Breaking Down The WIAA Top Section Seeds - D3 and D4

The brackets are out, the seedings are finalized.  We'll take a deeper dive on who the top seeds are in each section for Division 3 and Division 4.  Who are the top players?  Who are the favorites?  What does the Road to the Resch look like for these teams?  We have it all.  Here is what to know in D3 and D4.    D3 Section 1   St. Croix Falls 29-4   WVCA - 2   Max Preps - 2   The Saints haven't lost a match since September 13 which came to a ranked D1 squad in River Falls 3-2. They are champions of the Heart O'North Conference in Western Wisconsin. They have a solid junior class that is led by big time point scorer in [player_tooltip player_id='174746' first='Kelsey' last='Cooper'] who is averaging over five kills per set. She is a strong, physical attacker who can get it done from any spot in the front row. Senior Brianna McCurdy is quarterbacking the offense where she has over 800 assists on the season.   Westby 28-1   WVCA - 6   Max Preps - 3   Westby out of Southwest Wisconsin has one loss which came early in the season to La Crosse Logan. The Norsemen will be looking to get to the Resch where they could see a perennial power in La Crosse Aquinas and then a sectional final against St. Croix Falls. Their opponents will need to prep for a big right side attack that is coming from 6'2 senior, Jayda Berg who will take her talents in softball and volleyball to Winona State.     D3 Section 2   Edgar 22-6   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/E-Reagan-Borchardt-4.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-159640" width="339" height="226"/><figcaption>Borchardt</figcaption></figure>   WVCA - 7   Max Preps - 6   Edgar comes out of the Wausau area that is always loaded with strong D3 and D4 programs. They will rely heavily on senior middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='91870' first='Reagan' last='Borchardt'] who is averaging nearly five kills per set and is hitting nearly .400. She also leads the team in digs. They could potentially face Stanley-Boyd who is the two seed and has some big wins on the season.   Wittenberg-Birnamwood 23-8   WVCA - NR   Max Preps - 12   The Chargers have finished first in their conference, just ahead of Weyauwega-Fremont who is the two seed on their side of the section. Junior, [player_tooltip player_id='122519' first='London' last='Metropulos'] is averaging nearly four kills per set. She has a lethal left handed swing. Another top attacker teams will have to star on their scouting report is [player_tooltip player_id='91862' first='Reese' last='Rogowski'] who is just over three kills per set.     D3 Section 3   Brodhead 29-3   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC07100.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-163232" width="375" height="250"/><figcaption>Dix (Red Jersey)</figcaption></figure>   WVCA - 4   Max Preps - 7   The Cardinals were the state runner up finishers in the 2020-2021 alternate season. They have three losses on the season with two of them coming to Sauk Prairie who is one of the top teams in D2. UW-Whitewater commit [player_tooltip player_id='91891' first='Abbie' last='Dix'] is averaging nearly four kills per set, while UW-Green Bay commit [player_tooltip player_id='228889' first='Kirsten' last='Fish'] provides a massive block and is hitting nearly .500 on the season. The one who quarterbacks all of this is senior setter [player_tooltip player_id='91893' first='Alexis' last='Kammerer'] with nearly 700 assists on the season.   Randolph 29-5   WVCA - 3   Max Preps - 4   The Rockets have moved up from D4 which is where they are listed in Max Preps. I'm still trying to figure out classification because in the 5 Class basketball system they are D5. Whether they are D3 or D4, they have a really deep and athletic squad that is accustomed to playing in big matches. They were the D5 state champions in basketball in 2022 and will look to get back to the Resch, but this time in volleyball. [player_tooltip player_id='119400' first='Carizma' last='Muth'] and [player_tooltip player_id='122468' first='Rylea' last='Alvin'] are two big time attackers while UW-Milwaukee commit [player_tooltip player_id='119401' first='Jorey' last='Buwalda'] has over 2000 assists in her career. Senior libero [player_tooltip player_id='119407' first='Brandi' last='Fuller'] also eclipsed the 1000 digs milestone for her career.   Waterloo 19-8   WVCA - RV   Max Preps - 27   Waterloo is always in the conversation when it comes to D3 contenders to make it to the state tournament. They are a top seed again (which this section has three number one seeds) and the Pirates are led by senior [player_tooltip player_id='91885' first='Sophia' last='Schneider']. Schneider can set or swing and this year she's been doing a lot of attacking where she is averaging over five kills per set. She will play D2 volleyball at Lander University in South Carolina.     <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/10/DSC09110-1-e1660585830969-1024x757.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-163607" width="315" height="233"/><figcaption>Damrow</figcaption></figure>   D3 Section 4   Howards Grove 30-4   WVCA - 1   Max Preps - 1   Howards Grove will be going for their fourth straight state title, but have an interesting section where they could potentially meet the team they defeated in the state championship match in 2021 in Lake Country Lutheran. The Tigers are led by the top player in Wisconsin in [player_tooltip player_id='82282' first='Saige' last='Damrow']. The Wisconsin Badger commit was sidelined for part of the season with an injury, but is back and ready to finish with a gold ball. She averages over four kills per set and over an ace per set.   Lake Country Lutheran 26-10   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/08/DSC09407.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-107202" width="320" height="213"/><figcaption>[player_tooltip player_id='82893' first='Rachel' last='Rossing'] of Lake Country Lutheran</figcaption></figure>   WVCA - 5   Max Preps - 4   The Lightning are always a big time contender in D3 where they have their share of state tournament appearances and state titles. This year they have two underclassmen leading them in kills in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='178030' first='Karli' last='Molnau'] and junior [player_tooltip player_id='122557' first='Ellie' last='Schumacher']. The one who conducts the offense is veteran senior and SIUE commit, [player_tooltip player_id='82893' first='Rachel' last='Rossing']. Rossing has over 600 assists on the season and even averages over a kill per set.     D4 Section 1   Mercer 28-4   WVCA - 5   Max Preps - 10   Mercer was one of the favorites heading into the season for this section and they have certainly delivered. They are undefeated in the Indianhead East Conference at 9-0 and could see a potential sectional semifinal with Prentice who gave them one of their losses earlier in the season. The Tigers are led by Marta Company and KD Knipp who combined for 7.5 kills per set. Company is also one of their top defenders where she leads the team in digs.   McDonell Central 34-12   WVCA - 3   Max Preps - 3   The Macks are back. The defending state champions are really picking up late season momentum where they are looking to get back to the state tournament for the third straight year. Their only losses in October have been to D1 and D2 teams. They are led by [player_tooltip player_id='119436' first='Marley' last='Hughes'] who has nearly 350 kills, good for almost three per set. They are paced by two junior setters in Abby Bresina and Emily Cooper who both have over 500 assists. They will close out their regular season with a big non-conference matchup with top ranked Columbus Catholic.     D4 Section 2   Columbus Catholic 33-3   WVCA - 1   Max Preps - 1   The Dons have always been among the top teams in their section year after year. Last year they dropped a heartbreaker in the section final. They are 33-3 and undefeated in the Cloverbelt East. Their three losses have come to River Falls, Hudson, and McDonnell Central. They have three attackers with at least 200 kills in [player_tooltip player_id='122559' first='Courtney' last='Sommer'], [player_tooltip player_id='122522' first='Aaliyah' last='Krenn'], and Jenna Kibbel. The Dons also have an up and coming libero in sophomore Izzy Hoglund. Who is the two seed in their half of the section? Second ranked Athens.   Suring 7-6   WVCA - NR   Max Preps - 53   *No statistics available on Max Preps     D4 Section 3   Elmwood/Plum City 20-15   WVCA - NR   Max Preps 25   Elmwood/Plum City is in Western Wisconsin between Eau Claire and the Mississippi Winner.  They are currently 6-0 in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference.  They do have double digit losses with most of those coming to D1 and D2 squads.  A player to keep tabs on would be kill leader Hailey Webb who is only a sophomore averaging nearly three kills per set.    Wonewoc-Center 18-4   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-13-at-2.04.20-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-235150" width="329" height="306"/><figcaption>Justman</figcaption></figure>   WVCA - RV   Max Preps - 11   Wonewoc Center is coming off a state tournament appearance in 2021 and will be looking to return. For the Wolves, it's a heavy dose of Kelly Justman. The senior is averaging nearly six kills per set. That's nearly 400 kills on the season. They will need her experience and point scoring ability to get back to the Resch.   Seneca 21-4   WVCA - NR   Max Preps - 18   Seneca is out of SW Wisconsin and is currently 13-0 in the Ridge and Valley Conference. Senior, Kendra Chambers is leading the team with nearly 2.5 kills per set. This senior dominated lineup also has a big time athlete in Grace Chek who has nearly 5.6 digs per set and 55 aces on the year.     D4 Section 4   Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran/Providence Academy 21-16   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2020/10/DSC09282-e1625763974842-849x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-112795" width="231" height="278"/><figcaption>Wise</figcaption></figure>   WVCA - NR   Max Preps - 22   Green Bay NEW always loads its schedule with teams from larger schools in Northeast Wisconsin. They are always a contender in the Packerland Conference. The Blazers will be the team to beat in this section behind the play of [player_tooltip player_id='82963' first='Greta' last='Wise'], a D2 commit heading to Hillsdale in Michigan. She is currently averaging 5.2 kills per set and is one of the top defenders at the net and backcourt as well.   Monticello 21-4   WVCA - 4   Max Preps - 4   The Ponies are looking to get back to the state tournament after getting defeated in five sets in the semifinals in 2021. They are led by one of the top scorers in D4 in [player_tooltip player_id='91856' first='Ellie' last='Gustafson']. Gustafson is averaging just over six kills per set and will take her game to the next level at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, MN.

The brackets are out, the seedings are finalized. We'll take a deeper dive on who the top seeds are in each section for Division 3 and Division 4. Who are the top players? Who are the favorites? What does the Road to the Resch look like for these teams? We have it all. Here is what to know in D3 and D4.