MaxPreps Preseason Top 25 Volleyball Early Contenders: Nos. 15-11

We continue our countdown of the 2015 Preseason Top 25 Volleyball Rankings, presented by Asics, with Nos. 15-11.

Be sure to check out the previous teams, and come back as we continue to release the top volleyball teams in the country entering the 2015 season.


Division: D-II (second largest in state)
2014 record: 37-3 (D-II state champion).
Head coach: Bret Almazan-Cezar
Almazan-Cezar has guided Mitty to a 116-7 record over the last three seasons.

Key Returnees:

Lauren Speckman (Marquette): A 5-9 first-team all-WCAL selection, Speckman, a U.S. youth national team player last summer, averaged nearly six assists per set for a Mitty team that won the state D-II championship.

Tessie Powers (Gonzaga): Like most Mitty players, the 5-10 Powers is versatile. In the state title match, she had 28 assists (Speckman had 21). She had 217 digs on the season and is a 96 percent server.

Merin Kolte (UC-Irvine): Averaged 2.3 kills last season and was second on team in blocks.

Other Returnees: Kate Formico, Julia Chizanskos (Hawaii), 5-11 sophomore Kamrin Caoili, and Candice Denny.

Key Losses: Alexa Dreyer (UCLA) and Bariella Carta-Samuels (Colorado).

2015 Outlook: Everything seems to be in place and on course for another outstanding Mitty team. And the tradition — three straight D-II titles and 11 overall — speaks for itself.

2015 Toughest opponent: Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.). It's a team with size and pedigrees.

Notable: In the last 10 seasons, two of Almazan-Cezar's teams have gone unbeaten (2012 and 2009) and two have lost just once (2008 and 2005). The 2009 team was named MaxPreps National Team of the Year.

View the entire Archbishop Mitty preseason photo shoot gallery

Coach's comment: "Ten kids return and we'll improve daily — the culture for improving daily is set," said Almazan-Cezar. "We hope to be playing in December. The loss of four two-year starters will have us searching for new leadership."


2014 record: 28-1 (lost state title series to Mount Notre Dame).
Head coach: John Buck

Buck will step down as coach at the end of the 2015 season. He has posted a 451-66 career match record. His run includes 14 league championships, 14 district titles, 11 regional crowns, two state championships and four runner-up finishes. He's been state coach of the year six times. In the past five seasons, the Arrows have gone 139-6.

Key Returnees:

Elizabeth Coil: The 6-foot-3 MH/OPP has committed to Elon.

Jamye Cox (Michigan State): The 5-3 junior All-American libero averaged 4.7 digs per set and serves at a 93.5 rate.

Stephanie Sylvester (Wheeling Jesuit University): The 5-8 senior setter averaged 9.7 assists and had 94.5 serving pct.

Other Returnees: Seniors McKenna Jordan, 6-0 Kerrigan McVicker and 6-3 junior Alex Richards.

Key Losses: Morgan Finn (Xavier), Ryann Cox (Bowling Green) and Lauran Graves (Wheeling Jesuit).

2015 Outlook: On paper, it looks like the Arrows lost a lot. But Buck's teams have been there before. It's an old phrase, but they reload. And this year's squad could be his quickest team. And size is there with McVicker, Richards, and Coil. Buck's teams always play great defense and are superior servers. Good things will happen in Buck's final year.

2015 Toughest Opponent: Moving to D-2 likely will create a new rivalry, though run-ins with Mount Notre Dame and Ursuline Academy are likely in regular-season tournament action.

Notable: The Arrows went into the 2014 Ohio Large School Tournament ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps and riding a 28-match winning streak. Mt. Notre Dame ended the dream season with a 3-1 victory. It marked the third year in a row that the Arrows lost to the state champion during the final weekend of the season.

Coach's comment: "We'll have size and we'll have quickness," Buck was quoted as saying in the Toledo Blade recently. "There's also some pretty good JV players from last year who will fill some roles for us. I'm pretty optimistic about the season."


Division: D-1 (largest in state)
2014 Finish: 27-2 (D-1 state champions).
Head coach: Joe Burke

Since 2008, Burke's teams have won 159 and lost 30. More importantly, they've won back-to-back D-1 state titles.

Key Returnees:

Dani Szczepanski (Tennessee-Chatanooga): The 6-0 hitter had 249 kills in 2014 and was first Team All-Ohio.

Sydney Mukes: The LSU-recruit had 271 kills in 2014 and was named third team All-Ohio.

Other Returnees: 5-9 hitter Sabrina Wolf (Cincinnati), 6-1 MB Christine Carroll, Erin McCarthy, and 6-0 Katelin Marklay.

Key Newcomers: 5-11 middle Sarah Riesenberger and defensive specialist Lauren King.

Key Losses: Margo Wolfe (Dayton signee and state Gatorade award winner) and all-state setter Jessica Towle.

2015 Outlook: The 2015 Cougars return a lot of talent and experience off of their 2014 D-1 title team. They return their top three kill leaders from last year and that should be the team's strength with Mukes and three-year starter Szczepanski. They have size and athleticism — a good combination to have when your goal is to repeat as state champion.

2015 Toughest Opponent: Ursuline Academy (Cincinnati) went 24-4 a year ago and returns 10 players.

Notable: MND's only two losses in 2014 came against teams that were at one time ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps during the 2014 season.

Coach's comment: "We did lose seven seniors from last year's team, including our two-year starting setter and libero," said Burke. "I believe we have players that are ready to step up into these positions, but it will take a little time to make sure that everyone is on the same page. I am very optimistic about our ability to control the net as we will be about 6-foot across the board with a lot of experience. I think that our defense has a lot of potential once the group gets a chance to work together as we mix in some very talented defenders."

Division: Open
2014 Finish: 29-6 (lost state title game to Mercy-Louisville, 3-2).
Head coach: Buck McCoart

McCoart says his seniors are key to this year. "Our strength is the experience and talent of our senior class," he said. "They've been to two state finals already. Our team will also be strong defensively as well as a great serve/pass team."

Key Returnees:

Morgan Hentz (Stanford commit): The 5-7 Hentz is a former four-sport athlete who is now on everyone's volleyball watch list. She is a member of Team USA that will compete in the Youth World Championship in August. Her 2014 stats included a 4.1 kill avg., 3.9 dig avg., 90 blocks and 379 serve receptions.

Hannah Talkers: She averaged 11.7 assists per set.

Madison Salkowski, (Seton Hall commit): She had a team-high 109 blocks (1.1 avg.) and was third on the team with 224 kills (2.3).

Other Returnees: Hannah Colvin (Wingate commit), Sarah Draud and Hanna Knaley all played in every set last season.

Key Losses: Abby Thelen (Seton Hall).

2015 Outlook: With seniors Hentz, Salkowski and Talkers joined by six classmates, Notre Dame could be pulling down more headlines than Louisville powers Mercy and Assumption.

2015 Toughest opponent: Take your pick of either Louisville giant: Mercy or Assumption.

Notable: The Pandas have four returning liberos — senior Colvin and the Saelingers, all three of them ... triplets Christa, Megan and Shannon.

View the entire Notre Dame Academy preseason photo shoot gallery

Coach's Comment: "My upcoming team is full of kids returning from last year," said McCoart. "We graduated two starters and return everyone else from last year's state runner-up team that lost to Mercy. Our team this year will be led by a big, strong senior class. Our expectations and goals are as they always are: win our district, win our region, and then win state."


Division: 4A (largest in state)
2014 Finish: 45-0-1 (won state 4A title)
Head coach: Mike Krause

Krause has guided the Trojans to 186 wins against just 13 losses in the last five seasons.

Key Returnees:

Kristin Krause (Penn State commit): The 5-9 All-American senior setter is back after dishing off 1,233 (10.4 avg.) assists and serving 105 aces.

Siena Salvaggio (future Penn State swimmer): The 6-2 senior had a team-high 421 kills (3.5 avg.) and had a 60 percent hitting average.

Erika Foose: She was the top hitter in the state with 68.6 kill pct. and 275 total.

Other Returnees: Seniors Sam Webber, Avery Perosa (libero who will play at Pittsburgh), and juniors Sam Graver, Morgan Sherwin and Megan Shaw. All played in 69 or more sets a year ago. Sophomore OH/DS Kirah Dreisbach looks to add to the defensive depth and net play.

Key Losses: Brooke Robertson (Delaware).

2015 Outlook: With a roster full of returnees, left-handed hitters, an All-American setter and size upfront, confidence is extremely high. Parkland upgraded its schedule to play in the Nike tournament of Champions in Arizona the first weekend of October.

2015 Toughest Opponent: Hempfield (Landisville, Penn.) was 32-3-1 a year ago and lost in the state finals to Parkland. Hempfield has a dozen returnees from that team, including four who earned All-State honors.

Notable: Kristin Krause is the sister of Penn State junior Taylor Krause, who led Parkland to state title in 2011 and is a former MaxPreps All-American. Coach Mike Krause is dad to both Kristin and Taylor.

Coach's Comment: "Our strength will be our offense, starting with the serve and continuing with the ability to attack from everywhere on the court," said Krause. "The versatility of Webber and Foose allow for our offense to be versatile at the net. Salvaggio will attack from the right side in both the front and back row position."