Mustangs’ Stark soared right to the top

Ali Stark became an immediate contributor for the Mount Vernon High School varsity volleyball team, starting her first match as a freshman.“She was tremendous then, and she just kept getting better and better,” Mustangs Coach Shirley Ryan said.Better and better, and now the best.Stark was selected as the Iowa Girls Coaches Association state player of the year, an award released in conjunction with the IGCA all-state teams.“It's a great honor to be selected,” said Stark, who has signed a national letter of intent to play at Illinois next year. “I couldn't have done it without my teammates, and it's been an honor to have played with them.”A 6-foot-1 outside hitter with exceptional ball-handling skills, Stark led the Mustangs to two state championships - in Class 2A in 2009, in Class 3A this month.She started every match in four years, helping the Mustangs post a 150-11 record that included a 56-match winning streak at the end.“The skills, they come with repetition,” Stark said. “But I think a lot of our success comes from being comfortable with the people you play with and the ability to stay levelheaded.”Stark averaged 3.1 kills per game with a .436 kill efficiency. She served 95.3 percent with 63 aces, and was second on the team in assists and third in digs.Teammate Courtney Kintzel, who will join sister Shelby at Northern Iowa next year, also is a member of the eight-player Elite all-state team. Kintzel, a 6-1 middle blocker, led the team in kills (3.2 per game), kill efficiency (.456) and blocks (1.4 per game).Mount Vernon was 41-0 this season and is ranked No. 6 nationally by prepvolleyball.com.Stark, Kintzel and teammate Amanda Platte are Class 3A first-team all-state picks, along with Allison Pasker of state runner-up West Delaware. Ryan and West Delaware Coach Brett Mather shared the 3A coach of the year honor.Kathy Bresnahan of Iowa City West is the 4A coach of the year after leading West to the big-school championship. West's Alli O'Deen and Lexi Potter are 4A first-teamers, as is Kari Mueller of Iowa City High.West finished 37-7, losing only one match (to Mount Vernon) after O'Deen returned from a torn ACL.Haley Eckerman of Waterloo East is the 4A player of the year. Western Christian's Kayla Gesink and Tripoli's Megan Gilbert were honored in 2A and 1A after leading their teams to state titles.

Elite team

Iowa Elite VballPlayers

4A

4A All State Volleyball Team

3A

3A All State Volleyball Team

2A

2A All State Volleyball Team

1A

1A All State Volleyball Team