All-state volleyball: Charlotte Richards, Marion duo named to 4A first team

Cedar Rapids Xavier made significant progress on the volleyball court this season, and Charlotte Richards was a major part of it.

The best may be yet to come, and Richards will likely be a factor in that, as well.

A junior outside hitter, Richards was selected as a Class 4A first-teamer on the Iowa Girls Coaches Association all-state squad, released Wednesday morning.

'You look back, and all the accomplishments were because of a great team effort and great coaches,' Richards said. 'It allowed me to improve my skills.'

Coach Austin Filer took over after last year's 16-22 season, and the Saints were a new team. They won their first 18 matches and finished 32-10, advancing to the Class 4A state semifinals. It matched their deepest postseason run; the 2010 team also reached the state semis.

A 6-footer, Richards averaged 4.34 kills and 2.70 digs per set, posting a .290 kill efficiency.

Five of Xavier's seven starters will return in 2017, making the Saints one of the favorites to go all the way in 4A.

'We plan on making it back, and going further,' Richards said.

Richards is one of six area first-team all-staters, including four in 4A.

Senior Isabella Sade and junior Caitlyn Smith of Marion join Richards on the first unit in 4A, as does senior Kaitlin Niedert of Independence.

Sade (a Nebraska-Omaha signee) and Smith (a Drake commitment) led the Indians (34-10) to the Wamac Conference West Division championship, the Wamac tournament title and their third straight state tournament.

'We didn't finish the way we wanted (a first-round state loss to Xavier), but the season was a blast,' Sade said. 'It was an honor to be able to play the game I love with the people I love. It was so much fun.'

A 6-foot-2 middle hitter, Sade averaged 4.40 kills per set, hitting .351. Smith posted 9.40 assists and 2.25 digs per set.

Niedert ranked third in 4A with 4.85 kills per set as Independence went 30-10. She was a .292 hitter with 3.56 digs per set.

Megan Hudson of 3A state runner-up Union was a first-team pick in that class, as was Libby Ryan of Mount Vernon.

Hudson's 5.46 kills per set ranked fourth overall and led 3A, and the 5-11 outside hitter notched a .387 kill rate. The Knights won the powerful NICL East, earned a No. 1 final ranking and finished 40-5, falling in four sets to Dike-New Hartford in the 3A final.

A four-sport athlete, Ryan collected 5.72 digs per set from her libero position. The Mustangs (34-8) were state participants for the fifth straight year, advancing to the semifinals.

Ryan was one of three Mount Vernon 3A all-staters; Kaitlyn Volesky and Wynne Vandersall were chosen to the second team.

Linn-Mar's Ellie Anderson and Iowa City High's Alexa Aldrich-Ingram were 5A second-teamers.

Mackenzie May of Dubuque Wahlert is the state player of the year and headlines the eight-player Elite Team. May led Wahlert to the 4A state title, its first since 2005 and its 18th overall. A UCLA recruit, May led the state with 6.80 kills per set.

Class players of the year are Hannah Lockin of West Des Moines Valley (5A), May (4A), Sydney Petersen of Dike-New Hartford (3A), Karsyn Winterfeld of Western Christian (2A) and Kylie DeBerg of Hudson (1A).

Elite Team

Mackenzie May, sr., Dubuque Wahlert

Sydney Petersen, jr., Dike-New Hartford

Hannah Lockin, sr., West Des Moines Valley

Kylie DeBerg, sr., Hudson

Alyssa Ballenger, sr., Ankeny

Tayah Mahi, jr., Cedar Falls

Madi Kubik, soph., West Des Moines Valley

Taryn Knuth, sr., Johnston

Player of the Year — May

Class 5A

First Team

Hannah Lockin, sr., West Des Moines Valley; Taryn Knuth, sr., Johnston; Alyssa Ballenger, sr., Ankeny; Tayah Mahi, jr., Cedar Falls; Madi Kubik, soph., West Des Moines Valley; Kylee Macke, sr., Ankeny Centennial; Kenna Sauer, soph., Ankeny Centennial.

Player of the year — Lockin

Coach of the year — Jessica Rinehart, Ankeny Centennial

Second Team

Alexa Aldrich-Ingram, sr., Iowa City High; Emily Plock, sr., Southeast Polk; Taylor Lynch, jr., Cedar Falls; Piper Mauck, sr. Des Moines Roosevelt; Ellie Anderson, sr., Linn-Mar; Meredith Sieck, sr., Ankeny Centennial; Grace Burken, jr., Cedar Falls.

Honorable Mention (area only)

Emma Norris, sr., Iowa City West; Megan Oldenburger, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie; Paige Franck, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Megan Renner, soph., Linn-Mar; Maddie Slagle, jr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Emilee McGowan, sr., Linn-Mar.

Class 4A

First Team

Mackenzie May, sr., Dubuque Wahlert; Emily Holterhaus, soph., Pella; Charlotte Richards, jr., Cedar Rapids Xavier; Isabella Sade, sr., Marion; Abby Stephenson, sr., Nevada; Caitlyn Smith, jr., Marion; Kaitlin Niedert, sr., Independence.

Player of the year — May

Coach of the year — Lindsey Beaves, Dubuque Wahlert

Second Team

Kiki Pingel, sr., Pella; Gabby Ridgeway, sr., Norwalk; Katie Foster, sr., Charles City; Jenna Gremmel, jr., Dubuque Wahlert; Katherine Poore, jr., Lewis Central; Samantha McCabe, jr., Sioux City Heelan; Gillian Tupper, sr., Nevada.

Honorable Mention (area only)

Sheyanna Koethe, sr., Clear Creek Amana; Tanea Westhoff, sr., Marion.

Class 3A

First Team

Sydney Petersen, jr., Dike-New Hartford; Baylee Petersen, jr., Dike-New Hartford; Megan Hudson, sr., Union; Libby Ryan, sr., Mount Vernon; Jessica Harald, sr., Sioux Center; Amiee Carroll, soph., Carroll Kuemper; Hannah Becker, sr., North Polk.

Player of the year — S. Petersen

Coach of the year — Diane Harms, Dike-New Hartford

Second Team

Peyton Parker, sr., Union; Sierra Athen, jr., Red Oak; Haley Lyness, sr., West Delaware; Kaitlyn Volesky, sr., Mount Vernon; Macy Smith, sr., Spirit Lake; Wynne Vandersall, sr., Mount Vernon; Kara Peter, fr., Carroll Kuemper.

Third Team

Alexis Toering, jr., Sioux Center; Julia Huiskamp, sr., Davenport Assumption; Kelsey Havel, jr., Osage; Abby Lohrmann, sr., Carroll Kuemper; Madison Hedges, jr., Dike-New Hartford; Kylie Bildstein, sr., Dyersville Beckman; Inga Rotto, jr., Gilbert.

Honorable Mention (area only)

Maggie Driscol, sr., Union; Abigail Weideman, jr., Center Point-Urbana; Jade Putz, sr., West Delaware.

Class 2A

First Team

Anna Sinnott, jr., Waterloo Columbus; Karsyn Winterfeld, sr., Western Christian; Josie Blankespoor, sr., Unity Christian; Jaydlin Seehase. sr., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Becca Pagel, sr., Sumner-Fredericksburg; Erika Feenstra, sr., Western Christian; Alli Timmermanns, sr., Unity Christian; Jenna Brandt, jr., Sumner-Fredericksburg.

Player of the year — Winterfeld

Coach of the year — Tammi Veerbeek, Western Christian

Second Team

Sydney McLaren, soph., Council Bluffs St. Albert; Lauren McManus, sr., Waterloo Columbus; Ashtyn Veerbeek, jr., Western Christian; Allison Birks, jr., South Central Calhoun; Kylie Willis, soph., Grundy Center; Corrina Timmermanns, soph., Unity Christian; Abby Tiarks, sr., Treynor; Allison Eikenberry, jr., Tri-Center.

Third Team

Hannah Wagner, sr., Central Springs; Abby Knoop, sr., West Branch; Kara Brown, sr., Mediapolis; Ady Wintermote, sr., South Hamilton; Olivia McCune, sr., Woodward-Granger; Hope Rasmussen, sr., Central Lyon; Bekah Horstman, jr., Pella Christian; Lexi Groe, sr., Lake Mills.

Honorable Mention (area only)

Darby Hawtrey, jr., North Cedar; Emily Hay, sr., North Cedar.

Class 1A

First Team

Kylie DeBerg, sr., Hudson; Gillian Gergen, sr., Janesville; Bree Thompson, soph., Janesville; Alisa Bengen, soph., Janesville; Jadin Wagner, sr., Lawton-Bronson; Ali Randolph, sr., Fort Madison Holy Trinity; Emily Box, soph., Fort Madison Holy Trinity; Ashlan Thompson, sr., Grand View Christian.

Player of the year — DeBerg

Coach of the year — Shelley Sorenson, Janesville

Second Team

Kaitlin Schultes, sr., Audubon; Kennedy Drewis, soph., Tripoli; Kennedy Meister, jr., Janesville; Mikayla Nachazel, jr., Springville; Camryn McClintock, soph., Sidney; Emma Lynch, sr., Burlington Notre Dame; Hayley Goedken, soph., Starmont; Kenzie Mantz, soph., Belle Plaine.

Third Team

Rylee Menster, jr., Springville; Jenna Wade, sr., Lawton-Bronson; Cara Arrasmith, sr., Grand View Christian; Lily Liekweg, soph., Janesville; Katie Peters, soph., LeMars Gehlen; Claire Olsen, sr., Audubon; Hannah Connelly, sr., Siouxland Christian; Regan Janssen, jr., Starmont.

Honorable Mention (area only)

Alyssa Jaeger, jr., Springville; Brylyn Clute, sr., Edgewood-Colesburg; Caleigh Smith, jr., Iowa Valley; Cherissa Ward, jr., Iowa Valley.

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