2021 Woodland Conference (West) Preview

The Woodland conference is very large and includes 14 schools. As a result, teams in this conference are split into two divisions, east and west, and then play crossover matches with the opposite division at the end of the season. This conference always puts out solid teams and some really great competition. Here is a breakdown of the West division of the Woodland Conference (in alphabetical order). <h3>Greendale </h3> Greendale has almost their entire roster returning this year. This program is strong and, while they suffered some injuries last year, should come back ready to rock this year. [player_tooltip player_id="81348" first="Emily" last="Ploszay"], class of 2022 middle hitter and right side led the team in kills last year and will be a huge leader on this team in the upcoming season. She was a Second Team All-Conference selection. Hannah Kos (2023) is an energetic pin with a huge jump and powerful swing. Hannah was an Honorable Mention for All-Conference. They will also be returning their libero/ds Sadie Richlen who is very talented in the back row on serve receive and defense. <h3>New Berlin Eisenhower</h3> Eisenhower had a successful season in 2020, taking 3rd in the Woodland West Conference. They were quite young in 2020 as well and should have a good core team this year. [player_tooltip player_id="91946" first="Lexi" last="Bugajski"] (2023) is a huge asset to this team and is impactful on offense, defense, and from the service line. She was a Second Team All-Conference Selection. [player_tooltip player_id="118271" first="Natalie" last="Holzhauer"] earned Honorable Mention All-Conference and will be a returning senior setter who is a leader and very smart on the court. She also led the team in aces in 2020. <h3>New Berlin West </h3> This is a team that should not be counted out of any match. They show a lot of grit in tough matches and really put in the work. They will be returning their four top kill leaders including [player_tooltip player_id="91860" first="Meghan" last="Schultz"] (2023), Grace Timmers (2023), Mackenzie Fish (2022), and [player_tooltip player_id="149579" first="Ella" last="Kern"] (2023). Meghan Shultz was a First Team All-Conference and [player_tooltip player_id="149579" first="Ella" last="Kern"] was an All-Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2020. Sydney Milhouse (2022) was a Second Team All-Conference selection and led the team in digs last year and was great at keeping even the toughest balls alive. As this young team develops, they should compete at a really high level. <h3>Pewaukee </h3> Pewaukee graduated a lot of seniors this past year, but they will still have a very dynamic team. Incoming senior setters Cora Riffle and [player_tooltip player_id="35805" first="Katie" last="Gund"] will be key athletes and leaders for this team. Katie earned All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2020. Fellow incoming senior Megan Zielsdorf will bring a lot of experience to the court and be a huge point earner for the Pirates out of the middle. [player_tooltip player_id="122510" first="Danielle" last="Kopacz"] (2024) will execute on the outside for this team. She is a solid pin with a huge arm and a lot of firepower. <h3>Pius XI </h3> This is a gritty team that puts up a huge fight on the court. Of their 5 losses in 2020, only 2 were in straight sets. While they did have a pretty senior-heavy lineup, they have a lot of depth in their program. Grace Martens (2022) led the team in kills and is a very consistent and powerful pin hitter. She can also play back row very well and has a highly competitive serve. Grace was the only sophomore to earn a 1st Team All-Conference selection last year. Libero Claire Erlandson (2022) will be a key returner for the Popes and is an incredibly competitive and talented passer. She earned All-Conference Honorable Mention last year. Pius will have some talented younger athletes as well including defensive specialist Allison Pogodzinski (2023), Reenie Ganzer (2023), and pin hitter Maeve Edmund (2024). <h3>West Allis Central</h3> West Allis Central could have a good number of returning impactful players. Setter Macy Freeland was All-Conference Honorable Mention. She will be a senior this year and a huge leader on this team. Middle hitter Janiyah Brown (2023) and defensive specialist Kaylei Horning (2023) could play key roles in the upcoming season. Outside hitters Ava Schaer and Lexi Cantrell will be entering their senior season and will be looking to manufacture kills for the Bulldogs. <h3>Wisconsin Lutheran </h3> Wisconsin Lutheran’s only conference loss last year was to Pewaukee. This is a solid team with a huge level of athleticism. They will be returning one of the top pin hitters in the class of 2022, [player_tooltip player_id="81321" first="Grace" last="Schneider"] who led the team in kills in 2020 and was named First Team All-Conference. Fellow pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id="144432" first="Kayla" last="Wigley"] had an average of 2.4 kills per set and 100 kills last season, huge numbers for the incoming senior. [player_tooltip player_id="91881" first="Katie" last="Goba"] (2023) is an up-and-coming libero for this team. She is incredibly talented and fast in the back row and brings a lot of energy to the court. [player_tooltip player_id="91858" first="Ryleigh" last="Zeller"] (2023) is a great utility player for the Vikings. She excels on defense and serve receive but can hit as well.