2024 Prep Preview: CHSL Central Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>The </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1124/register/michigan-freshman-showcase"><em>Michigan Freshman Showcase</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://events.prepdig.com/e/1136/register/michigan-stock-up-showcase"><em>Michigan Stock Up Showcase</em></a><em> are coming to Pontiac on Aug. 4. You can get $10 off your registration when you sign up by using code “EllisDig2024.” Be sure to register today.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The <strong>Catholic League</strong> holds a pretty prestigious streak right now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The <strong>CHSL Central</strong> has produced the last five consecutive Division 1 state champions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Farmington Hills Mercy </strong>started the run in 2019. A threepeat of titles by <strong>Marian </strong>followed from 2020-22. Mercy reclaimed the title last fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What that says is the Division 1 title likely has to go through the CHSL powers. That makes the conference race one of the most intriguing each year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Things ramped up even more in 2023 with the addition of three programs out of Ohio in <strong>St. Ursula</strong>, <strong>Notre Dame Academy </strong>and <strong>Toledo Central Catholic</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Ursula forced a three-way tie for the league title during the regular season while Marian took home the tournament championship and Mercy nabbed the state title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This year's race should be just as competitive. Rivals Mercy and Marian will be stacked once again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The defending champion Marlins will once again be led by setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156295' first='Campbell' last='Flynn'] </strong>(Nebraska). The 6'2” Flynn is one of the best players in the country and a complete gamechanger, as she showed in last year's postseason run. Flynn will once again be competing with Team USA, which could limit her play in the regular season, but she will be ready to push for a repeat title during the playoffs. Flynn won't be lacking in hitting options either. The team's leading hitters were all underclassmen in 2023. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='442987' first='Kate' last='Kalczynski'] </strong>was one of the top freshman players in the state and is back to lead the outside attack alongside junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226944' first='Maya' last='Zarow']</strong>. Junior middle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226899' first='Cree' last='Hollier'] </strong>doesn't have the length of many at her position, but she's as explosive as it gets. This year, Flynn gets a dynamite addition in the middle in 6'4” <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226875' first='Ella' last='Andrews']</strong>. One of the top 2026 middles in the country, Andrews had to sit out last season after transferring to Mercy, but she will be a full go this fall. Defensively, Mercy has a lot of experience as well in seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156289' first='Jillian' last='Collins'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156317' first='Keira' last='McNutt']</strong>, who are standouts in the back row. McNutt has also been able to fill in at setter for Flynn.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":449066,"width":"277px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","align":"right"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/08/Marian-vs-FHN-VB-29.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-449066" style="width:277px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='156287' first='Isabelle' last='Busignani']</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After falling to Mercy in the postseason with a young squad, Marian is plenty motivated to get back to the championship stage in 2024. The Mustangs will have the talent to do it as well. Those young players have improved, and they add in two heavily proven talents as well. Five players with at least 100 kills are back, led by senior standout <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156287' first='Isabelle' last='Busignani']</strong> (Cincinnati). She is an absolute workhorse that will do everything she can to carry Marian back to Battle Creek. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='454352' first='Calli' last='LeFevre'] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='436889' first='Sophia' last='Smith'] </strong>were two big contributors on the outside as freshmen and have made big strides in their game coming into their sophomore year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226945' first='Jayla' last='Zayti'] </strong>was playing some of her strongest volleyball in the middle last in 2023. That should be something she can build on this year as a junior. Marian already has junior setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226885' first='Allie' last='Davison']</strong> that played at a high level in 2023 while running the offense. The team adds in 6'2” senior setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='156298' first='Chloe' last='Giehtbrock'] </strong>(Arizona) as well this fall. She sat out last season after transferring to the school. Giehtbrock also has experience as a hitter, so it will be interesting to see how Marian uses these two options. Defensively, <strong>Maria Odeesh </strong>wore the libero jersey as a junior. This year, the senior gets a new teammate in <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='226908' first='Meredith' last='Martin'],</strong> who comes over from Orchard Lake St. Mary's. Martin is coming off a club season where she's established herself as one of the best liberos in the country for the Class of 2026. &nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Ursula, which is based in Toledo, has bigger challenges for its roster. The team graduated four of its five leading hitters from last fall. The starting setter is also gone, which will make things tough on senior libero <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='398694' first='Devin' last='Dzienny']</strong>. She's got a lot of experience against the best hitters in the country, but she's going to have to carry the team early on while it finds some new offensive options. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='479389' first='Molly' last='Malone']</strong>, a 6-foot middle/outside option is likely to see a bigger workload after a sophomore season where she hit nearly .300 and led the team in blocks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These three teams clearly established themselves as the leaders in the CHSL Central. Locally, <strong>Divine Child </strong>and <strong>St. Catherine Academy </strong>are much smaller schools that struggle to compete with the depth of Mercy and Marian. However, the tough regular season tends to lead to good things in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Divine Child reached the Division 2 semifinals in 2022 and was a quarterfinalist in 2023. This year's team has four players returning that were All-Region underclassmen last fall. <strong>Parker David </strong>will be the leader offensively as a junior outside. She's got setter <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='443001' first='Zoe' last='Ryan'] </strong>back for her sophomore year to help keep competitive at the net. Divine Child should be pretty strong defensively behind sophomore libero <strong>Isabella Albano</strong> and junior DS <strong>Meredith Henry</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->