2025 MVC Team Previews, Players to Watch, Part II

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/07/2025-ciml-team-previews-players-to-watch/">2025 CIML Team Previews, Players to Watch</a>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/07/2025-mac-team-previews-players-to-watch/">2025 MAC Team Previews, Players to Watch</a>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/07/2025-mvc-team-previews-players-to-watch-part-i/">2025 MVC Team Previews, Players to Watch, Part I</a>   It's hard to believe Iowa high school volleyball practice officially starts in a little more than a month. It's exciting thinking about watching the state's top teams compete on the road to the championships in Coralville come November.   With that in mind, we're rolling on our conference previews and players to watch within those leagues in preparation for the campaign ahead. Next up is the second group (alphabetically) on the Mississippi Valley Conference:   DUBUQUE WAHLERT   2024 Finish: 26-9 (3A State Quarterfinalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='826677' first='Karley' last='Belken'], MH.   Key Losses: Kaylee Walter; Olivia Donovan; Audrey Tschiggfrie; Anna Roling; Brielle Berning; Maddie Mohr; Claire Lueken; Cailyn Ernst.   Outlook: The Golden Eagles will be experiencing a transition after heavy graduation losses hit following the 2024 campaign. That doesn't mean the program will take a step back. Wahlert returns proven production and is an outfit that develops talent annually. That certainly will need to happen this fall if Wahlert plans on getting back to state. Belken is a presence in the middle of the net and a valuable piece to build around. [player_tooltip player_id='823131' first='Caroline' last='Freed'], Maggie Coutchie and a other inexperienced players must step up production around her.   IOWA CITY HIGH   2024 Finish: 17-13 (5A Regional Finalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='730426' first='Hazel' last='Schluckebier'], S; [player_tooltip player_id='498250' first='Jessi' last='Kucera'], DS/L; [player_tooltip player_id='805985' first='Kaitlin' last='Loria'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='493658' first='Hattie' last='Galloway'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='806806' first='Molly' last='Carlson'], DS/L.   Key Losses:  Lila Howe; McKenzie Brown; Georgia Sieben; Emmy McComas.   Outlook: The Little Hawks bid farewell to a strong senior class after last season. That said, talented returnees will make City competitive in most matches. Galloway is one of the top middle hitters in the state, and the same can be said at setter with Schluckebier, who also should contribute more hitting from the opposite pin. Loria is one of the more underrated volleyball players in the state partly because she's also one of its best hoopers. Kucera and Carlson bring experience to the back row. [player_tooltip player_id='802825' first='Maeve' last='Obermueller'], [player_tooltip player_id='826329' first='Halle' last='Larew'], Elizabeth Nolte and Rainie Pfohl are capable of contributing more in 2025.   IOWA CITY LIBERTY   2024 Finish: 15-21 (5A Regional Finalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='809038' first='Maya' last='Sojka'], DS/L; [player_tooltip player_id='316419' first='Edie' last='Miller'], DS/L; [player_tooltip player_id='316380' first='Hadley' last='Miller'], S/RS; [player_tooltip player_id='845222' first='Ava' last='Meidlinger'], RS; [player_tooltip player_id='497594' first='Lucy' last='Maassen'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='493985' first='Sydney' last='Van Heukelom'], MH;  [player_tooltip player_id='273001' first='Ellie' last='Wilson'], OH/DS; Ashlyn Nordell, MH.   Key Losses: Asta Hildebrand.   Outlook: The Lightning took on one of the state's toughest schedules and dropped a lot of close matches in 2024. It should benefit from those experiences with a collection of returning talent capable of securing more victories. If that group takes a step forward and inexperienced student-athletes embrace opportunities, Liberty can get back to the state tournament. [player_tooltip player_id='316419' first='Edie' last='Miller'] (Dayton) and [player_tooltip player_id='316380' first='Hadley' last='Miller'], along with fellow junior Wilson, are three of the top players in the conference, regardless of position. That trio will be impacting matches throughout six rotations. Van Keukelom and Nordell give Liberty a pair of productive middles, Sojka is sound in the back row, and Meidlinger is reliable at the net. [player_tooltip player_id='765628' first='Lyla' last='Chandler'] can be labeled a breakout candidate at the opposite pin. Norah Willey, [player_tooltip player_id='808578' first='Elise' last='Hunter'] and Brooklyn Wheeler might be ready for increased output after getting their feet wet last season.   IOWA CITY WEST   2024 Finish: 13-18 (5A Regional Finalist)   Key Returnees: Lila Eastvold, S; [player_tooltip player_id='360642' first='Sophia' last='Austen'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='697463' first='Audrey' last='Small'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='805606' first='Gracie' last='Liu'], RS.   Key Losses: Ava Bruxvoort; Sophie Bodin; Emma Fish; Elle Barnett.   Outlook: The Trojans flashed upside for the future last season and added pieces to the puzzle that could make them a state tournament contender in 2025. Austen (Iowa State) is among Iowa's best prep players. Eastvold broke out in her first season as the starting setter and should be even better with more experience. Small has as high of a ceiling as any middle in the state, and Liu displayed potential for more as a sophomore last year. West picked up three impactful transfers in sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='540833' first='Izzie' last='McDonald'] and [player_tooltip player_id='533845' first='Taylor' last='Otte'], and freshman [player_tooltip player_id='754657' first='Cyan' last='Blommer']. All of them have all-conference potential that could be realized as soon as this season. [player_tooltip player_id='610472' first='Josie' last='Austen'] also can contribute as a ninth-grader.   LINN-MAR   2024 Finish: 18-16 (5A Regional Finalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='552873' first='Karsyn' last='Michael'], S; [player_tooltip player_id='827619' first='Peyton' last='Busch'], RS/OH; [player_tooltip player_id='751769' first='Benita' last='Anyanwu'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='753120' first='Lexie' last='Peters'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='849582' first='Ava' last='Frank'], DS/L.   Key Losses: Emily Brunson; Kelsey Klesner; Kira Klesner.   Outlook: Linn-Mar loses several major players to graduation. The talent returning, however, gives folks hope for success in 2025. Michael is a steady hand in running the show from the setter spot. Busch already is an established attacker with six-rotation ability. She should shine moving into an even more prominent role. Anyanwu and Peters are potential breakout performers in the front row. Frank proved she was up for the task of holding it down in the back row, and, like Busch, is prepared for more responsibility this season. She should get help from [player_tooltip player_id='758841' first='Madalyn' last='Kramer'], a rising defensive specialist.   WATERLOO WEST   2024 Finish: 16-14 (5A Regional Semifinalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='495803' first='Ava' last='Jones'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='840581' first='Lila' last='Homolar'], RS/OH; [player_tooltip player_id='822692' first='Baylee' last='Bravender'], MH; Allyson Landers, S; Addy Schoepske, DS/L.   Key Losses: Isabelle Rand; Emma Beckman; Jada Smith; Myka Bromley.   Outlook: Smith, one of the program's all-time greats, will be missed. Rand also was rock solid. The Wahawks can take comfort in welcoming back Jones and Landers, two of the best players at their positions in the MVC. Homolar appears ready for more responsibility through six rotations, and Bravender can take a step forward in the middle. [player_tooltip player_id='800221' first='Harper' last='Picha'], [player_tooltip player_id='785454' first='Kennedy' last='Crawford'] and [player_tooltip player_id='522956' first='Mckenzie' last='Kapping'] are inexperienced players looking to capitalize on more chances for playing time.   WESTERN DUBUQUE   2024 Finish: 18-17 (4A Regional Semifinalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='555692' first='Gabrielle' last='Demmer'], DS/L; Claire Stuntz, DS/L; [player_tooltip player_id='389015' first='Evelyn' last='White'], OH/RS; [player_tooltip player_id='493984' first='Kyla' last='Ramler'], MH/RS/OH; [player_tooltip player_id='748340' first='Lola' last='Quagliano'], S; [player_tooltip player_id='826216' first='Evelynn' last='Koopmann'], MH/RS;   Key Losses: acinda McDermott; Carley Hillebrand; Grace Coyle; ate Harbaugh;   Outlook: Playing in a conference comprised mostly of 5A competition prepares the Bobcats for the postseason in 4A. While that hasn't paid off the last few seasons, they could cash in during 2025 with a strong nucleus returning. Quagliano exploded onto the scene as a freshman in 2024, and Demmer verified that she's a steady force in the back row. Ramler has steadily progressed through the first two years as a prep and looks ready for a complete breakout. White can help through six rotations, and Koopmann is a two-way presence at the net. Stuntz can handle more responsibility as a defensive specialist. [player_tooltip player_id='758801' first='Audrey' last='Recker'], [player_tooltip player_id='750343' first='Kaylin' last='Wernimont'] and [player_tooltip player_id='744976' first='Sylvia' last='Kruse'] are poised for more production this season.

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