Don’t Mess With Duchesne

Not much has been said about Duchesne High School volleyball recently- and that needs to be changed. Coach Andrew Wehrli has turned the Duchesne volleyball program into something that needs to be talked about.

“In 30 plus years of volleyball, Duchesne made it to state one time prior to 2015. Since 2015, we have qualified for state 2-consecutive times finishing tied for 3^rd in 2016. Last year was the first time Duchesne won a match at the state tournament,” Wehrli said.

What a turn around. Wehrli has made an impact on volleyball in the state of Nebraska, especially at Duchesne.

Duchesne remains a top competitor in Class B this year, being ranked second in the Prep Dig Nebraska Class B Rankings and fifth in the Prep Dig Nebraska all class rankings. Their roster is pretty scary and packs a punch. Senior Julianna Kalil is a player that has stood out for the past three years and continues to do so. She is most well known for her violent topspin serve that got her 82 aces last season.

“Julianna Kalil is a special outside hitter and will leave Duchesne as the all-time leader in kills and aces,” Wehrli said.

Another player that could be particularly impactful this season is junior setter Emma Worthington. With 721 setting assists last year and 7.2 per set, her stats prove her talent. Not only is she a talented athlete but her leadership on the court also sets her apart.

“She runs our whole system and she is really good at what she does. Emma knows how to pump us up when we need and how to keep us in zone of optimal performance,” teammate Mayah Delgado said.

Not only is Duchesne killing it on the court, their already excellent coaching staff has been elevated this year by a legend. Karen Schonewise (maiden name Dahlgren) began her high school volleyball coaching career this year at Duchesne. Schonewise has been a coach at the Division 1 college level as well as a club volleyball coach for years, the past two being with Coach Wehrli at Nebraska Elite. From being a two-time All American playing volleyball at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to competing on the U.S. Junior National team and also playing professionally, her resume of talent and knowledge is endless. Not only that, but Schonewise is known to be one of the first players ever in the United States to run the slide, which is now a staple play for volleyball around the world. One last thing: she’s being inducted to the 2017 Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame this October.

“This is my first experience coaching at the high school level so I am learning.  It is exciting to be in the gym everyday as opposed to twice a week during club season. I feel it is easier to make more of an impact when I can reinforce things with the players daily and I am enjoying this experience tremendously,” Schonewise said.

The legend of Karen Schonewise will be one to look out for the rest of the season. She knows her stuff.

If you’re a high school volleyball coach in Nebraska and have Duchesne on your schedule, you better be prepped and ready for their killer coaching staff and roster. Their top-notch ball handling and ability to serve teams off the court are talents that are tough to beat. Off the court, their knowledgeable coaching staff could out-coach every team they play this season. Duchesne’s opponents better bring their A-game this season, as Duchesne could very well be playing for the Class B volleyball championship trophy come November.