we have some outstanding upperclassman leaders. I’m very excited to see how we do this year.”

Johnsburg

Coach: Abby Bruns (fourth season)

Last season: 26-11-1, 5-5 KRC (tied for third)

Top returners: Delaney Stern, sr., S; Juliana Cashmore, jr., MB, Lila Duck, sr., OH; Kaylee Fouke, sr., RS; Sophie Person, sr., MB

Key newcomers: Abri Bruns, so., DS-L; Lauren Foszcz, sr., DS-L

Worth noting: The Skyhawks beat Richmond-Burton 25-21, 20-25, 25-18 to win the Class 2A Marian Central Regional final, the team’s first regional championship since 2017. Its 26 wins were the second most in program history, according to IHSA.org. … Johnsburg is senior heavy with eight seniors, led by setter Delaney Stern. Stern, a DI Oakland University commit, was an All-Area second-team selection and broke the school record for assists in a season with 652 and has a good chance at setting the all-time record as a senior. She also had 64 kills, 63 aces and 267 digs. … Cashmore had 127 kills and 133 total blocks, breaking the team’s single-season record. … The Skyhawks will have to replace the production of grad Emmy Wizceb, who had as team-high 245 kills. Fouke, Duck and Person each had over 100 kills last year. … “Strength is we have a group of seasoned athletes,” Abby Bruns said. “With eight seniors, they want to be on the court and never stop.”

Marengo

Coach: Jason LeBlanc (second season)

Last season: 20-14-2, 5-5 KRC (tied for third)

Top returners: Sydney Andrews, sr., OH; Madalyn Mardock, sr., OH; Alana Hartel, sr., L

Key newcomers: Bella Frohling, sr., RS; Emily Kirchhoff, sr., S; Addison Sanchez, jr., MB

Worth noting: The Indians fell to eventual state champion Genoa-Kingston 25-19, 25-19 in the Class 2A Rosary Regional championship. … Marengo lost a lot to graduation, including All-KRC members Gianna Almeida and Mia Lulinski. But the Indians still return plenty of experience with eight seniors. Last year’s team saw an improvement of nine wins in LeBlanc’s first season and reached 20 wins for only the third time since 2005. … LeBlanc believes this group can contend in a highly-competitive KRC race. Five starters had 100 kills last year, and LeBlanc sees another balanced offense, led by breakout candidates Andrews and Mardock. … “Strong pin hitters and a scrappy defense will be our strengths,” LeBlanc said. “Our team chemistry can really be an asset. The culture we are building at Marengo is that everyone contributes and we aren’t relying on one player to carry the team and break records. It’s a true team effort to succeed.”

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Mike Kamholz (fourth season)

Last season: 24-11, 7-3 KRC (second)

Top returners: Maggie Uhwat, sr., OH; Ellisa Furlan, jr., OH; Alex Hopp, jr. S

Key newcomers: Dannie Hopp, fr., OH-MB; Zoe Freund, fr., OPP; Delanee Cooley, fr., DS

Worth noting: The Rockets lost to Johnsburg 25-21, 20-25, 25-18 in the Class 2A Marian Central Regional final and lost all three of their matches to the Skyhawks last season. … Uhwat, Furlan and Alex Hopp were named to the All-KRC team. Uhwat, who is committed to DI Central Michigan, and Furlan were All-Area second-team picks. Hopp earned honorable mention. … Uhwat (290 kills, 70 aces 174 digs) and Furlan (252 kills, 60 aces, 229 digs) were one of the area’s most powerful duos, combining for almost 550 kills. Hopp was second on the Rockets with 68 aces. She had 644 assists and should reach 1,000 career assists this fall. ”Our team is excited with a young hopeful spirit,” Kamholz said. “The expectation is to win the conference and go far into the playoffs.”

Woodstock

Coach: Jimmy Neill (third season)

Last season: 19-15-1, 4-6 KRC (fifth)

Top returners: Hallie Steponaitis, sr., OH; Julia Laidig, jr., L-DS-OH-S; Ella White, sr., L-DS

Worth noting: The Blues Streaks fell to fifth place in the KRC after taking runner-up in 2021. Woodstock lost to crosstown rival Woodstock North 18-25, 25-17, 25-17 in a competitive Class 3A Woodstock North Regional final. The Streaks last won a regional championship in 2006. ... Steponaitis was an All-Area honorable mention selection with 325 kills. Woodstock graduated its other All-Area pick in Ella Wicker, who had 85 kills, 296 digs, 47 aces and 486 assists. ... Laidig posted 82 aces, 181 kills and 269 digs, and White had 45 aces and 447 digs.

Woodstock North

Coach: Eric Schulze (seventh season)

Last season: 30-8, 9-1 KRC (first)

Top returners: Devynn Schulze, jr., L; Lexi Hansen, sr., OH; Dani Hansen, sr., S-OPP; Maddie Sofie, so., DS; Clara Klasek, jr., MB; Daniela Medina, sr., MB

Key newcomers: Gabby Schefke, so., S; Caylin Stevens, sr., OH

Worth noting: The Thunder set a school record with 30 wins and defeated Woodstock 18-25, 25-17, 25-17 in the Class 3A Woodstock North Regional for their third regional title in four seasons. North also won the KRC championship for the third straight year. … North graduated 2022 Northwest Herald Volleyball Player of the Year Kylie Schulze (now at Loyola), who had 626 assists, 186 kills, 64 aces and 302 digs. The Thunder also will be without top hitter Katie Wickersheim (Western Illinois), who had 318 kills, along with 49 aces and 315 digs. She was named the KRC Player of the Year and an All-Area first-team selection. … Devynn Schulze earned All-Area honorable mention with 340 digs and 44 aces. Lexi Hansen was an All-KRC choice with 224 kills. … “Coming off the best season in program history, coaches and players are optimistic as we get the 2023 season underway despite losing key players to graduation,” Eric Schulze said. “This team will be anchored by our ball control, defense and serving.”

Chicagoland Christian Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Robin Secrist (fourth season)

Last season: 15-16-4

Top returners: Ella Conlon, sr., OH; Hadley Rogge, jr., OH; Alex Rewiako, jr., S; Jordan Orlos, sr., MB

Key newcomer: Lucy Iden, sr., RS

Worth noting: The Hurricanes played an independent schedule last year and saw much better results after struggling to compete in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. This is the first year of the Chicagoland Christian Conference. … Locally, Marian had wins against Johnsburg, Jacobs and Woodstock North. … Conlon was an All-Area honorable mention pick with 183 kills, 35 aces and 178 digs. She was named the team’s MVP. … Secrist said Rogge is a powerhouse and someone to look out for this fall. … “The girls have brought a whole new energy into this season,” Secrist said. “Team unity will be our focus. With a large group of seniors paving the way and setting the example, I can already see success in our future. I am expecting big things from this group of 13.”