MaxPreps 2013 Volleyball Small Schools All-American Teams

Small Schools Player of the Year: Sydney Chandler, Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.)

In addition to being part of a sixth state championship, five as starting setter, Chandler is the MaxPreps Small Schools National Player of the Year. She led Bayside to its 13th-straight title and 22nd overall, and will need both hands to wear her state title rings.

Chandler was the starting setter for the 2009 state championship team when she dished out more than 1,100 assists as an eighth-grader. She was also varsity team captain as an eighth-grader, an honor she has received five times. She was a member of the 2008 team as a seventh grader, but did not play in the state tournament.

Coach Ann Schilling said of Chandler, "First of all, Sydney is a great kid on and off the court. She also brings that refuse-to-lose attitude every match." 

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Record Book, Chandler is the all-time assists leader for four seasons with 6,215. She surpassed the record for career assists – 6,102 – held by Chelsea Wintzinger of Hunstville, Ala., from 2006-2009.

Excelling on the volleyball court is something Chandler expects. After all, she does have 7,409 assists in her five-year prep career.

"Sydney delivers a great ball and her volleyball IQ is very high," said Schilling. "She isn't tall in stature but makes up for it everywhere else."

Small Schools Coach of the Year: Lynn Dearing, Goodpasture Christian (Madison, Tenn.)

Goodpasture Christian went 48-0 and won the state class A title. When all was said and done, Goodpasture won 113 sets and lost only four. The team never played a fifth set all season and outscored South Greene 75-32 in the state final.

"The 2013 season was absolutely amazing," said Dearing. "We had a very talented group of young ladies that clothed themselves with determination and hard work every day. Winning the state championship game was the perfect way to end a perfect season and go undefeated." 

Small Schools Team of the Year: Goodpasture Christian (Madison, Tenn.)

Goodpasture won 48 games and lost none, winning 113 sets, losing only four and no fifth sets all season. The Cougars are the first Tennessee team to go unbeaten since 1977.

Goodpasture beat South Greene (38-4) by a 25-11, 25-9, 25-12 count to win the state's Division A championship.


OH - Sarah Wallace - Branson (Ross, Calif.), 5-11 Senior
Wallace had 517 kills and 60 aces to lead the Bulls in both categories. She will play at Swathmore in Pennsylvania.

OH - Carly O'Sullivan - Bogota (N.J.), 5-8 Senior
O'Sullivan led Bogota to four straight state titles and as a senior averaged 7.8 kills per set and served 99 percent (54 aces). She also recorded 52 blocks, 198 digs and had 374 serve receptions. She is a four-time all-state selection and a 2013 Under Armour All-American.

OH - Sierra Hubbard-Neil - St. Philip Catholic Central (Battle Creek, Mich.), 5-10 Senior
Neil, who will play at Western Michigan, was a state Miss Volleyball finalist. She led St. Phillip to its eighth-straight volleyball title. She was also an Under Armour All-American. A 94-percent server, she averaged better than five kills per set.

OH - Megan Hohlt - Round Top-Carmine (Carmine, Texas), 5-11 Senior
Hohlt was named the Texas Small Schools Player of the Year after recording 330 digs, 107 blocks, 66 aces (90 percent) and 444 kills in leading Round Top-Carmine to the Texas 1A title.

OH - Alexis Conaway - MOC-Floyd Valley (Orange City, Iowa), 6-0 Senior
Named the Des Moines Register 3A Player of the Year, Conaway averaged 4.77 kills per set along with recording a team-high 2.57 digs per set. Outside of volleyball, Conaway is one of the state's top track and field athletes. A two-time state champion in the high jump, Conaway also has a Drake Relays high jump title and another state title as part of the MOC-Floyd Valley 4×400-meter relay team.

OH - Briana Weber - Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 5-10 Junior
A perennial all-state player, Weber was named Iowa's 2A Player of the Year for the third-straight year after leading her team to the 2A title. Weber led her team with 4.5 kills per set while hitting with a .420 efficiency. She also served 96 percent with 46 aces and led the Wolverines with 2.54 digs per set.

MB - Macy Reece - Goodpasture Christian (Madison, Tenn.), 6-3 Senior
Reece led Goodpasture to a 48-0 season and was MVP of the state tournament when the Cougars won the Class A title. As a senior, she recorded 561 kills, 89 aces and 187 blocks. She was also the District and Region Player of the Year. She has signed with Auburn.

MB - Nicole Fleitman - Lindsay (Texas), 6-2 Junior
Fleitman set the national record for average number of kills per match with 21.9 in 2013 as Lindsay finished 37-8 and reached the Texas 1A semifinals. Fleitman had 986 kills (7.3 average) in 136 sets to go along with 121 aces, 187 blocks and 465 digs.

MH - Jess Janota - Gilmour Academy (Gates Mills, Ohio), 6-3 Senior
Janota is a four-year letterwinner and three-time all-district honoree and as a senior was named District MVP and first team All-Ohio pick after posting 421 kills. She will play at Iowa.

MH - Mikaela Foecke - Holy Trinity Catholic (Fort Madison, Iowa), 6-1 Junior
Foecke won Gatorade's Iowa State Player of the Year honors and averaged 6.08 kills per set while helping her team to a Class 1A state runner-up finish. Foecke was named to the Des Moines Sunday Register's elite all-state team in November.

S - Sydney Chandler - Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.), 5-5 Senior
The MaxPreps National Small Schools Player of the Year capped her career at Bayside by being named the Most Valuable Player at the state tournament as Bayside won its 12th-straight state title. Chandler, the all-state setter on five of those teams, finished her career as the national all-time (four year) assists leader.

S - Ashley Rozell - Warner (S.D.), 5-11 Junior
Rozell led Warner to its second-straight state title by recording 10.5 assists (958) in 91 sets and added 94 aces in 421 serves. She also blocked 48 shots. She was first team all-state for the second straight year

S - Andie Shelton - Ripon Christian (Calif.), 5-9 Senior
Shelton had team highs with 202 assists, 181 kills, 37 aces, 27 blocks and 103 digs as the Knights went undefeated in league competition for the fourth-consecutive season and reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV quarterfinals. An Under Armour All-American, Shelton will play at University of the Pacific.

L - Amber MacDonald - Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 5-4 Junior
McDonald led the Titans to the state finals and a 59-win season with 787 digs (5.3 average), 94 aces (624 serves, 95 percent) and had 940 serve receptions..

All-Around - Jo-Leigh VerVelde - Oostburg (Wis.), 5-10 Senior
The Sheboygan Press All-Area Volleyball Player of the Year, Vervelde led the Flying Dutchmen to a WIAA D3 State Girls Volleyball Tournament sectional final for the fourth-straight year behind her state-leading statistics. Signed to play at Western Carolina, Vervelde tallied 199 aces this year (412 over two years). She also recorded 453 kills, 227 digs, 69 blocks and 627 assists for Oostburg, which ended the season 43-4.

A-A - Sarah Sponcil - Veritas Prep (Phoenix), 5-10 Senior
Sponcil did a bit of everything for the state D-4 runners-up: 689 kills (6.8 average), 95 percent on serves (53 aces), 52 blocks, 533 digs (5.2 average) and 226 assists. She will play collegiately at Loyola Marymount.

A-A- Rachel Holthaus - Winona (Mo.), 6-0 Junior
Holthaus led Winona to a state title as she averaged 6.5 kills (560 in 86 sets), served 96 percent, blocked 104 shots, had 260 digs and found time to dish out 343 assists.

Second Team

OH - Shealene Little - Culver (Ore.), 5-11 Junior
Little recorded 538 kills (.470 average) on the season as Culver reached the state finals for the second year in a row. She had 99 aces and 243 digs.

OH - Deja Harris - Calvary Chapel Christian (Las Vegas), 6-2 Senior
Harris recorded 395 kills, 64 blocks and 42 service aces this past season, posting a .461 hitting percentage while leading the Lions (28-5) to the Division 3 semifinals. A 2013-14 Under Armour Second Team All-American, she was also her conference MVP and is a three-time first team All-State selection. She will play at San Diego State.

OH - Marie Less - St. Teresa (Decatur, Ill.), 5-11 Senior
Less averaged six kills per set and added 60 blocks, 441 digs and 319 serve receptions in 84 sets. She also was a 98 percent server. She will play at Arkansas State.

OH - Ky Foster - Crawford (Texas), 5-10 Senior
Foster led Crawford to the state finals and 46-3-1 record when she recorded 586 kills, 95 percent serving with 60 aces, 382 digs and 404 serve receptions.

OH - Alyssa Shultejans - Silver Lake (Kan.), 6-1 Junior
Shultejans led Silver Lake (38-6) to the state title and was the 3A Player of Year. She recorded 30 of her 624 kills in the state title match.

MH - Mary Harriet Moore - Bishop England (Charleston, S.C.), 6-1 Senior
Moore led Bishop England to its 13th-straight title with 345 kills and 140 blocks to go with 44 aces. Moore was named Region VI Player of the Year and was selected to compete in the North-South All-Star Game last week where she led the South to a 3-1 win over the North as the Most Valuable Player.

MH - Clarivel Castillo - Los Molinos (Calif.), 6-0 Senior
As she did in 2012, Castillo put up big numbers in leading Los Molinos to a 39-9 record: 627 kills, 67 aces, 97 blocks and 612 digs (5.2).

MH - Alex Ratzlaff - Hillsboro (Kan.), 5-10 Sophomore
Ratzlaff followed her stellar freshman season with better numbers – 128 aces (433 attempts), 556 kills (5.9 average), 46 blocks and 325 digs – as the Trojans won 43 of 44 matches and a state title.

MH - Allie Hueston - Alexandria-Monroe (Alexandria, Ind.), 5-11 Senior
Hueston posted 634 kills, 123 blocks, 208 digs and 38 aces.

S - Maddy Schoenberger - Branson (Ross, Calif.), 6-0 Sophomore
Schoenberger made an immediate impact as Branson reached the state finals for the fifth-straight year (finishing second) when she distributed 1,107 assists (11.8 per set average) and served 97 percent with 49 aces. She also blocked 50 shots and had 218 digs.

S - Alana Holman - Goodpasture Christian (Madison, Tenn.), 5-6 Senior
Holman led the state in assists with 1,302 (11.3 average) and helped Goodpasture to a 48-0 season and state title.

S - Rachel Koop - Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 5-6 Senior
The two-time Iowa Elite Team player led New Dike to a 2A state title and 42-1 season. A 93 percent server, she averaged 10.9 assists per set.

L - Val Ewing - Hilmar (Calif.), 5-4 Senior
Ewing led Hilmar to the state semifinals and 38-10 record in recording 852 digs (7.1 average). She also had only two service errors in 410 attempts (99.5 percent).

L - Tori Phillips - Crawford (Texas), 5-4 Senior
Phillips led the Pirates to 46 wins and the state finals when she was among the national leaders with 1,054 digs (8.1 average). The all-state selection also served at 96 percent (63 aces) and added 674 serve returns.

L - Danae Bina - Hillsboro (Kan.), 5-7 Senior
The state's 2A Player of the Year led Hillsboro to a state title and 43-1 record when she recorded 466 digs and made 476 serve receptions with only 23 errors. She also was a 93 percent server with 49 aces.

A-A - Melanie McHenry - Speedway (Ind.), 6-2 Sophomore
McHenry led her team to the 2A state semifinals and earned all-state honors with big numbers: 656 kills, 65 aces, 64 blocks, 361 digs and 281 serve receptions. She was also the third-leading scorer on the varsity football team that reached the state regional finals when she kicked for 48 points (two field goals and 42 extra points).

Third team

OH - Jen Dawson - Morgan (Clinton, Conn.), 6-0 Junior
Jen is one of two Dawsons on the All-American list after leading Morgan to a 26-0 season and the state Class S title. She averaged six kills and served at a 97 percent success rate.

OH - Arela Williams - La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), 5-8 Senior
Named to the San Diego Union Tribune's All-Area team after leading La Jolla Country Day to the state Division V title over four-time champion Branson, Williams recorded 501 kills, 317 digs and returned 539 serves.

OH - Haley Collins - Holy Innocents Episcopal (Atlanta), Sophomore
Collins was the state's 1A Player of the Year.

OH - Sarah Veilleux - RHAM (Hebron, Conn.), 6-0 Senior
Veilleux led RHAM to the state title and tallied 371 kills (64.3) and had 55 aces and 254 digs. She was MVP at the state tournament.

OH - Kaylor Nash - Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (Suffolk, Va.), 5-9 Senior
Nash led NSA to a 36-2 record and a state D2 title with 478 kills, 130 aces in 105 sets, 24 blocks, 450 digs and 414 serve receptions.

OH - Laura Sudbeck - B & B (Baileyville, Kan.), 5-9 Senior
Sudbeck was named state Player of the Year after leading B&B to its second-straight 1A state title. She was named to the All-State Tournament team for the fourth-straight year. Sudbeck had 57 kills in the Falcons' five state matches, also recording 29 digs, nine blocks and two aces.

MB - Valerie Gonzalez - Seacrest Country Day (Naples, Fla.), 6-1 Junior
Gonzalez led Seacrest (26-5) with 695 kills, 452 digs and 199 blocks and was named Florida's 2A Player of the Year. She had a match-high 27 kills in a five-set victory over Winter Garden-Foundation Academy in the state 2A championship.

MB - Aly Sauer - Hagerman (Idaho), 6-3 Senior
Sauer led Hagerman to state the semifinals while recording 6.9 kills per set. She also averaged a block and ace each set.

MB - Brooke Morgan - Dike-New Hartford (Dike, Iowa), 6-5 Junior
One of three Wolverine juniors earning All-American recognition, Morgan blossomed in 2013 with a .490 hitting efficiency and 3.39 kills per set, plus 1.06 blocks per set. The Wolverines went 42-1 and repeated as 2A champions.

S - Kelly Davis - Wheatmore (Trinity, N.C.), 5-7 Senior
Davis led Wheatmore to the state 2A finals and a 27-2 record by averaging 11.2 assists in 93 sets. She added 69 aces.

S - Lily Dawson - Morgan (Clinton, Conn.), 5-5 Senior
The other All-American on the Small Schools team, Dawson dished out 821 assists (10.1 average) as the Huskies won the state title and outscored their foes 78-5.

S - Jenna Knepp - Barr-Reeve (Montgomery, Ind.), 5-7 Senior
Knepp led Barr-Reeve to the Class A state title and a 38-2 record with 1,211 assists and 330 digs. She was Indiana's top 1A player.

L - Kristin Moring - Schulenburg (Texas), 5-6 Senior
Moring tallied 60 aces, had 628 serve receptions and 932 digs (7.3 average) for a 42-4 team that reached the state 2A finals. She was named all-state.

All-Around - Alexis Patterson - Northwest Christian (Phoenix), 6-0 Senior
Patterson had 215 digs, 432 assists, 26 blocks, 80 aces and 354 kills, plus she led NWC to the state D4 title. She will play at UNLV.

A-A - Corey Phillis - Donoho (Anniston, Ala.), 5-10 Senior
After leading Donoho to a third-straight state title, Phillis was named The Anniston Star's Class 1A-2A All-County Player of the Year. She completed her senior season with 591 kills — a 49.8 kill percentage — and 64 aces. She also had 606 digs and 158 blocks this season.

A-A - Ashley Laborde - St. John Lutheran (Ocala, Fla.), 5-9 Junior
Laborde led St. John to a 23-4 season and All-State Team honors with her nation-leading .637 hitting percentage, 409 digs, 55 aces, 40 blocks and 253 serves.