2023 War Eagle Conference Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/central-iowa-metro-league-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CIML '23 Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/mississippi-athletic-conference-23-season-preview/">MAC '23 Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/mvc-mississippi-division-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MVC Mississippi Division Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/07/mvc-valley-division-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MVC Valley Division Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/missouri-river-conference-23-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Missouri River Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/wamac-2023-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WaMac Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-little-hawkeye-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Little Hawkeye Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-racoon-river-season-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Racoon River Season Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/north-iowa-cedar-league-23-season-preview/">North Iowa Cedar League Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-south-central-conference-preview/">South Central Conference Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-bluegrass-conference-preview/">Bluegrass Conference Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-rivery-valley-conference-preview/">River Valley Conference Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-top-of-iowa-conference-preview/">Top of Iowa Conference Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-iowa-alliance-conference-preview/"></a><a href="https://prepdig.com/program/iowa-alliance/"><strong>[program_tooltip program_id='431974' first='Iowa' last='Alliance']</strong></a> <a href="https://prepdig.com/2023/08/2023-iowa-alliance-conference-preview/">Conference Preview</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Iowa high school volleyball season is upon us with the regular season kicking off on Monday. It's shaping up to be another exciting fall around the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In getting ready for a new season, it's good to look back. While we're sure to witness breakout performances from individuals and teams within our borders, plenty of familiar faces return.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I considered different ways to go about this process, landing on organization of evaluations by conference. Beating programs within close proximity of you has never gone out of style.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The War Eagle Conference sent Unity Christian and Hinton to the state tournament in '22. Gehlen Catholic advanced to a regional final. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Blackhawks Rise Again</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hinton reached state for the first time since '13. It advanced to the Class 2A semifinals, falling there to top-seeded Dike-New Hartford. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Blackhawks finished with a 27-3 record, fueled by a freshman in [player_tooltip player_id='389079' first='Bailey' last='Boeve'], who swung her way to 331 kills. She delivered an outstanding 178.0 blocks as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That super sophomore will be joined by seniors Carlene Hicklin (162 kills, 31.0 blocks), [player_tooltip player_id='168168' first='Ashlyn' last='Kovarna'] (774 assists, 91 kills, 167 digs, 99.0 blocks) and [player_tooltip player_id='250910' first='Gabbie' last='Friessen'] (150 kills, 175 digs, 29.0 blocks). </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Good Knights</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unity Christian advanced to the state tournament for the ninth consecutive year in '22. Mount Vernon eliminated it in the 3A quarterfinals. The Knights recorded victories against 3A finalist Sioux Center and 5A semifinalist West Des Moines Valley during the regular season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>They'll be replacing plenty of star power lost to graduation but return plenty as well. Senior Haley Kuperus (127 kills, 76.0 blocks), and juniors [player_tooltip player_id='215457' first='Jadyn' last='Hofmeyer'] (159 kills, 22.0 blocks) and [player_tooltip player_id='730838' first='Callie' last='Karhoff'] (175 digs) lead the group of returnees. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>High-Flying Jays</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gehlen Catholic reached a 1A regional final last season and finished with a 23-10 record, including a 10-0 mark in conference play. Its season included a straight-set victory against Sioux City Heelan, a state qualifier in 4A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Jays welcome back [player_tooltip player_id='730838' first='Callie' last='Karhoff'], who recorded 234 kills and 163 digs as a sophomore last season. Senior Larissa Pohlen and Rysaiah Sitzmann, a junior, also are returning starters. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hawk Talk</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Remsen St. Mary's reached the 1A regional semifinals, where it bowed out to Gehlen Catholic. That went down following a pair of straight-set wins its first two postseason matches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Jays bring back a talented trio of seniors in Claire Schroeder (187 kills, 40.0 blocks), Mya Bunkers (329 assist, 150 kills, 25.0 blocks) and Whitney Jensen (140 kills, 36.0 blocks). Their classmate, Halle Galles, solidifies the back row. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>...Madelyn Vis returns for Trinity Christian following a sophomore campaign that saw her lead the Tigers in kills and blocks. Makiah De Jager (198 digs) leads their back row...Juniors Josie Jacobs (454 assists), Addi Naslund (36.0 blocks), Allie Swoyer (201 digs) and [player_tooltip player_id='466329' first='Makenzie' last='Hughes'] (113 kills, 191 digs) give Akron-Westfield a solid foundation...MMCRU will lean on senior setter Jadyn Young (222 assists112 digs)...Juniors Frankie Mohnie (404 assists, 165 digs) and Kylee Schiphoff (159 kills, 33.0 blocks) lead Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn...Marissa Ebel (125 kills, 185 digs) is back for her senior year at South O'Brien.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->