What Iowa Freshmen Are Ready To Make Postseason Noise?
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Each year we see freshmen come into the state tournament and have a huge impact. Last year, Bailey Boeve Bailey Boeve 6'0" | OH Hinton | 2026 State IA of Hinton showed the state what she could do as one…
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Continue ReadingEach year we see freshmen come into the state tournament and have a huge impact. Last year, Bailey Boeve Bailey Boeve 6'0" | OH Hinton | 2026 State IA of Hinton showed the state what she could do as one of the most dynamic players in her class. Ella Derrer was a dominant middle blocker on an Assumption team who won a state title. Isabelle Kremer Isabelle Kremer 6'3" | RS Pleasant Valley | 2026 State IA was a key right side in the Pleasant Valley runner-up finish and was on their state championship basketball team. Who is next? Welcome Class of 2027…let’s make some postseason noise!
Belle Seaman Belle Seaman 5'9" | S Muscatine | 2027 IA – Muscatine
Seaman has been the QB1 for a scrappy Muscatine squad who is on the rise at 23-10, they will have a regional semifinal match against Iowa City High which should be a great battle. Seaman leads the state among freshmen in assists with 836, good for nearly ten assists per set. One of her top targets is Brylee Seaman. The Muskies have some big wins this season with a sweep over Assumption and a recent win over a top ten West Des Moines Valley team.
Tayah Pollock – Janesville
They’re back. Well, I don’t think Janesville ever really left as a Class 1A power house and they have a freshman leading the way as their setter in Tayah Pollock. Pollock has nearly 800 assists on the season and leads her team in aces. She’s dynamic, she moves well getting her hands to the ball to allow her hitters to swings away. Junior, Zoey Barnes Zoey Barnes MB Janesville | 2025 State IA has been a force in the front row. The Wildcats are 25-11 and champions of the Iowa Star-North. Janesville has the top seed in their regional with other top competitors in Dunkerton, St. Ansgar, and Waterloo Christian who will be in the hunt.
Leah Caffery Leah Caffery 5'7" | S Wilton | 2027 IA and Annie Holladay – Wilton
Assist by Caffery has been a common thread among Wilton volleyball the past six, maybe seven years? Leah Caffery Leah Caffery 5'7" | S Wilton | 2027 IA is a freshman setter at Wilton where she has lead the Beavers with over 700 assists on the season. Older sister Ella Caffery was a standout player for Wilton and graduated in 2022 where she had plenty of state tournament matches and is currently at Northwest Missouri State. Caffery has helped lead the team to over 20 wins. Freshman libero Annie Holladay is having a massive season with five digs per set and over 400 per season.
Stella Largent – ACGC
There is another Largent tearing it up for ACGC and this time it is Stella Largent. Chloe Largent was a Class of 2022 athlete who had a decorated career for the Chargers and went on to UNI for volleyball, but has medically retired from volleyball and will now join the track team. Stella Largent is averaging over 3.6 kills per set for a team who is 19-10. They will open regional play this week when they take on Panorama.
Mazie Sweers Mazie Sweers 6'0" | OH Pleasant Valley | 2027 IA and Addison Allaman Addison Allaman 5'10" | DS/L Pleasant Valley | 2027 IA – Pleasant Valley
Pleasant Valley was suppose to be rebuilding after graduating some big time D1 talent in the front line, but they have reloaded like all good programs do. Senior libero Molly Albrecht is the lone senior and captain of the backcourt with 231 digs as a libero. This group is leading freshmen in Mazie Sweers Mazie Sweers 6'0" | OH Pleasant Valley | 2027 IA who has been a key contributor in the front row with 161 kills and defensive specialist Addison Allaman Addison Allaman 5'10" | DS/L Pleasant Valley | 2027 IA has chipped in 131 digs and 27 aces. The Spartans are looking for another trip to the state tournament and could face Dubuque Senior again in a regional final.
Melina Snoozy – Sioux City Heelan
Two years ago, Heelan had Maddy LaFleur and Maliyah Hacker Maliyah Hacker 6'1" | OH Sioux City Heelan | 2025 State IA making waves as freshman as the Crusaders returned to the state tournament LaFleur and Hacker are still doing damage and have another freshman in the lineup who has had a great season in Melina Snoozy who has 182 kills on the season. She also has over 30 blocks on the season. Heelan will meet Sioux Center or Spencer in the Class 4A Regional Final and could have a potential trip down I29 for a regional final against Council Bluffs Lewis Central with a state tournament appearance on the line.
Deidra Doeden and Addy Wolfswinkel – Cherokee
Cherokee has put together quite a season, most recently defeating top ranked in Class 3A, Western Christian 3-2. They have a strong senior group led by setter Ava Anderson and attacker Jada Timmerman Jada Timmerman 6'0" | MB Cherokee | 2024 State IA . Freshmen Deidra Doeden and Addy Wolfswinkel have combined for over 150 kills. Doeden leads the team in blocks and is among the top blockers in Class 3A among freshmen. The Braves have the top seed in Region 2 and will start with a quarterfinal match with Eagle Grove.
Addison Bollier – Iowa City Regina (Digs)
The Regals are a defensive force with over 1600 digs as a team. They have four athletes with at least 200 digs on the season, one of them being Addison Bollier. They have a consistent touch on every contact with their top two attackers being sophomores. This Southeast part of the state is loaded with Class 2A talent. Regina has a match with West Branch, and with a win would face conference rival Lisbon where they dropped a tough five set thriller to at the end of September.