That is “Dots,” VolleyballMag.com’s weekly have a look at 10 issues in highschool volleyball, previous or current, that curiosity me and hopefully will curiosity you. That is the primary version of the 2023 women prep season. Search for Dots each Tuesday till the final highschool state championship in November:
• 5 months after Ann Kang guided Iolani College to its first Hawaii women state volleyball title in 2001, the previous Rainbow Wahine participant, and 20-year coach and trainer at Iolani, was identified with ALS. The illness took her life 19 months later, at age 47. She left behind her husband, Alan, the first-ever ladies’s coach on the College of Hawaii; and two younger kids.
Ann Kang, whom I counted as a good friend, was beloved as a result of she was a form and compassionate trainer, each on the courtroom and within the classroom. The varsity thought sufficient of her to call Iolani’s season-opening match after her. It’s the “Ann Kang Invitational” and has been, for nearly 20 years, the occasion that marks the unofficial begin to one other fall season.
• The 2023 Ann Kang Invitational occurred this previous weekend in Honolulu. A complete of 16 groups, 4 from Texas, six from California and 6 from Hawaii, together with Baldwin from Maui; participated within the three-day occasion that began on Thursday.
Two groups anticipated to be in competition for the legendary nationwide championship, Mira Costa of Manhattan Seaside, California; and Cornerstone Christian of San Antonio; met for the championship, with Costa rallying from a first-set loss to win the title for the second consecutive yr.
“We had an incredible run within the playoffs,” stated Mustang coach Cam Inexperienced. “I’m actually pleased with them and the way we began our season.”
• Whereas Cornerstone Christian, which options two of the highest pins within the nation in junior OH Megan Fitch and senior RS Grace Carroll; went 7-0 in Pool B, dropping only one set to Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth, California, in a decent match; Mira Costa was susceptible to not making the semifinals after dropping a Pool A match on Day 1 to Punahou of Honolulu. The Mustangs had two swings for the match earlier than dropping Sport 3, 18-16. Mira Costa acquired some assistance on the second day from unheralded California squad, Los Alamitos, which outlasted Punahou in three units. That finally created a three-way tie for first at 6-1.Punahou was the odd-team out and in the end settled for fifth place general.
In Pool B, Huntington Seaside’s sweep of Sierra Canyon on Saturday morning didn’t forestall the Trailblazers (5-2) from making the semifinals over Huntington Seaside and the host college, Iolani, which additionally completed 5-2. That arrange a semifinal spherical pitting Costa in opposition to Sierra Canyon and Cornerstone Christian in opposition to Los Al.
• Charlie Fuerbringer is the senior star setter for Mira Costa. The Wisconsin recruit is the top-rated pure setter within the Class of 2024. Fuerbringer, nonetheless, was not together with her Mustang teammates in Hawaii. As an alternative, she was midway all over the world in Croatia serving to the USA U19 Ladies’s Nationwide Group win Gold on the FIVB World Championship.
Inexperienced had three setters able to main Mira Costa in Fuerbringer’s absence: senior Hayden Linn and sophomores Milly McGee and Reese Stringer.
“We went in understanding we may nonetheless compete,” Inexperienced stated. “I believed we’d nonetheless be fairly darned good with out Charlie, however early within the match it appeared prefer it was going to take us a while to get going. We misplaced to Punahou in a decent match that would have gone both means. As match progressed we grew stronger and stored competing. It was actually cool to see this group bond collectively.”
One bonding second the crew will always remember occurred round a laptop computer, the place Mustang gamers, coaches and fogeys huddled to observe Fuerbringer come on as a sub on Friday and rally the USA to the five-set win over Türkiye.
Outdoors hitters Abby Vander Wal and Teraya Sigler, who’re each ranked among the many prime 5 gamers within the Class of 2025, led the best way all match lengthy for the People. RS Abigail Mullen and MB Favor Anyanwu, who are also prime 5 nationwide recruits within the Courses of 2025 and 2024, respectively, additionally have been catalysts within the championship match win, together with Fuerbringer.
“To observe her win a gold medal was past unreal,” Inexperienced recalled. “We have been all so excited.”
• Cornerstone Christian led the primary set of the Ann Kang championship remaining, 22-9, at one level.
“We have been getting crushed,” Inexperienced conceded. “I informed the ladies, ‘These blowouts don’t imply a lot. See what you are able to do on the finish of the set to construct momentum.’ Certain sufficient we flipped it round. The third set was shut at first however we pulled away on the finish. What an effective way to start out!”
Sophomore OH Audrey Flanagan, who performed JV final yr however emerged as one of many prime gamers within the Class of 2026 throughout membership season with SCVC 15 Roxy; was named match MVP. She was joined on the all-tournament crew by RS Chloe Hynes and all-world libero Taylor Deckert.
Fitch, who was MVP when Alamo 15 Premier gained Junior Nationals at 15 Open in 2022; and Carroll, a 6-5 Baylor recruit who transferred in from Alamo Heights Excessive College; represented Cornerstone Christian on the all-tournament crew. Others who performed effectively for the Warriors included setters Kaia Thiele and Natalia Jackson and defenders Maria Avandano and Giselle Ojeda.
“I used to be very happy with my crew and their development all through the match,” stated Cornerstone Christian head coach Mike Carter. “We confronted so many large groups and responded effectively.”
Mira Costa took the plunge collectively after outlasting Cornerstone Christian to win the Ann Kang Invitational in Honolulu on Saturday.
• Each Mira Costa and Cornerstone Christian can be amongst 64 groups in Las Vegas on Sept. 22 and 23 for the twenty eighth Durango Fall Basic. I’m accountable for seeding the match and, let me let you know, the sphere is top-heavy with monstrously good groups. Not solely will the most effective of California be represented; the highest two groups in Texas, arguably the most effective groups in Kentucky, Utah, Idaho and Nevada and a standard Hawaii powerhouse are all within the subject.
We’re nonetheless 5 weeks away, however right here’s what the unofficial prime 16 groups appear to be:
1. Prestonwood Christian Academy (TX)
2. Mira Costa (CA)
3. Cornerstone Christian (TX)
4. Cathedral Catholic (CA)
5. Saint Francis of Mountain View (CA)
6. Sierra Canyon (CA)
7. Mater Dei (CA)
8. Huntington Seaside (CA)
9. Assumption (KY)
10. Marymount (CA)
11. Torrey Pines (CA)
12. Archbishop Mitty (CA)
13. Kamehameha (HI)
14. Branson (CA)
15. Redondo Union (CA)
16. Skyview (ID)
The highest 16 presently leaves out Utah large-class state champion Lone Peak, Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman, Arizona stalwart Xavier School Prep and conventional California energy Lakewood. That’s how good this subject is on the prime!
Be aware that Marymount gained Durango in 2021 and went on to be the consensus undefeated nationwide champions. Cathedral Catholic gained in 2022 and went on to be the consensus nationwide champions.
Who will emerge this yr?
• The consensus selection seems to be Prestonwood, regardless of a shocking five-set loss on Saturday to McKinney Boyd within the finals of the Rockwall Match.
The Lions, who have been 40-1 a yr in the past taking part in all comers and captured the TAPPS 6A personal college state title in Texas, was touted as maybe the most effective crew within the storied historical past of Dallas-area volleyball within the pre-season by the Dallas Morning Information.
And with good motive. Prestonwood has a head coach, Ryan Mitchell, with a historical past of profitable state titles – he gained seven at Lovejoy beginning in 2008. The Lions even have a roster loaded with high-level Division I expertise, together with junior OH Cari Spears, switch RS Taylor Clarke, a nationwide champion with Dallas Skyline 15 Royal; and the Livings twins, Naomi and Nyla, freshmen from the TAV 14 Black nationwide champs, and sisters of senior famous person hitter Jadyn Livings.
• Angie Strickland, who led Tallahassee Leon to state title in 2011 and 2019 throughout her 14-year tenure as head coach of the Lions, was eliminated this month after a parental criticism led to a short investigation that reportedly discovered that the old-school coach used the dying of a father on two separate events to inspire the deceased mother and father’ daughters throughout observe.
The 17 web page report says the next:
“Coach Strickland, with the obituary in hand, requested Scholar 1 if she thought she was taking part in like her dad would need her to play. She additionally requested if Scholar 1 thought her dad can be pleased with how she was taking part in now,” the report stated. Scholar 1 reported this occurred one month after her father died, throughout the 2017-2018 season.
“Scholar 1 acknowledged that the remarks made by Coach Strickland in entrance of her teammates have been traumatic and nonetheless have an effect on her now,” the report stated.
When requested in regards to the allegation, the report says “Coach Strickland didn’t recall having an obituary or utilizing these methods with the gamers.”
One other pupil who performed for the Leon Volleyball crew in 2021 shared an identical state of affairs.
“The gamers have been working towards for a playoff recreation when Coach Strickland stopped the drill and requested Scholar 3 if she severely thought her dad can be pleased with the best way she was taking part in proper now,” the report stated. “Her father was deceased.” She too says the incident has brought about “lasting results.”
In response to that criticism, the report says “Coach Strickland doesn’t recall utilizing these methods with the gamers.”
This isn’t the one time Strickland has been accused of wrongdoing. The Florida Area of USA Volleyball sanctioned her for alleged misconduct in 2021 whereas teaching for Tallahassee Juniors.
Final Tuesday, six gamers and their mother and father spoke at a faculty board assembly in help of Strickland. Some have been upset that they weren’t requested about their private experiences with the coach.
When contacted, Strickland stated that she couldn’t remark because the matter was ongoing.
• In Utah, defending state champion Lone Peak begins the season as No. 1 within the 6A ballot, however the Knights can be with out longtime head coach Reed Carlson. As an alternative, Carlson will coach Bingham. Carlson, who gained six state titles at Lone Peak beginning in 2016, stepped down at Lone Peak after final yr to assist launch the boys membership season at Membership V now that the game is highschool sanctioned. His brother, Matt, the present coach at Park Metropolis, was slated to take the Bingham job however stayed on at Park Metropolis. Bingham then provided the place to Carlson.
“I informed them I’d step on this yr to see if we will help this system change their tradition, and so forth., so we’ll see,” Carlson stated.
Bingham is ranked No. 2 in 6A to start out the season.
• The Fredericksburg Victory varsity volleyball crew secured a powerful victory on Friday in opposition to Valley Thunder within the debut match for each groups within the Virginia House College Athletic Affiliation. Victory showcased its signature potent serving within the sweep by setting a brand new organizational report with an astounding 23 aces all through the three-set contest. Selah Stamper led the cost with 5 aces, whereas Eden Wright and Kayla Hamburger intently adopted with 4 every. Three extra gamers chipped in with three aces apiece.
Till subsequent time …