Round 1 - This Sandman from Wauneta-Palisade is not a sleeper!

TEAM: WAUNETA-PALISADE BRONCOS CLASS: D2 LOCATION: Southwest Nebraska in Chase County NSAA TEAM ENROLLMENT (female, grades 9-11): 22 CONFERENCE Republican Plains Activities COACH: Terra Higgins We bump to the Hames Regional in the 2020 Nebraska Prep Dig Team Series with a matchup between C2 Grand Island Central Catholic and D2 Wauneta-Palisade in the first round. To hear more about your favorite team, hop over to our Twitter feed @nebhsvolleyball to vote them to the second round until 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 21! Updated bracket - <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/05/Nebraska-Prep-Dig-Team-Series-Bracket-2.pdf">Nebraska Prep Dig Team Series Bracket</a> Senior middle [player_tooltip player_id="58235" first="Haylee" last="Sandman"] leads Wauneta-Palisade into the 2020 season after being among the top of the Class D2 leader board in kills and blocks. Sandman exploded in 2019 with a long approach and quick termination in the middle for 381 kills on .277 hitting and 103 blocks on the season. With Sandman, the Broncos return much of their supporting cast that is used to playing where ever the team is in need. Wauneta-Palisade comes off a 20-8 season and ranked 9th. The Broncos fell to Falls City Sacred Heart in district finals in 2019. Comments from 5th-year head coach Coach Terra Higgins, “We had a great season and just came up short of making it to state! These girls battled through a lot of diversity with injuries throughout the season, but they never stopped working hard to achieve their goals.” The Broncos return five starters and eight letter winners in 2020. Barring injuries, they look to punch a ticket to the state tournament. Returning letter winners: ⇒[player_tooltip player_id="58235" first="Haylee" last="Sandman"] | 2021 | 5’ 9 Middle | UNCOMMITTED AND INTERESTED Club: MNVBC <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9928382/5eab01c838636d0d94e0828a">HUDL Highlights</a> 2019 Awards:1st team all-conference 2019 Stats: Kills/Set, Total, Hitting Percentage: 4.5, 381, 277 Blocks/Set, Total: 1.2, 103 Digs/Set, Total: 2.9, 246 Receptions/Set, Total: 4.3, 366 Haylee speaks about her team, “Our team is the type that we like to joke around and are super funny but when practice comes we are very serious and are super competitive. Outside of volleyball, we love to hang out and create tons of memories together!” College coaches take note! And is college volleyball in the plans for Haley? “Yes I’m planning on playing college volleyball, but I haven’t decided where that would be!” ⇒Destany Simpson | 2021 | 5’9 Outside 2019 Stats: Kills/Set, Total, Hitting Percentage: 1.6, 134, .133 Digs/Set, Total: 1.3, 110 ⇒Payton Yearous | 2021 | 5’7 Outside Club: Southwest Nebraska Volleyball Club 2019 Stats: Serving Percentage: 91.4 Digs/Set, Total: 1.4, 120 Payton’s idea for a team logo and why, “HARD WORK PAYS OFF. My teammates and I have put in a ton of hard work over the years, not only in season but in the offseason. We’ve cut ourselves short at times but we have had the tears from injuries, losing that one game and more. I strongly feel like this is our year... we have the experience and the talent to do great things!” ⇒Maycee Wheeler | 2021| 5’6 Setter Maycee played on and off her junior year with both a torn ACL and torn labral. She had surgery on both right after the season and is itching to play. 2019 Stats with only 41 sets played: Assists/Set, Total: 2.4, 100 ⇒Alexa Sandman | 2022 | 5’7 Libero | UNCOMMITTED AND INTERESTED Club: Mid Nebraska Volleyball Club 2019 Awards: 1st team All-Conference Libero 2019 Stats: Digs/Set, Total: 3.6, 307 Receptions/Set, Total: 5.5, 465 Alexa on becoming the player she is today, “At first I was scared because it was a different level of volleyball but my teammates and coaches helped me become a better player and they built my confidence up. I did switch positions, I was a middle hitter. Next an outside hitter and now I play libero.” Alexa also plans to continue her volleyball career in college but is not sure where. ⇒Cali Cox | 2023 | 5’5 Defensive Specialist Club: Southwest Fire 2019 Stats: Digs/Set, Total: 2.3, 195 Receptions/Set, Total: 2.4, 203 Cali comments on being needed in different positions, “I have played positions from outside to libero to DS in varsity and some setter in summer camps. In JV I played middle to setter to outside. I enjoy every position and am willing to be put wherever Coach needs me.” ⇒Chloe Stehno | 2023 | 5’7 Outside ⇒Halle Bardsley | 2023 | 5’5 Setter 2019 Stats: Serving Percentage: 96.3 Want more information on the Wauneta-Palisade Broncos including possible sister combinations on the court this fall? Vote for them on Twitter @nebhsvolleyball to push them to round 2!