2014
Class A – Priscilla O’Dowd, 6-foot, MH, Sr., Papillion-LaVista
O’Dowd, a Midland University recruit, played at her best in the biggest matches of the year for a Papillion-LaVista team that dominated the rest of the state – which is why she also is the NPV Class A Player of the Year. During the 2014 season, the Monarchs had 17 matches against teams which qualified for the Class A state tournament, in those matches O’Dowd averaged 11.5 kills and 5.4 blocks. On the year, O’Dowd finished with 421 kills and 170 blocks.
Class B – Maddy Bruder, 5-foot-11, OH, Sr., Norris
Bruder is the player who co-owned the 2014 state tournament along with Freeman’s Remmers. Bruder led Norris to its second-straight Class B championship with three double-doubles and finished the three days with 70 kills and 42 digs. After sitting out a vast majority of 2013 following shoulder surgery, the Northwest Missouri State recruit and NPV Class B Player of the Year came back with on fire this season, finishing with 443 kills, 44 blocks, 36 ace serves and 279 digs.
Class C-1 – Megan Wickey, 6-foot-2, OH, Sr., Omaha Concordia
As Wickey, an Ohio State recruit and the NPV Class C-1 Player of the Year, led Omaha Concordia to the Class C-1 finals at the state tournament this year, some on press row compared her ability to dominate a match to that of current Husker Kadie Rolfzen. Anyone who saw her 33-kill performance in the semifinals at state would likely would agree. For the year, Wickey finished with 453 kills, 17 blocks, 38 ace serves and 270 digs.
Class C-2 – Carley Remmers, 6-foot-1, MH, Sr., Freeman
Remmers is easily one of the three most complete players in the state of Nebraska and will make an immediate impact at the University of Ohio when she gets there next fall. Remmers c0-owned the 2014 state volleyball tournament, helping lead Freeman to a perfect 33-0 season and the Class C-2 state championship. Remmers is the NPV Class C-2 Player of the Year and finished the year with 429 kills, 70 blocks, 52 ace serves and 305 digs.
Class D-1 – Mackenzie Wecker, 5-foot-5, Libero, Sr., O’Neill St. Mary’s
The defensive leader for the back-to-back Class D-1 state champs, Wecker also is the NPV Class D-1 Player of the Year. She had 398 digs during the 2014 season to go along with 36 ace serves.
Class D-2 – Jaclyn Happold, 5-foot-8, Setter, Sr., Giltner
Happold set the Class D-2 single-season assist record in 2013 and even though her numbers were slightly lower this year, her play at the setter position was even more important as the Hornets blended new players into their line-up to win a second-straight Class D-2 title.
2013
Class A – Sydney O’Shaughnessy, 5-9, Setter, Sr., Omaha Marian
O’Shaughnessy led Omaha Marian to the 2013 Class A state title and will continue her career at the University of Nebraska-Omaha next season. The fierce competitor set the school record at tradition-rich Marian for sets in a single match with 60 in the Class A championship against Millard West. She finished the year with 1,156 assists, 133 kills, 59 ace blocks and 341 digs.
Class B – Olivia Boender, 6-2, OH, Sr., Waverly
No player in the state hits the ball harder than Boender, who will play next year at Nebraska. What made her especially hard to defend was her ability to place her hits and use off-speed to keep defenses guessing. She finished the year with 515 kills, 407 digs, 45 service aces and 32 blocks for the Vikings.
Class C-1 – Shayla Conner, 5-7, Setter, Sr., Kearney Catholic
Conner quarterbacked the Stars to a magical run late in the season that culminated in a second-straight Class C-1 title for Kearney Catholic. The daughter of the coach, Conner will play next season at Division II Washburn University in Kansas. Her game is similar to O’Shaughnessy in her tenacity and as an offensive threat. She finished the year with 847 assists, 151 kills, 37 ace blocks and 267 digs.
Class C-2 – Morgan Nikkila, 5-10, OH, Sr., Hastings St. Cecilia
Nikkila had 459 kills, with 77 coming in the three games at the state tournament where she led Hastings St. Cecilia to the Class C-2 title.
Class D-1 – Brittany Lawrence, 6-3, MB, Sr., North Platte SP
Lawrence, a Creighton recruit, had a monster season for a young North Platte St. Patrick’s team. She finished the year with 358 kills, 57 service aces and 114 ace blocks.
Class D-2 – Jordan Lempka, 6-2, OH, Sr., Sterling
The Midland University recruit put-up video game like numbers while dominating Class D-2 for Sterling. She had a mind-boggling 645 kills, including 87 in three state tournament matches.
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