Storylines To Follow Heading Into The Prep Dig Battle at the Bay
In this article:
There is always something interesting going on behind the rosters. I love hearing the interesting stories and connections within a team as well as between teams. As we approach the Prep Dig Battle at the Bay I thought I’d take…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThere is always something interesting going on behind the rosters. I love hearing the interesting stories and connections within a team as well as between teams. As we approach the Prep Dig Battle at the Bay I thought I’d take a peek at what our attending teams have been up to!
A Family Affair
Coaches love finding a coach’s kid because a lot of times they have a better understanding of all the things that go into coaching, skill development, and team dynamics. FC Elite 18 Navy has a father/daughter duo with Hank Koss as an assistant coach and Rachel Koss Rachel Koss 5'11" | S Freedom | 2023 State WI who can run an offense. Now, I don’t know this for sure but I suspect there is another family influence when we look at the Elite Alliance 17-1 team. We have Daniel and Adrianna Reinhart as the coaches and Ashlyn Reinhart as a player. I think it’s a safe bet there may be some family ties in there. A pair that I DO know are related are the IMPACTful duo of Denise Kapalko and her daughter, Wisconsin Lutheran commit, Mya Kapalko.
Wisconsin Ice has a couple mother/daughter combos including former UW-Whitewater All-American, Lynn (Olson) Krueger and her daughter, Ava Krueger Ava Krueger 5'8" | OH Marathon | 2024 State WI on 17 National. Assistant coach Kim Beaudoin assists for 16 National while daughter, Amara Beaudoin Amara Beaudoin 6'0" | MB Amherst | 2025 State WI is a rising middle. Ice also has a father/daughter group with 16 Purple. Tony Hollander and his daughter, Makenzie Hollander coach while the younger daughter, Taylor Hollander has played a number of positions for this group. There is also an unconventional sister connection on 16 National with Eiley Schoeneman Eiley Schoeneman 5'11" | RS Mercer | 2025 State WI and “sister” (foreign exchange student) Marta Company-Hernandez.
Midwest Penguins 15 Elite has a pair including head coach, Patty Witon and her daughter Olivia Witon Olivia Witon OH Brookfield Central | 2026 State WI . And I don’t know for sure but I have a sneaking suspicion Sting United 15 Red has a pair that includes coach and former Badger, Meggan (Kohnen) Oeth, and player, Addi Oeth. Wisconsin Premier 16 Teal has coaches, Sue and Amber Baker, as a mother/daughter coaching duo.
Full Representation
There will be teams from every region of Wisconsin. Metro Milwaukee will be sending teams from 262 Attack, Adversity, G-Force ‘ last=”], Jr. Red Knight, Midwest Penguins , Milwaukee Sting , Motion, and Wisconsin Premier volleyball clubs. Also coming from the southeast portion of Wisconsin clubs that are sending teams include I AM and River City. Local and Northeast clubs will be represented by FC Elite , Fond du Lac Fusion , FVP, Heat, Impact, One Wisconsin, South Shore Slam , Valley Velocity , Westside Slam , Wisconsin Blaze , and Wisconsin Shock .
The northwest will be represented by Air, Elevate, Wisconsin Ice , and Xtreme volleyball clubs. The southwest including the Madison area will be represented by 608 Juniors, Crossfire ‘ last=”], and Infinity clubs. Aside from team out of state these teams may have the longest travel time.
Returning Champs
We had the inaugural Battle at the Bay in 2022 and we have some champions returning to try to make it back-to-back championships! Last year, FC Elite 18 Elite took the title along with returners Ella Demetrician Ella Demetrician 6'2" | OH Appleton North | 2024 State #40 Nation WI , Kyla Dunaway Kyla Dunaway 6'4" | RS Kimberly | 2023 State WI , Autumn Flynn Autumn Flynn 5'11" | MB Luxemburg-Casco | 2023 State WI , and Bryn Janke Bryn Janke 5'10" | S Wisconsin Dells | 2024 State WI . Meanwhile, in 2022 the 13’s division was won by Fond du Lac Fusion 13 Purple and their 14 Purple return this year along with Claire Braatz, Allison Buelow, Kylee Haller, Kendall Nelson, Ellisyn Shultis, and Kaitlyn Winter.
Seeing Double
Nope! You aren’t seeing double, there really are two! Elevate 18 Black has a set of 2024 twins, #10 Gina Klum is a defensive specialist while #15 Tricia Klum is a setter. If you turn to the afternoon wave you will find Wisconsin Ice 16 National’s Ari and Sade Partlow Sade Partlow 5'9" | OH Wisconsin Dells | 2025 State WI on either pin.