Top 10 Teams
1. Metea Valley: Mustangs finished 4-10 in the spring but return several players who only played club. They feature three Division I recruits in junior outside hitter Kira Hutson (Florida), senior libero Morgan Rank (Alabama) and senior setter Regan Holmer (Grand Canyon), who will play beach in college.
2. St. Charles North: Sophomore outside Katherine Scherer, who spent time this summer training with the U.S. national team development program in Anaheim, California, should be a force. She will be a key target of junior setter Jessica Parker for the North Stars, who went 14-7 in the spring.
3. Kaneland: Senior outside Maddie Buckley (Ball State) and senior setter Meghan O’Sullivan (Grand Valley State) return to lead the defending Interstate Eight Conference champions. The Knights were 15-1 last spring.
4. St. Charles East: Junior outside Kate Goudreau and senior middle Kendra Dziubinski are back to lead the Saints, who ended up 10-3 in the spring.
5. Geneva: Former Geneva standout Lauren Wicinski Kosecki takes reins of DuKane Conference champions. The Vikings, who finished 15-1 overall in the spring, lost a lot to graduation but start strong with returnees in outside Madi Danielson and middle Lauren Benson.
6. West Aurora: Senior setter Mielye Hardersen and junior middle Kaitlyn Aleshire return for the Blackhawks, who were 10-6 in the spring.
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7. Newark: Madi Malone, the Beacon-News/Courier New Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, has moved on to Milwaukee. But outside hitter Megan Williams, an NCAA Division II Colorado Christian commit, returns. The Norsemen, who were 17-2 in the spring, will again be a force in Class 1A.
8. Oswego: All-area selection Destiny Grey, a senior outside, had 152 kills last season as the Panthers surprised with a 10-3 record.
9. Burlington Central: Senior outsides Rylie Hahn and Addison Nava are back. Hahn had 113 kills and Nava added 106 as the Rockets finished 8-5 in the spring.
10. (tie) South Elgin: The Storm, who were 6-4 in the spring, will get a big boost from Alyssa Worden. The junior outside led the team with 315 kills as a freshman, but only played club in the spring.
10. (tie) Bartlett: All-area senior setter/right side Maddie Hankins and junior middle Bria Lomax should help the Hawks, who went 11-4 in the spring, contend in the Upstate Eight Conference.
25 Players to Watch
Saige Avery, Yorkville, senior, setter/right side; Lauren Benson, Geneva, junior, middle hitter; Ella Bourque, Yorkville, senior, setter/right side; Maddie Buckley, Kaneland, senior, outside hitter; Madi Danielson, Geneva, senior, outside hitter; Kate Goudreau, St. Charles East, junior, outside hitter; Destiny Grey, Oswego, senior, outside hitter; Rylie Hahn, Burlington Central, senior, outside hitter; Maddie Hankins, Bartlett, senior, setter/right side; Mielye Hardersen, West Aurora, senior, setter; Regan Holmer, Metea Valley, senior, setter; Kira Hutson, Metea Valley, junior, outside hitter; Bria Lomax, Bartlett, junior, middle hitter; Addison Nava, Burlington Central, senior, outside hitter; Ava Orkfritz, Waubonsie Valley, senior, libero; Meghan O’Sullivan, Kaneland, senior, setter; Amanda Otten, Batavia, junior, setter/right side; Jessica Parker, St. Charles North, junior, setter; Gabi Peter, Hampshire, junior, middle hitter; Morgan Rank, Metea Valley, senior, libero; Taylor Riddiford, Rosary, senior, setter; Katherine Scherer, St. Charles North, outside hitter; Kyra Taylor, Batavia, senior, outside hitter; Megan Williams, Newark, senior, outside hitter; Alyssa Worden, South Elgin, junior, outside hitter.