Athletes With State Tourney Experience: Class 2A Edition

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dodge City was the site of the Class 2A State Tournament in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This report continues the theme of featuring athletes who played in state tournaments last season and are looking to make back-to-back trips to the state dance.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Athletes from the Maranatha Chrisitan Academy and Valley Heights have already been featured.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oakley and Doniphan West made the tournament but did not provide complete public stats or heights on their state program rosters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is a look at four ranked prospects hoping to return to the 2A Tournament in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='357544' first='Suttyn' last='Harris']</strong>, 5'11”, MB, Inman, ‘26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Inman finished third at the Class 2A State Tournament. The Teutons' roster is loaded for bear and they have one of the top returning athletes in the Kansas Class of 2026. Harris is ranked No. 2 overall by prep Dig and has verbally committed to play for Utah. She led Inman in kills last season with 45 kills in 100 sets. Her junior season stat line included the eye-popping numbers of 400 digs, 74 blocks, and 72 aces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483944' first='Bennett' last='Jacobs'],</strong> 5'4”, DS/L, Ellinwood, '27 (Pictured Above)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ellinwood will be an early favorite to win the Class 2A State Tournament in 2025 after finishing fourth in the 2024 tournament. The Eagles will have a loaded roster next fall and the defensive glue on the squad is Jacobs. She led Ellinwood in digs with 343 in 102 sets. She has already recorded 600-plus digs in two prep seasons. Jacobs is ranked No. 66 overall in the Kansas Class of 2027 and is the fourth-ranked libero.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='206380' first='Kalyn' last='Sampson']</strong>, 6'0”, S, Sedgwick, '26</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cardinals were unable to advance to the second day of the tournament, but will return a roster full of athletes with postseason experience. Sampson is a gifted athlete and the leader of the Cardinals' offense. She finished her junior season with 446 assists and 452 kills. She also recorded 39 blocks, 93 aces, and 291 digs. Sampson is ranked No. 29 overall by Prep Dig and has verbally committed to Washburn University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='483921' first='Avery' last='Kauffman']</strong>, 5'4”, S, Central Christian, ‘27</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Cougars went 1-2 during the tournament. They will lose their top-hitter but return their floor general. Kauffman dished out 672 assists in 88 sets as a sophomore. She also recorded 710 assists as a freshman. She has a legit shot to reach 3,000 career assists when her prep playing days are done. &nbsp;Kauffman has back-to-back seasons with at least 30 aces.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->