The 2025 All-Deck Squad: Loaded With Monster Middles
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I have been making All-Star teams since I was a little whippersnapper. I played wiffle ball as a kid in the yard and would shoot hoops in front of the house pretending I was different players that I had put…
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Continue ReadingI have been making All-Star teams since I was a little whippersnapper.
I played wiffle ball as a kid in the yard and would shoot hoops in front of the house pretending I was different players that I had put together on an all-start team.
It is in that same spirit that I decided to create an all-star team for each Kansas high school class 2024-2027.
I only made three rules for myself: 1) I limited the roster to 10 players (per class). 2) For a player to be eligible I had to have seen them play at some point during the season. 3) Only one player (per class) from a high school could make the team.
Even those basic parameters made it difficult to make choices between some gifted and talented players.
If you already read the Class 6A edition of the All-Deck team reports, then the biggest difference you will notice with this team is that I loaded it up with hitters. I only have one setter and no libero. It could cause some rotation issues, but each one of the hitters I selected can flat-out crush, and several of them are quality serve receivers.
Here is the Class 5A All-Deck squad.
Maegan Mills Maegan Mills 6'0" | OH Seaman | 2025 State KS , 6’1, MH, Seaman
Mills is a player I saw multiple times and she is a flat-out game-changer. She moves really well for a middle and won’t be a defensive liability in college. Her hitting is what makes her special. Mills helped lead the Vikings to a Class 5A State title and earned her way onto the KVA All-State 5A squad. It was a tough call between her and Reagan McGivern Reagan McGivern 6'3" | MB Hayden | 2025 State KS for a spot on the squad. In fact, it was the toughest choice I had to make for this squad.
Logan Parks Logan Parks 5'11" | S Blue Valley North | 2025 State #8 Nation KS , 6’0”, MH, Blue Valley North
This was a close second in as a tough decision. Parks can dominate the net and still dig. Parks is very physical but really glides for an athlete her size. Parks earned her second KVA All-State tournament team. She will look to pull off that feat a third time during her senior season. I really wanted to add Jenna McClure Jenna McClure 5'8" | OH Blue Valley North | 2025 State KS who I was really impressed with during the state tournament in Salina.
Jordyn Washington Jordyn Washington 6'0" | MB Andover Central | 2025 State KS , 5’10”, MH, Andover Central
The Jaguars have an outstanding class. Washington is a middle hitter who will try to guide Andover Central to the state tournament again in 2024. She was not the primary hitting option for the Jags, but she well could be next year. She has a long reach and big vert. I would like to see her add some upper-body strength.
Ella Bolan Ella Bolan 5'11" | OH Silver Lake | 2025 State KS , 5’11”, OH/MH, Silver Lake
Bolan is one of the best hitters in Kansas from the Class of 2025. She can play six rotations and she helped the Eagles qualify for the final four in the Class 3A state tournament. I saw Silver Lake early in the season against Rossville and I understand she only got better as the season progressed. Bolan was named to the KVA All-State team from the tournament in Hutchinson.
Addison Budke Addison Budke 6'0" | OH Beloit | 2025 State KS , 6’0”, OH, Beloit
By the time next season is over Budke will be one of the more experienced hitters in the state. Budke was named to the KVA 3A All-State team despite her team not advancing to the final four. It was the second year in a row that Budke was named to that team. The Trojans will return a bulk of their key players and should be poised for another state title run in 2024. Budke is grossly under-ranked in the Class of 2025 rankings.
Katja Blanchat Katja Blanchat 6'0" | MB Smoky Valley | 2025 State KS , 6’0”, MH, Smoky Valley
Smoky Valley was a deep team this year and a big part of the Viking offense was Blanchet in the middle. I watched Smoky Valley play in the Southeast of Saline tournament during the regular season. The SVHS junior will be leaned on more in 2024. She finished with 377 kills in 104 sets played and was named to the KVA All-State team in Class 3A.
Reese Messer Reese Messer 5'11" | S St. James | 2025 State #6 Nation KS , 5’8”, S/OH, St. James Academy
Messer is an extremely athletic setter and is ranked No. 1 in the class of 2025 by Prep Dig. St. James was bounced from the Class 5A state tournament on the first day, and you bet it will be a highly motivated club next season. For the second season in a row, Messer was named to KVA all-tournament team in the 5A tourney. Messer has verbally committed to play for USC.
Jillian Gregory Jillian Gregory 6'0" | OH Maize South | 2025 State #66 Nation KS , 6’0”, OH, Maize South
Gregory is a hitting machine. She has an awesome swing and was just one cog on a well-oiled Maverick squad. She helped lead Maize South to a third-place finish in the Class 5A state tournament. Gregory has verbally committed to play for Oregon State. The state tournament was the first time I had seen Gregory play and she did not disappoint.
Ashley Barcus Ashley Barcus 5'10" | OH Olathe West | 2025 State KS , 5’9”, OH, Olathe West
Barcus is a gritty hitter that I really enjoy watching. She is very quick and has a compact swing. Barcus is one of two players to make the All-Deck team whose high school squad did not qualify for their state tournaments. She plays really solid defense and can be an impact or role player for a college team.
Cali Honeyman Cali Honeyman 5'11" | OH Nemaha Central | 2025 State KS , 5’11”, OH, Nemaha Central
College coaches looking for a diamond in a small school need to head to Seneca. I watched Nemaha Central play two matches during the regular season and I was really impressed with Honeyman’s poise and power. Honeyman unofficially finished among the Top 10 kill leaders in the Class of 2025 with 396 kills.
Honorable Mention: Kaitlyn Gordon Kaitlyn Gordon 5'8" | DS/L Andover | 2025 State KS (L), Andover; Lauren Heinz Lauren Heinz 5'7" | S Andover | 2025 State KS , Andover; Bella Holcomb Bella Holcomb 5'10" | S Andover Central | 2025 State KS (S/OH), Andover Central; Grett Stover (OH), Andover Central; Jayden Follis (S/DS), Beloit; Jenna McClure Jenna McClure 5'8" | OH Blue Valley North | 2025 State KS , (OH/DS), Lauren Lopez Lauren Lopez 5'10" | OH Bishop Miege | 2025 State KS (OH), Bishop Miege; Blue Valley North; Alex Myers Alex Myers 6'1" | RS Blue Valley West | 2025 State KS (RS), Blue Valey West; Bella Reid Bella Reid 5'10" | OH Topeka Hayden | 2025 State KS (OH), Hayden, Mikenna Matzeder Mikenna Matzeder 5'4" | DS/L Lansing | 2025 State KS (L), Lansing; Ashlyn Blazer Ashlyn Blazer 6'0" | MB Mill Valley | 2025 State KS (MH), Mill Valley; Saida Jacobs Saida Jacobs 6'1" | MB Mill Valley | 2025 State KS (MB), Mill Valley; Alex Klukvin Alex Klukvin 5'7" | DS/L Olathe Northwest | 2025 State KS (L), Olathe Northwest, Campbell Chabot Campbell Chabot 5'6" | S Topeka Seaman | 2025 State KS (S), Seaman; Reagan McGivern Reagan McGivern 6'3" | MB Hayden | 2025 State KS (MH), Seaman; Maggie Moulden Maggie Moulden 5'11" | MB Topeka Seaman | 2025 State KS (MB), Seaman; Alana Brewster Alana Brewster 5'11" | MB Silver Lake | 2025 State KS (OH), Silver Lake; Sydney Buscher Sydney Buscher 5'10" | S Spring Hill | 2025 State KS (S), St. James Academy; Ashlee Chavez Ashlee Chavez 5'9" | RS St. James | 2025 State KS (OH), St. James Academy, Alea Goolsby Alea Goolsby 5'11" | OH St. Thomas Aquinas | 2025 State #36 Nation KS (OH), St. Thomas Aquinas; Elle Davis (MH), Trinity Academy.