Previewing 1A, 2A, 3A State Volleyball Tournaments
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The state tournament gets underway with action in Classes 4A and 5A Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The three smaller groups follow with first-round matches on Tuesday. You can read tournament previews for 5A HERE and 4A HERE. Now,…
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Continue ReadingThe state tournament gets underway with action in Classes 4A and 5A Monday at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The three smaller groups follow with first-round matches on Tuesday.
You can read tournament previews for 5A HERE and 4A HERE. Now, let’s take a look at the brackets in 1A, 2A and 3A:
CLASS 3A
Defending Champ: Davenport Assumption
Players to Watch: Chloe Meester Chloe Meester OH Mount Vernon | 2025 State #37 Nation IA , Mount Vernon; Sydney Huber Sydney Huber S Mount Vernon | 2025 State IA , Mount Vernon; Shayna Van Dyken, Western Christian; Keana Wynja, Western Christian; Haley Wieleng, Western Christian; Gabby Lombardi Gabby Lombardi 5'11" | RS Des Moines Christian | 2024 State IA , Des Moines Christian; Hadley Hardersen Hadley Hardersen 5'11" | S Des Moines Christian | 2025 State IA , Des Moines Christian; Finley Schelhass, Des Moines Christian; Gracie Klima, Union; Avery Knoop Avery Knoop S Union | 2025 State IA , Union; Dena Robb, Union; Maggie Johnson, Assumption; Ellah Derrer Ellah Derrer 6'4" | MB Davenport Assumption | 2026 State IA , Assumption; Ellie Schubert Ellie Schubert 5'9" | S Davenport Assumption | 2025 State IA , Assumption; Sydney Maue Sydney Maue RS Mount Vernon | 2025 State IA , Center Point-Urbana; Gracie Hoskins Gracie Hoskins 5'3" | DS/L Center Point-Urbana | 2025 State IA , Center Point-Urbana; Jada Timmerman Jada Timmerman 6'0" | MB Cherokee | 2024 State IA , Cherokee Washington; Deidra Doeden, Cherokee Washington; Audrey Tschiggfrie Audrey Tschiggfrie 5'8" | OH Dubuque Wahlert | 2025 IA , Dubuque Wahlert; Olivia Donovan Olivia Donovan 5'10" | S Wahlert-Dubuque | 2025 State IA , Dubuque Wahlert.
Top 4: 1. Mount Vernon (33-4); 2. Cherokee Washington (29-6); 3. Hull Western Christian (29-13); 4. Assumption (27-7)
Dark Horse: Des Moines Christian
Notes: Washington outlasted Western Christian, 3-2, earlier this month in Cherokee after the Wolfpack took a 2-0 decision earlier in the season…Mount Vernon and Assumption have not played any of the other top four seeds in ’23…Western won the 2A title last year.
Outlook: 3A might be the most intriguing class heading into the tournament. Mount Vernon deserves the top seed with its strong performance against a challenging schedule…Washington’s split with Western adds intrigue to their potential semifinal matchup…Assumption enjoys championship experience in Johnson, Derrer, Schubert and others.
CLASS 2A
Defending Champ: Western Christian
Players to Watch: Payton Petersen Payton Petersen 6'0" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #55 Nation IA , Dike-New Hartford; Jadyn Petersen Jadyn Petersen 5'9" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #195 Nation IA , Dike-New Hartford; Addy Joslin Addy Joslin S Dike-New Hartford | 2026 State IA , Dike-New Hartford; Maryn Bixby Maryn Bixby 6'1" | MB Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State IA , Dike-New Hartford; Ellery Luhring Ellery Luhring 5'8" | S Grundy Center | 2024 State IA , Grundy Center; Lucy Lebo, Grundy Center; Carlie Willis Carlie Willis 6'0" | OH Grundy Center | 2024 State IA , Grundy Center; Bailey Boeve Bailey Boeve 6'0" | OH Hinton | 2026 State IA , Hinton; Ashlyn Kovarna Ashlyn Kovarna 5'10" | S Hinton | 2024 State IA , Hinton; Jessica Gergen Jessica Gergen 6'0" | MB Denver | 2024 State IA , Denver; Channing Johnson Channing Johnson 5'10" | S Denver | 2026 State IA , Denver; Kaylie Simons, Carroll Kuemper; Isabelle Elliott Isabelle Elliott 6'0" | OH Sumner-Fredericksburg | 2024 State #130 Nation IA , Sumner-Fredericksburg; Alexa Buhman Alexa Buhman 5'8" | S Sumner - Fredricksburg | 2026 State IA , Sumner-Fredericksburg; Molly Shafer Molly Shafer OH Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont | 2025 State IA , Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; Kate Shafer Kate Shafer S Eddyville-Blakesburg Fremont | 2025 State IA , Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; Kinsey Mohwinkle Kinsey Mohwinkle 6'0" | MB Aplington-Parkersburg | 2024 State IA , Aplington-Parkersburg; Peyton Klooster Peyton Klooster MB Aplington-Parkersburg | 2025 IA , Aplington-Parkersburg.
Top 4: 1. Dike-New Hartford (47-0); 2. Hinton (30-1); 3. Grundy Center (37-7); 4. Denver (34-10)
Dark Horse: Anybody other than DNH
Notes: Dike-New Hartford topped Hinton, 3-0, in last year’s state semifinals…DNH won state titles in ’20 and ’21 before finishing as the runner-up last year…Aplington-Parkersburg (’05) and Kuemper Catholic (’18 in 3A) are the other teams in this field with state titles.
Outlook: With Western up at 3A, Dike-New Hartford is a heavy favorite to win 2A. The Wolverines have yet to lose a set this season. They defeated Denver four times in ’23 and Aplington-Parkersburg once.
CLASS 1A
Defending Champ: Ankeny Christian
Players to Watch: Carley Craighead Carley Craighead OH Ankeny Christian | 2025 State IA , Ankeny Christian; Katie Quick Katie Quick 5'7" | S Ankeny Christian | 2025 State IA , Ankeny Christian; Anna Weathers Anna Weathers OH Ankeny Christian | 2025 State IA , Ankeny Christian; Elsie Hoegh, Boyden-Hull; Clara Hoegh Clara Hoegh 5'8" | S Boyden-Hull | 2025 State IA , Boyden-Hull; Dennie Boogerd, Boyden-Hull; Addison Schares; Don Bosco; Kennedi McGarvey, Don Bosco; Alexis Even, Don Bosco; Presley Myers Presley Myers 6'2" | MB Holy Trinity Catholic | 2026 State IA , Holy Trinity; Mary Kate Bendlage Mary Kate Bendlage 5'10" | OH Holy Trinity | 2024 State IA , Holy Trinity; Teagan Snaadt, Holy Trinity; Sydney Anderson, BCLUW; Callie Swanson, BCLUW; Aspen Falk, Saint Ansgar; Kinsey Anderson, Saint Ansgar; Ellie Monahan Ellie Monahan DS/L Council Bluffs St. Albert | 2025 State IA , St. Albert; Isabel Bartek, Newell-Fonda.
Top 4: 1. Ankeny Christian (36-3); 2. Boyden-Hull (21-11); 3. Holy Trinity Catholic (31-10); 4. BCLUW (34-10)
Dark Horse: Don Bosco
Notes: Ankeny Christian returns to state for the third year in a row, winning it all in ’22. The Eagles lost twice to 2A No. 3 Grundy Center (twice) and 2A Denver…Holy Trinity (’14) is the only other program in this field with a state championship.
Outlook: None of the other teams in this bracket have played against Ankeny Christian, which faces mostly larger schools…Holy Trinity also has tackled a difficult slate and reached the state tournament last year as did Don Bosco, which lost to Ankeny Christian in the first round.