Nebraska’s State Title-Winning Standouts: Pin Hitters
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Finally, it’s time to bring the championship-winning pin hitters into the spotlight. We’ve already discussed liberos, setters, and middle blockers in this feature series. The talent level is certainly not about to yield with this pin hitter feature, and it…
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Continue ReadingFinally, it’s time to bring the championship-winning pin hitters into the spotlight.
We’ve already discussed liberos, setters, and middle blockers in this feature series. The talent level is certainly not about to yield with this pin hitter feature, and it should be no surprise that some high-volume outside attackers came out on top this year.
By the Numbers
State championship teams almost always need a pin hitter (or two) who can reliably fill the stat sheet and put up big numbers on the biggest stages. These athletes did just that.
In the realm of stat-stuffing performances, there is simply no parallel to Grace Baumert Grace Baumert 6'2" | OH Howells-Dodge | 2023 State NE ‘s Class D2 championship outing with Howells-Dodge. It didn’t take long for the Wayne State commit to reach double-digit kills in the finale, and Baumert’s numbers just kept spiraling to head-spinning heights. She took her 100th swing of the match–yes, one hundred–on the first point of the fifth set and tallied her 40th kill on that swing. The senior finished with 42 kills, 29 digs, and nine blocks to polish off one of the most remarkable individual performances we’ve ever seen on the championship stage.
When Baumert was not in the front row, fellow senior Natalie Pieper Natalie Pieper 5'6" | OH Howells-Dodge | 2024 State NE promptly stepped in to take care of business on the left pin. The all-around outside hitter finished with 12 kills and 20 digs in her final high school match, helping the Jaguars earn back-to-back state titles in two different classes.
Pin production was a huge storyline in Cedar Catholic’s run to the D1 championship from the #7 seed. And, like the D2 championship, a star senior led the scoring for the eventual D1 title winners. Trojan left-side hitter Laney Kathol Laney Kathol 6'0" | MB Hartington Cedar Catholic | 2023 State NE built on her outstanding week in Lincoln with a 26-kill performance to down Norfolk Catholic in five sets. Another senior, Jozie Becker Jozie Becker 5'11" | MB Blue Hill | 2023 State NE , added six kills and three blocks on the right pin. It wasn’t all about upperclassmen on the pins, though, as sophomore Melayna McGregor put down 16 kills and established herself as a future leader for Cedar Catholic.
We saw a similar medley of youth and experience in the Papillion-La Vista South lineup. Of course, it’s no surprise that senior Stella Adeyemi Stella Adeyemi 5'9" | OH Papillion-LaVista South | 2023 State #95 Nation NE and junior Lauren Medeck Lauren Medeck 5'10" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2024 State #31 Nation NE led the way for the Titans’ pin offense en route to another state championship. These two dynamic D1-bound hitters almost matched each other in the stat sheet against Westside, with Medeck compiling 25 kills and Adeyemi having 22. Each had 13 digs. It’s just another chapter in the long encyclopedia of success for this duo, but this veteran pin core would also not be complete without senior Shealie Wiebers Shealie Wiebers 5'9" | RS Papillion-La Vista South | 2023 State NE on the right side. Titan upperclassmen just keep rising to the occasion.
But, we also had a glimpse into the future this year with sophomore outside hitter Chloe Livingston Chloe Livingston 5'7" | OH Papillion-La Vista South | 2025 State NE taking on a starting role on the left. She pitched in with five kills and a block against the stingy Warrior defense, and Livingston will keep expanding her role within this program.
You can also draw quite a few parallels at the pin position between Papio South and Omaha Skutt Catholic, both of which ran a two-setter offense in 2022. Skutt Catholic’s season pin hitters undoubtedly played a huge part in earning an eighth consecutive state title. Senior outside hitter Morgan Burke Morgan Burke 5'10" | S Skutt Catholic | 2023 State #132 Nation NE fittingly wrapped up her career by leading the SkyHawks in the kill department with 18 against Elkhorn North. On the opposite pin, senior Ivy Leuck Ivy Leuck 5'8" | S Skutt Catholic | 2023 State NE added 14 kills despite her part-time role as a backcourt setter.
These two veterans will be tough to replace, but there’s also an exciting youth movement happening at Skutt Catholic. Freshman left-side hitter Addison West has been a revelation for the SkyHawks this year, and she never seemed to be weighed down by the pressure of keeping the championship streak alive. She added eight kills and two blocks to the Skutt Catholic docket in the Class B title match.
Likewise, sophomore opposite Abbie Hagedorn Abbie Hagedorn 5'11" | RS Omaha Skutt Catholic | 2025 State NE emerged as a key contributor in Skutt’s 2022 lineup. Hagedorn found a variety of ways to pile up stats in the Devaney Center and finished with four kills, an assist, an ace, three digs, and three blocks.
Lincoln Lutheran is another repeat champion that got a lot of contributions from veterans and newcomers alike. Senior outside hitter Abby Wachal Abby Wachal 5'10" | OH Lincoln Lutheran | 2023 State NE was one of the most effective left-side attackers in the entire state this year, and that didn’t change on the championship stage. The St. Cloud State commit had 18 kills in the finale to go along with nine digs, an ace, and a block. Wachal’s leadership and ability to pull through in clutch situations are unmatched.
But, of course, it was a total team effort from the undefeated Warriors. Junior Sophie Wohlgemuth Sophie Wohlgemuth 5'9" | OH Lincoln Lutheran | 2024 State NE has carved out a leadership role of her own and had 11 kills against Archbishop Bergan. On the right pin, freshman Lily Wohlgemuth got her first championship experience and performed well with five kills on a 0.364 hitting clip. The Wohlgemuth synergy on the pins will be strong again next season.
Lastly, we address a team whose pin hitters can do a little bit of everything. Grand Island Central Catholic runs a unique system that allows many of its players to have an outside-middle hybrid role. Senior Avery Kelly had four kills in the championship match while playing a combined left-side/middle position, and Hadlee Hasselmann added six kills while playing in the middle and at opposite.
The more “traditional” pin hitter in GICC’s lineup was senior Gracie Woods Gracie Woods 6'0" | OH Grand Island CC | 2023 State NE , who has been a leader in the Crusader offense throughout her career. However, in the C1 title match, it was her defense that really shined. Woods tallied a whopping 29 digs in a six-rotation role to go along with her 12 kills in the frontcourt. Not bad for a final outing.