Final Four – 2026 Top Performers
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Ashlynn Helton Ashlynn Helton 5'6" | OH Miller | 2026 State MO – 5’8” – Outside – Miller In the semifinal, five sets come from behind win. The 5’8” outside hitter experienced her first final four and provided the Cardinals…
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Continue ReadingAshlynn Helton Ashlynn Helton 5'6" | OH Miller | 2026 State MO – 5’8” – Outside – Miller
In the semifinal, five sets come from behind win. The 5’8” outside hitter experienced her first final four and provided the Cardinals with a viable option on the left pin. Helton finished with seven kills and 12 digs. In the finals against Advance, she stepped up her kills with 13 and finished with 24 kills. She will be the next in line at Miller as she does an excellent job of passing and playing defense and, over time, will become a terminating outside hitter.
Brogan Wright-Hawkins – 5’4” – Libero – Advance
One of three 2026 starters for the Hornets, Wright-Hawkins should have the libero position on lock for the next three seasons. A quick libero with a great platform allowed her to help the Hornets win another title. She finished with 11 digs in the semifinals and, in the finals, added 21. None more critical than a diving save toward the end of the 5th set that gave her team the lead.
Emma Eilers Emma Eilers 5'4" | OH Advance | 2026 State MO – 5’2” – Outside – Advance
The backcourt for Advance is solid for a couple more years, with Eilers and Brogan Wright-Hawkins passing and playing defense. She might be only 5’2,” but she’s a big 5’2” at the net. A smart little outside got plenty of work in the finals with eight kills and 21 digs.
Kyndall Hitt Kyndall Hitt 5'4" | S Advance | 2026 State MO – 5’3” – Setter – Advance
Kyndall will run the show for the Hornets for three more years, so they are in good hands in the setter and defensive positions. Hitt ran most of the offense in the 6-2, and she knows her targets well. Hitt put up 17 assists in the semifinals and added 14 more in the finals with 13 digs.
Elsie Larsen – 5’8” – Libero – Stafford
Stafford has a solid libero in Larsen and played in every match this season as a freshman. Larsen would only have nine digs in the final four, but her passing was invaluable for the 3rd place Indians.
Cate McCulloch – 5’8” – Opposite – Incarnate Word Academy
McCulloch is in the shadows literally of Tara Greenberry Tara Greenberry 6'3" | MB Incarnate Word | 2025 State #117 Nation MO , but the showing of a big-time hitter is there. Only three kills were in the final four, but the touches on the block to give her defense for digs were key in helping IWA to the championship match. Keep an eye on this one; with another year of growth, she will be a good one.
Jaeli Rutledge Jaeli Rutledge 6'1" | MB Webb City | 2026 State MO – 6’1” – Middle – Webb City
Coming into the final four, Rutledge was fourth on the team in kills and first in blocks with 60. For the Cardinals, she will be a monster in the middle over the next couple of years. In the 3rd place loss to Platte County, she put down ten kills and had four blocks. You’ll be hearing from this middle for a couple more years.