#1 Seeded Teams Headed into the Division 1 State Tournament Run

<p>Regionals are just a few days away. It is incredible how quickly the high school season flies by. Seeding meetings are complete, and I am sure they were very intense! The next few weeks of play are some of the most exciting in high school volleyball. Let's start with what teams earned a #1 seed in Division 1. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Eau Claire Memorial</h2>   <p>Eau Claire Memorial has had a dominant season. They have only dropped 6 matches this season and competed at a high level from start to finish. This is a team with a lot of experience, with the majority of their contributing players being juniors and seniors. Senior setter Anika Skolos has logged nearly 1,000 assists this season alone. She's been a 3-year varsity athlete and has over 2,000 assists. Pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='278406' first='Ella' last='Gunderson'] has been dominant with 389 kills and is averaging 3.8 kills per set. Eau Claire Memorial has three hitters who are incredibly efficient. Pin hitter Ella Mcconnell is hitting 0.266, middle hitter Katie Prasher is hitting 0.262, and [player_tooltip player_id='278406' first='Ella' last='Gunderson'] is hitting 0.243. Defensively, Ashlynn Shroeder leads the team with 407 digs and 486 service receptions. Ashlynn also leads the team in aces. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Appleton North</h2>   <p>Appleton North has been absolutely dominant the past number of seasons. They are a staple at the state tournament and are looking to go far again this year. They are undefeated in conference play and have a 30-7 overall record. Their only losses have come to really talented teams. This team has some incredible athletes, including Michigan Commit [player_tooltip player_id='122483' first='Ella' last='Demetrician'], who is averaging 5.6 kills per set and hitting 0.351. Kansas State commit and 5-1 setter [player_tooltip player_id='122566' first='Emerson' last='Van Lannen'] never misses a beat. She has 742 assists on the season and contributed 43 aces and 139 kills. [player_tooltip player_id='194790' first='Maggie' last='Hahnke'] leads the team in aces and digs. [player_tooltip player_id='178223' first='Teegan' last='Charapata'] is another key athlete on this team, contributing 236 kills, 209 digs, and 448 service receptions. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Waunakee </h2>   <p>Waunakee is another senior-heavy team with a lot of experience. Senior setters [player_tooltip player_id='261359' first='Morgan' last='Van Wie'] and Anna Mott run the show. Morgan is a recent Badger commit and both sets and swings for Waunakee. She has a 0.354 hitting percentage. Pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='178620' first='Summer' last='Grigg'] is a key offensive weapon. She is dynamic, powerful, and an impact player in all six rotations. Pin hitter Lily Follen is another key athlete who leads the team in aces. She also has 128 kills and nearly 200 digs. Libero Cora Webster is explosive and quick in the back row. This will be a fun team to watch through the regionals, sectionals, and hopefully into the state tournament. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Oconomowoc</h2>   <p>Oconomowoc is one of the favorites to make it to the state and play in the state championship. They have a loaded roster that includes some of the top athletes in the country. They have a perfect record in conference play and are 36-3 this season. Their only losses were at the hands of DSHA in tournament championship matches. Middle Blocker and Notre Dame commit [player_tooltip player_id='122475' first='Anna' last='Bjork'] is hitting 0.416 and has 86 blocks. She is unstoppable. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='122568' first='Lilly' last='Wagner'] (Maryland) has 834 assists this season. She is an energizer, incredibly positive, and passionate player and leader. Other key hitters include pin hitters [player_tooltip player_id='122516' first='Olivia' last='Kwiatkowski'] (Troy) and [player_tooltip player_id='249678' first='Marlee' last='Sivak']. [player_tooltip player_id='345260' first='Bays' last='Keller'] has been dominant in the back row. She has stepped up into a massive role in the past two seasons as the starting libero. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Manitowoc Lincoln</h2>   <p>Manitowoc Lincoln is another team that is undefeated in conference play and has only dropped a handful of matches this season. Some key wins for Manitowoc Lincoln include beating Appleton North, Waunakee, Muckwonago, and Oak Creek - all other #1 seeds heading into the postseason. Manitowoc Lincoln has three key offensive weapons: [player_tooltip player_id='181809' first='Madison' last='York'], Nena Swoboda, and freshman Abby Weidmayer. [player_tooltip player_id='151740' first='Laurin' last='Hamann'] is scrappy on defense and controlled on serve receive. She leads the back row and averages 6.1 digs per set. [player_tooltip player_id='181810' first='Grace' last='Fruzen'] is a gritty setter with a great ball tempo. She is a setter you always want on your side. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Oak Creek</h2>   <p>Oak Creek has really made a name for itself in the past few years. They have always had a great program and made a state appearance in 2021. They are undefeated in conference play and 33-8 this season. Setter [player_tooltip player_id='202188' first='Julia' last='Erdmann'] runs the show and has 759 assists this season. Eckerd commit, [player_tooltip player_id='122464' first='Kaitlyn' last='Dohs'] is an athlete who is hard to take off of the court. She leads the team in kills, service receptions, and kills per set. She also is a key defender. Sophomore pin hitter Isa Ruether is making her mark with 214 kills, 48 blocks, and 292 service receptions. [player_tooltip player_id='275798' first='Callie' last='Panasuk'] is a very talented libero who keeps the ball alive at all costs. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mukwonago </h2>   <p>Mukwonago has flown a bit under the radar this season, but they have had some absolutely key matches and wins that secured their #1 seed. They beat Oak Creek in straight sets (twice) and took Oconomowoc to 5 in conference play. Gabriella Pitcell (Illinois) is dominant, with 4.2 kills per set and a 0.272 hitting percentage. [player_tooltip player_id='211465' first='Natalia' last='Farrugia'] (Missouri Western) has 98 blocks, a truly impressive number. The setter duo for Mukwonago complements each other very well. Abby Winkelman has ice in her veins on the court, and [player_tooltip player_id='202177' first='Keira' last='Robidoux'] is gritty and very smart. Libero [player_tooltip player_id='178257' first='Alexis' last='Gardner'] (UW-Green Bay) is all over the court and has some of the best court awareness and volleyball IQ in the state. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">DSHA</h2>   <p>DSHA nearly went into the post-season undefeated. Their only loss is to Mother McAuley from Chicago. They have beaten Oconomowoc three times this season, Manitowoc Lincoln, Oak Creek, Waunakee, and Appleton North. [player_tooltip player_id='122569' first='Sophia' last='Wendlick'] (Creighton) is averaging 4.7 kills per set, and [player_tooltip player_id='178033' first='Madison' last='Quest'] (UW-Madison) is at 4.5. Sophomore middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='453657' first='Maddie' last='Brown'] has 91 blocks. [player_tooltip player_id='178026' first='Olivia' last='Durst'] (Michigan State) is unstoppable in the libero position. And [player_tooltip player_id='246946' first='Jordan' last='Czajkowski'] (Belmont) runs the offense smoothly and efficiently. This is another favorite not only to make it to the state tournament but also to the state championship match. </p>

Regionals are just a few days away. It is incredible how quickly the high school season flies by. Seeding meetings are complete, and I am sure they were very intense! The next few weeks of play are some of the most exciting in high school volleyball. Let's start with what teams earned a #1 seed in Division 1.