Top offensive teams in Division 3

In 2019, we saw a pair of powerful offenses put on a great show in the Division 3 state championship. More of the same should be expected in 2020 in Division 3. Powerful programs bring back a lot of offensive firepower this year, which should make for exciting contests throughout the year. Here’s a look at some of the top attacks taking the floor in 2020. Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central SMCC claimed the 2019 D3 state championship behind a talented arsenal of arms. In 2020, the Kestrels will bring back a number of those powerful players. [player_tooltip player_id="50288" first="Mikayla" last="Haut"] is the only player in the state to earn First Team All-State honors in each of her first three seasons. The senior outside is sure to be a Miss Volleyball contender. She brings a very smooth game to the floor, but can drop the hammer when needed. Anna Dean and Abbie Costlow are great compliments on the outside for Haut and also are back for their senior year. Kylie Barron is a very capable middle that is back as well. Grace Lipford returns at setter as well, leaving SMCC with a lot of positive expectations for its attack. Schoolcraft The Eagles were the 2019 D3 runner-up after a classic with SMCC in the final. Schoolcraft has a big hole to fill with [player_tooltip player_id="49379" first="Andelyn" last="Simkins"] graduating, but the Eagles can go try to replace her with a committee effort. Kayla Onken is a veteran setter and a great leader on the floor. She has a lot of experienced hitters to work with, especially in the middle. Anna Schuppel and Maggie Morris both hit over .440 during the 2019 season and the two seniors will be high-level finishers in 2020. Allie Goldschmeding is a returning outside for Schoolcraft that could see a big increase in opportunities. Valley Lutheran [caption id="attachment_101649" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-101649" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/07/Sydney-Krause-2-300x223.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="223" /> Sydney Krause[/caption] The Chargers had a great 2019 season and made a run to Battle Creek. The 2020 season has a lot of promise as Valley Lutheran has a lot to offer on offense. Peyton Barnikowski is a talented six-rotation outside that will bring a lot of senior leadership. She is partnered with senior setter Sydney Krause for a great connection that will be tough for most D3 foes to stop. Ashly Martin is another returning outside that showed a lot of promise as a sophomore last season. If the Chargers can fill some voids in the middle, they will definitely be a top D3 contender again. Beaverton The Beavers return all but two players from their 2019 squad that reached the D3 state semifinals. Offensively, Beaverton is built for another deep run in 2020. Molly Gerow was one of the top outsides in D3 last fall, earning First Team All-State honors. She’s back as a senior to lead the squad after racking up over 630 kills in 2019. Also back as a senior in 2020 is setter Mady Pahl, who put up over 1,100 assists last season. Pahl has a great eye for volleyball and displays a lot of leadership. Becca Wirt is a capable senior middle for the Beavers, while both Alexis Grove and Hannah Stearns showed promise on the outsides as sophomores last season. Bronson You can’t ever look past the D3 power of Bronson. Even though they graduate [player_tooltip player_id="49382" first="Keona" last="Salesman"] on the outside and Alana Mayer in the middle, the Vikings still produce a great offense each year. Meagan Lasky is one of the top setters in Division 3 and her competitive fire is hard for anyone to match. Skye Woodman is another leader on the floor in the middle and will be ready to take over games this year. Karissa Gest will get a chance to be the go-to arm on the outside this season. She appears ready to take on that challenge. Unionville-Sebewaing The Patriots still claimed a district title in 2019 despite having a lot of question marks entering the year. For 2020, USA seems to have a great base to build on. Despite losing Ally Kemp on the outside, the Patriots have a pair of All-Region middles in Grace Williamson and Brynn Polega. Those two seniors, alongside senior outside Emily Rieman provide a lot of experienced arms for USA at the net. [player_tooltip player_id="60845" first="Kylie" last="Bohn"] returns as the junior setter as well, which should really keep this offense running like a well-oiled machine. Expect another season of big things from USA. Morley Stanwood A district champion in 2019, the Mohawks bring a lot of fire power to the court for 2020. [player_tooltip player_id="24840" first="Braelyn" last="Berry"] was a Second Team All-State outside as just a sophomore, while middle [player_tooltip player_id="89355" first="Brooke" last="Brauher"] was HM All-State as a junior. Junior Madison Garbow and senior Landrie Lapreze also were consistent finishers for Stanwood last fall. Lapreze joins junior Emily Cornell as the team’s two setters. With a lot of chemistry already established, the Mohawks are sure to be a great challenge at the net for any opponent. Western Michigan Christian The Warriors reached the D3 quarterfinals last fall with a veteran squad. WMC has a lot of key players to replace, but they still have an offense that should be among the best in D3. Alisha Leffering is a talented middle that should really shine as a senior. [player_tooltip player_id="60835" first="Kyla" last="Wiersema"] is due for a breakout year as a junior on the outside. That 1-2 combination will help a new starting setter settle in. Libby Mast saw some time in the middle and outside last year as a sophomore and should see an increased role in 2020. Traverse City St. Francis The Gladiators have been in the D3 title mix for years and should be there once again in 2020 behind a pair of key senior leaders on offense. Kaylin Poole is an experienced six-rotation outside with a great skill set. She plays very composed. Hannah Sidorowicz has been the setter for the Gladiators for years and comes into her senior season with the ability to raise the game of new hitters. Those two are a great foundation for the team the offense to build on.