VISAA Division II Top Returners from All State Teams

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-96923 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/06/Generic-Featured-Image-4-300x187.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="187" />The Division II of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association is returning a wealth of talent from a very competitive 2019 season. State champion Trinity Christian (Fairfax, VA) defeated Nansemond-Suffolk (Suffolk, VA) in 4 tightly contested sets. The Trinity Christian Gryphons completed their championship season with a 24-2 record, culminating with the program’s first state championship in Volleyball. The Nansemond-Suffolk Saints are no stranger to the championship game having won titles in both 2013 and 2014. Several other teams are looking to take the next step in the 2020-21 season. Here are some of the key returners for top programs and the All-State squad.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="111370" first="Lindsey" last="Hardesty"] returns to the Gryphons as a team captain and starting outside hitter. The 5’8 starting Outside Hitter and Libero is the reigning State Player of the Year returns as a team captain for the state champions and has verbally committed to continue her playing career at Liberty University (VA). Her relentless defense and dynamic athleticism help the team prevent points and create opportunities for her teammates to finish the play. She also did a fundraising program for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and raised the 7th most money in the contest, $217,000 in seven weeks! She was named First Team All-State and twenty MaxPrep Player of the Match awards in 2019. She played travel ball for Vienna Elite last season. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Senior [player_tooltip player_id="111396" first="Rylee" last="Bono"] is another defensive force and returns for her senior season for the runner-up Nansemond-Suffolk Saints. The 5’5 Libero roams the backcourt corralling spikes from the opposition and turning them into plays that allows her offense to flow. She has excellent ball control and reads plays well. She’s a high IQ defender and has contagious energy to help lift her teammates. She amassed 1,339 digs so far in her career and 188 services aces.  Her 2019 travel team was Beach Elite.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-110805 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/09/visaa-logo-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="111362" first="Madison" last="Clark"] is a dominant lefty who can play anywhere. She and her Peninsula Catholic teammates finished 3rd in Division II of the VISAA last year and look to take the next step in 2020-21. At 6’2, the overpowering future Hampton Pirate will be a key offensive threat for her team. She was MaxPreps Player of the Match 15 times last season while also earning her second First Team All-State award, was the MaxPreps Player of the Year for Peninsula Catholic, and was First Team All-Conference and All-Tournament team selection. She had 329 kills, 205 digs, 98 blocks, and 50 aces making her one of the best two-way players in Virginia. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">[player_tooltip player_id="111400" first="Madeline" last="Guidon"] of the Stewart High School Spartans is coming off a First Team All-State selection for a program that lost in the semifinals and finished 18-6 in 2019. The 5’9 Outside Hitter put down 327 kills for the Spartans with 275 digs and 77 aces. Her travel team for 2019 was Richmond Volleyball Club where she was a star Outside Hitter on a team that is rich with college-level talent and was very competitive in the Old Dominion Region of USA Volleyball. </span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Emma Schaeffer may have been born to play setter for the Fredericksburg Christian School, her father Jeff has been the head coach at FCA for the last 21 years. The 5’5 senior has been on the team since 8th grade and helped lead the offense to a 17-12 regular season in 2019 which included a heartbreaking opening-round playoff loss in 5 competitive sets. She tallied 2,330 assists in her four years of varsity play and could reach the 3,000 assist milestone with a strong offensive season by her teammates. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p>