The 2025 All-Deck Team: These Seniors Will Be Missed

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Since I was knee-high to a grasshopper I have made fantasy and all-star teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I grew up a John Madden fan before he was known for the video game, and so since I have been working as a scout I have created various All-Deck teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I only made two rules for myself, first I limited the roster to nine players, and secondly for a player to be eligible I had to have seen them play at some point during the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even those basic parameters made it difficult to make choices between some gifted and talented players. While I did see several schools play this season there were a handful of teams I usually watch that I missed. There is never enough time to see all the schools I would like to.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This team is made up of players who just finished their senior seasons. Rankings and stats do not play much of a factor in the selection process. If I were to return to coaching this is the team I would go to battle with.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So it is my pleasure to present the All-Deck Team for the Kansas Class of 2025. I wish them all well in their future endeavors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned for three more All-Deck teams and the Class of 2027 rankings update this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173374' first='Maegan' last='Mills'], </strong>6'1, OH, Seaman</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mills is just one of the players on this list who I feel I have watched grow up as athletes. She is a dominant hitter and played in four straight State Championship Tournaments. She broke the kills record of one of my favorite Kansas athletes, Cam Turner. She is a leader on the court, handles high-pressure situations, and plays great defense for a six-foot-one athlete. She will do great things at Tulsa University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='154041' first='Logan' last='Parks'], </strong>6'0”, OH/S, Blue Valley North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Parks is the “one” player on this list I wish I would have seen play more often. I only saw her during the state tournament this season and missed seeing the Mustangs play during the regular season. She is a phenomenal athlete who can hit or set. I would utilize her as both on this squad. Parks is verbally committed to play for Stanford University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173375' first='Addison' last='Budke'], </strong>6'0”, OH, Beloit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Budke is the “Beloit Beast.” I made a couple of long-distance trips to see Budke and the Trojans each trip was worth the gas money. She is headed to the MIAA to play for the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers. She is a strong athlete with solid speed. She is going to make a great Division II player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='519096' first='Cassie' last='Ellegood']</strong>, 6'0”, MB, Great Bend</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Great Bend's Ellegood is an underrated talent who once she finishes her two years at Cowley Community College, will find her way to an elite four-year program. Honestly, it might take her just one season with all the transfers dominated the college sports scene. She helped lead the Panthers to an appearance in the Class 5A State Tournament. She is a reminder of why I have grown to like club ball, as without club ball I might have not gotten to see her play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173373' first='Reagan' last='McGivern']</strong>, 6'3”, MB, Hayden</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The main reason McGivern is on this list is that after transferring from Seaman she helped guide a group of fantastic freshmen to the Class 4A State Tournament in Hutchinson. She is a big-time middle hitter who can take over a match at the net. She was the backbone of Hayden's young team. Although she was not able to win back-to-back state titles with two different schools, she had a great high school career. McGivern is headed to Villanova University to play ball after graduation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493491' first='Tori' last='Buss']</strong>, 5'9”, OH, Wichita North</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Buss is going to be the unsung hero on this squad. She is also the only athlete in this group who has not verbally committed to a collegiate program. Buss is an impact athlete who can lead a team or play a secondary role, She will be surrounded by talent on this squad so she could fill either role. She was a big reason why the RedHawks qualified for the Class 6A State Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='659546' first='Hallie' last='Holthaus']</strong>, 5'7”, S, Nemaha Central</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This position was the most difficult one for me to make. There were probably four setters I could have picked, but I have chosen Nemaha Central's Holthaus I watched the Thunder in the regular season and the State Tournament. I also saw them play summer league ball up in Seneca. She plays on a team whose balanced scoring attack was the key in the Class 3A state semifinal win over Hoisington. It was one of the best matches I have seen as a scout and it was in this match I finally realized how talented she is. Holthaus is verbally committed to play for Highland Community College.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='493503' first='Kailyn' last='Follis']</strong>, 5'4”, DS/L, Beloit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This choice was a slam dunk pick. Follis is one of the top liberos in the state and was often overlooked on a state tournament team. I saw plenty of solid liberos, but Follis is among the best of the best. She has verbally committed to play for Barton Community College. I do not doubt that she can be the defensive glue on this team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='173382' first='Ashlee' last='Chavez']</strong>, 5'10”, RS, St. James Academy</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chavez got this spot over at least eight others I looked at because she is resilient. &nbsp;She is a great role model for athletes selling their skills to college programs on social media. She often reached out to me with updates and invites to games and was very supportive of and thankful for Prep Dig's coverage of her game. She is a feisty hitter who understands what it takes to win matches. I can see her becoming a high school or club coach after her playing days conclude. She has verbally committed to play for Missouri Southern. The only thing I wish she would have done differently is to share her college offers on social media and then not make me keep a secret about which school she selected.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Honorable Mention</strong>: [player_tooltip player_id='219740' first='Ashley' last='Barcus'] (OH), Olathe West; [player_tooltip player_id='493461' first='Sydney' last='Buscher'] (S), Spring Hill; [player_tooltip player_id='395236' first='Teagan' last='Canady'] (OH), Valley Center; [player_tooltip player_id='219715' first='Campbell' last='Chabot'] (S), Seaman; [player_tooltip player_id='386169' first='Layla' last='Collins'] (OH), Washburn Rural; [player_tooltip player_id='492580' first='Lauren' last='Crotinger'] (OH), Jefferson West; [player_tooltip player_id='219717' first='Kaitlyn' last='Cure'] (OH), Kapaun Mt. Carmel; [player_tooltip player_id='495681' first='Cora' last='Daggett'] (MB), Wichita North; [player_tooltip player_id='519098' first='Kara' last='Feist'] (MB), Great Bend; [player_tooltip player_id='493498' first='Jaidyn' last='Follis'] (S), Beloit; [player_tooltip player_id='550499' first='Ytzel' last='Grajeda Del Rio'] (L), Wichita North; [player_tooltip player_id='493419' first='Aliyah' last='Green'] (MB), Andover; [player_tooltip player_id='153937' first='Alea' last='Goolsby'] (OH), St. Thomas Aquinas; [player_tooltip player_id='173378' first='Piper' last='Harris'] (OH), Garden City; &nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='173395' first='Brookelyn' last='Hatton'] (L), Blue Valley West; &nbsp;[player_tooltip player_id='551296' first='Andrea' last='Hernandez'] (MB), Wichita North; [player_tooltip player_id='465558' first='Cali' last='Honeyman'] (OH), Nemaha Central; [player_tooltip player_id='219714' first='Ayla' last='Klingenberg'] (OH), Rock Creek; [player_tooltip player_id='173376' first='Lauren' last='Lopez'] (OH), Bishop Miege; [player_tooltip player_id='173384' first='Jenna' last='McClure'] (OH), Blue Valley North; [player_tooltip player_id='154039' first='Reese' last='Messer'] (S), St. James Academy; [player_tooltip player_id='493452' first='Sadie' last='L Rethman'] (OH), Emporia; [player_tooltip player_id='483894' first='Sofia' last='Simic'] (OH), Hoisington; [player_tooltip player_id='338557' first='Myiah' last='Soderberg'] (L), Washurn Rural; [player_tooltip player_id='515151' first='Zoey' last='Sudbeck'] (OH), Nemaha Central; [player_tooltip player_id='493398' first='Sophia' last='Thompson'] (MB), Beloit; [player_tooltip player_id='493380' first='Kaydence' last='Torrez'] (MB), Shawnee Heights; [player_tooltip player_id='219724' first='Lauren' last='Welch'] (L), Maize; [player_tooltip player_id='219738' first='Kinley' last='Wilhelm'] (L), Seaman.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->