Iowa all-state volleyball 2021: West Liberty’s Macy Daufeldt shares player of the year

Macy Daufeldt had an opportunity to shine under the big, bright lights of the Alliant Energy PowerHouse.

“I remember the excitement, the atmosphere,” said the senior outside hitter from West Liberty High School. “I wish I could go back in time, to those days.”

She wasn’t merely excellent. She was breathtaking.

A Drake University signee, Daufeldt posted 91 kills in three matches, leading the Comets to the Class 3A final.

For that, and for a career full of highlights, she was honored as state co-player of the year — along with Dike-New Hartford’s Payton Petersen — by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association.

The 6-foot Daufeldt averaged 5.97 kills per game this season as West Liberty finished 39-5, and finished her career with more than 1,800. She posted a .440 kill efficiency as a senior.

She hammered 33 kills in a state-quarterfinal sweep of Mount Vernon, then added 37 in a thrilling five-set win over Davenport Assumption in the semifinals.

“I just played my game,” she said. “I used my teammates to play the best I could.

“What I remember the most was the other fans chanting against me. It really fueled me.”

The run ended in a championship-match loss to West Delaware, but she still managed 21 kills.

Petersen led Dike-New Hartford to its second straight 2A title. The Wolverines (54-1) had a case as to the state’s best team, in any class.

Daufeldt is one of three Gazette area players named to the nine-player Elite all-state team.

Iowa City Liberty junior outside hitter Cassidy Hartman was selected for the second straight year. Hartman led the Lightning (34-5) to a No. 1 ranking in 5A; they were upset in the first round of the state tournament by Johnston.

Hartman averaged 4.23 kills and 4.00 digs per set. She has committed to the University of Northern Iowa.

Iowa State University signee Kiersten Schmitt of Dyersville Beckman also landed on the Elite squad after averaging 5.39 kills and 2.88 digs per set as Beckman (33-12) reached the 2A state tournament. The Blazers dropped a five-set first-rounder to Western Christian.

Twelve area players earned first-team accolades in their respective classes.

Hartman was joined on the 5A first unit by teammate Shelby Kimm, also a junior.

Four area players were picked to the 4A first team, including Madison Maahs and Meredith Bahl of state-champion Western Dubuque. Avery Van Hook of Marion and Maya Karl of Cedar Rapids Xavier also were named.

Daufeldt was joined on the 3A first team by Ella Koloc of West Delaware and Madeleine Miller of Mount Vernon.

Nia Howard of state runner-up Springville is on the 1A first team, as is Jadyn Rausch of North Tama.

Western Dubuque’s Megan Scherrman (4A), West Delaware’s Brett Mather (3A) and Springville’s Claude Howard (1A) are among the state coaches of the year.

2021 Iowa high school all-state volleyball teams

(Iowa Girls Coaches Association)

Elite Team

Macy Daufeldt, sr., West Liberty

Payton Petersen, soph., Dike-New Hartford

Lily Dykstra, jr., Urbandale

Faith DeRonde, sr., Oskaloosa

Hayden Kubik, sr., West Des Moines Valley

Kiersten Schmitt, sr., Dyersville Beckman

Kora Ruff, sr., Pleasant Valley

Cassidy Hartman, jr., Iowa City Liberty

Morgan Brandt, sr., Sumner-Fredericksburg

Co-Players of the Year: Macy Daufeldt, sr., West Liberty; Payton Petersen, soph., Dike-New Hartford

Class 5A

First Team

Alivia Bronner, sr., Cedar Falls

Ava Reynolds, Ankeny

Cassidy Hartman, jr., Iowa City Liberty

Halle Vice, jr., Pleasant Valley

Hayden Kubik, sr., West Des Moines Valley

Kora Ruff, sr., Pleasant Valley

Lily Dykstra, jr., Urbandale

Shelby Kimm, jr., Iowa City Liberty

Player of the Year: Kora Ruff, sr., Pleasant Valley

Coach of the Year: Amber Hall, Pleasant Valley

Second Team

Annalise Grant, fr., West Des Moines Dowling

Chloe Cline, jr., Pleasant Valley

Dasha Svitashev, sr., Johnston

Gabbie Schroeder, sr., Iowa City Liberty

Katie Remmert, jr., Cedar Falls

Livia Thomsen, sr., Pleasant Valley

Molly Romano, soph., Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln

Nohea Mahi, jr., Cedar Falls

Honorable Mention (area only)

Allie Barlow, jr., Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Molly Joyner, sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Class 4A

First Team

Avery Beckett, sr., Waverly-Shell Rock

Avery Van Hook, jr., Marion

Brynlee Arnold, sr., Glenwood

Faith DeRonde, sr., Oskaloosa

Madison Maahs, sr., Western Dubuque

Maya Karl, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Meredith Bahl, sr., Western Dubuque

Sophie Sedgwick, sr., Waverly-Shell Rock

Player of the Year: Faith DeRonde, sr., Oskaloosa

Coach of the Year: Megan Scherrman, Western Dubuque

Second Team

Avery Amelse, sr., Pella

Bailey Van Voorst, sr., Pella

Ella McLaughlin, sr., North Scott

Grace Embretson, sr., Benton Community

Lauren Carter, sr., Winterset

Libby Lansing, jr., Western Dubuque

Maddie Harris, sr., Western Dubuque

Riley Jonker, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier

Honorable Mention (area only)

Alyssa Tegeler, sr., Benton Community

Bliss Beck, soph., Clear Creek Amana

Calia Clubb, sr., Clear Creek Amana

Elise Mehaffy, sr., Marion

Ella Meyer, jr., Western Dubuque

Peyton Johnson, jr., Marion

Class 3A

First Team

Ella Koloc, sr., West Delaware

Emma Salker, sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Gabby Lombardi, soph., Des Moines Christian

Gracie Schoonhoven, jr., Unity Christian

Macy Daufeldt, sr., West Liberty

Madeleine Miller, jr., Mount Vernon

Molly Shafer, fr., Eddyville EBF

Player of the Year: Macy Daufeldt, sr., West Liberty

Coach of the Year: Brett Mather, West Delaware

Second Team

Alivia Schulte, sr., West Delaware

Ava Schubert, jr., Davenport Assumption

Brianna Gartner, sr., Davenport Assumption

Lexi Johnson, sr., Red Oak

Maddie Hinkel, sr., Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Olivia Lombardi, jr., Des Moines Christian

Payten Lode, sr., Sheldon

Third Team

Brooklyn Buysee, jr., West Liberty

Carlee Smith, sr., West Delaware

Chloe Meester, fr., Mount Vernon

Emma Cross, sr., Des Moines Christian

Kate Shafer, fr., Eddyville EBF

Monica Morales, jr., West Liberty

Reagan Jansen, jr., Sioux Center

Honorable Mention (area only)

Aubrey Gates, jr., Union Community

Berlin Troendle, jr., Waukon

Dakota Whitman, jr., Independence

Class 2A

First Team

Carly Puffer, sr., Wilton

Jadyn Petersen, soph., Dike-New Hartford

Kelsey Drake, sr., Wilton

Kiersten Schmitt, sr., Dyersville Beckman

Madelyn Norton, jr., Dike-New Hartford

Morgan Brandt, sr., Sumner-Fredericksburg

Payton Petersen, soph., Dike-New Hartford

Stella Winterfeld, jr., Western Christian

Player of the Year: Payton Petersen, soph., Dike-New Hartford

Coach of the Year: Diane Harms, Dike-New Hartford

Second Team

Chloe Largent, sr., Guthrie Center ACGC

Ella Caffery, sr., Wilton

Isabelle Elliott, soph., Sumner-Fredericksburg

Jaidyn Teske, sr., South Hardin

Jaylin Van Dyken, sr., Western Christian

Lydia Imbrogno, sr., Wapsie Valley

Marissa Pottebaum, sr., Boyden-Hull

Reese Johnson, sr., Denver

Third Team

Abby Matt, jr., Van Meter

Abby VerBurg, jr., Western Christian

Claudia Schenbrenner, jr., Osage

Emma Flathers, sr., Treynor

Jewel Bergstrom, sr., Boyden-Hull

Kayla Knowles, jr., Denver

Meredith Street, sr., Osage

Olivia Hogan, sr., Dyersville Beckman

Honorable Mention (area only)

Lexi Klinkkammer, sr., West Branch

Lily Simpson, sr., Iowa City Regina

Class 1A

First Team

Emily Dreckman, sr., Marcus MMCRU

Gabby Deery, jr., Burlington Notre Dame

Jadyn Rausch, jr., North Tama

Jenna Bentz, sr., Burlington Notre Dame

Kassi Randolph, sr., Fort Madison Holy Trinity

Lauren Williams, sr., Council Bluffs St. Albert

Nia Howard, jr., Springville

Pyper McCarville, sr., Janesville

Player of the Year: Gabby Deery, jr., Burlington Notre Dame

Coach of the Year: Claude Howard, Springville

Second Team

Cadence Goebel, jr., Le Mars Gehlen

Grace Matus, sr., Springville

Josie Bentz, sr., Burlington Notre Dame

Macy Seivers, sr., Newell-Fonda

Megan Cooley, jr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Miranda Ring, sr., Tri-Center

Natalie Randolph, soph., Fort Madison Holy Trinity

Peyton Robinson, jr., Lisbon

Third Team

Anna Sobczak, sr., Fort Madison Holy Trinity

Ava Wyatt, jr., Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Katie Quick, fr., Ankeny Christian

Kelsey Hansel, sr., Edgewood-Colesburg

Lauren Heying, sr., Le Mars Gehlen

Mallory Tisue, jr., Dunkerton

Natalie Burden, sr., New London

Shae Ewoldt, jr., North Tama

Honorable Mention (area only)

Chloe Van Etten, sr., North Linn

Kali Nelson jr., Lisbon

Lauren Wilson, sr., Springville

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com