2025 WaMaC Team Previews, Players to Watch Part I

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>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/07/2025-mvc-team-previews-players-to-watch-part-ii/">2025 MVC Team Previews, Players to Watch, Part II</a>   <a href="https://prepdig.com/2025/07/2025-missouri-river-team-previews-players-to-watch/">2025 Missouri River Team Previews, Players to Watch</a>   It's hard to believe Iowa high school volleyball practice officially starts in a few weeks. Camps kick off next week. 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 first half of the 12-team WaMaC (alphabetically):   BENTON   2024 Finish: 8-29   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='804567' first='Anna' last='Embretson'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='811512' first='Avery' last='Palmer'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='819593' first='Talulah' last='Schroeder'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='811229' first='Aubrey' last='Kelly'], MH;   Key Losses: Laura Junge; Haiden Moore; Ashlee Michels; Mabry Sadler; Kennedy Lohrer;   Outlook: The Bobcats took it on the chin against a challenging schedule in 2024, but they're hoping those growing pains helped them develop individually and as a group. Schroeder and Embretson are excellent young building blocks. Palmer and Kelly can control matches from the middle. [player_tooltip player_id='840116' first='Avery' last='Franzenburg'], [player_tooltip player_id='842099' first='Callan' last='Keiper'], Stella Tjelmeland, [player_tooltip player_id='791457' first='Aly' last='Ambrose'], Olivia Brendes and other less experience student-athletes enter training camp competing for spots in the rotation.   CENTER POINT-URBANA   2024 Finish: 19-13 (3A Regional Semifinalist)   Key Returnees: Brynley Havel, OH; [player_tooltip player_id='402663' first='Jayce' last='Grennan'], S; [player_tooltip player_id='701976' first='Adelyn' last='Stien'], S/RS; [player_tooltip player_id='828179' first='Brielle' last='Trout'], MH.   Key Losses: Gracie Hoskins; Addy Tupa; Addilyn Wade; Logan Keller; Avery Hasleiet.   Outlook: Havel and Trout, who were impactful as sophomores last season, have a chance to contribute even more in 2025 with noticeable development this offseason. Grennan and Stein are versatile, well-rounded setters capable of aiding the cause in multiple ways. Look for [player_tooltip player_id='555730' first='Taylor' last='Hoskins'] to mitigate the loss of Gracie Hoskins to graduation.   CLEAR CREEK AMANA   2024 Finish: 37-8 (4A State Quarterfinalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='805302' first='Elizabeth' last='Timmerman'], OH/RS; Kendall Ronnfeldt, DS/L; [player_tooltip player_id='493660' first='Bailey' last='Simpson'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='243457' first='Emily' last='Henderson'], S/RS; [player_tooltip player_id='516002' first='Julia' last='Schlarbaum'], OH; [player_tooltip player_id='517585' first='Sariah' last='Sherman'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='361168' first='Averie' last='Lower'], OH.   Key Losses: [player_tooltip player_id='523168' first='Kylie' last=''] Koehn; Kendra Eckrich; Olivia Webb;   Outlook: The Clippers have established themselves as a program positioned for a run at the state tournament most years. After withstanding graduation losses two seasons ago, they returned to Coralville in 2024, falling to Pella in five sets. CCA could have gone farther and returns a lot of firepower to do that this fall. In addition to being a Division I basketball player, Lower is one of the state's best volleyballers. Henderson (South Dakota School of Mines) is super reliable at setter and has expanded her game to impact matches in different corners. Simpson is emerging as one of Iowa's best prep middles, and Sherman also is high level at that position. Timmerman joins Lower in standing out through six rotations, and Schlarbaum is one of the state's most improved players. Ronnfeldt flashed potential as a freshman last season. [player_tooltip player_id='823288' first='Chloe' last='Houselog'], [player_tooltip player_id='792345' first='Bella' last='Behrens'], [player_tooltip player_id='693879' first='Delaney' last='Vaske'] and [player_tooltip player_id='571219' first='Haydin' last='Wauters'] are among a talented group of less experienced players looking to crack a loaded rotation.   GRINNELL   2024 Finish: 17-15 (4A Regional Finalist)   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='730438' first='Kaitlyn' last='Smith'], DS/L; Aiden Gosselink, MH; [player_tooltip player_id='555788' first='Kendra' last='Nolton'], OH.   Key Losses: Mackenzie McClelland; Kaela Lavender; Isabel Hart; Kennedy Harms; Reagan Stensrud.   Outlook: The Tigers challenged themselves with a difficult schedule last year, preparing themselves for a run that ended up one win short of the state tournament. They're hoping to build on that experience with key players returning and punch their ticket to Coralville in 2025. Grinnell will need student-athletes from a group that includes Emmi Ford, Taryn Stallman, [player_tooltip player_id='760844' first='Maryn' last='Sherman'], Lauren Louden, Katelyn Nath and Mylee Sharp to step up in replacing a lot of production lost to graduation. The foundation is solid with Nolton being one of the WaMaC's top players, and Smith and Gosselink showing ability to join her in that distinction.   INDEPENDENCE   2024 Finish: 18-21   Key Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='827993' first='Whitney' last='Post'], MH/RS; [player_tooltip player_id='806827' first='Morgan' last='Ristvedt'], OH/MH; [player_tooltip player_id='810890' first='Amya' last='Rupprecht'], MH; [player_tooltip player_id='797967' first='Regan' last='Reeg'], DS/L; [player_tooltip player_id='794902' first='Jersey' last='Coonrad'], DS/OH.   Key Losses: Olivia Albert; Sophia McGarvey; Sarah Greiner; Jordin Derr.   Outlook: Independence returns a ton of production from last year's outfit and has a chance for it to pay off in 2025. Ristvedt is a six-rotation dynamo for this team. Post and [player_tooltip player_id='810890' first='Amya' last='Rupprecht'] form a tough tandem in the middle, and Coonrad and Reeg can hold it down in the back row. The former also contributes on the attack. [player_tooltip player_id='807512' first='Tessa' last='Post'], [player_tooltip player_id='831212' first='Claire' last='Greiner'], [player_tooltip player_id='826832' first='Kennedi' last='Bevans'], Kynzley White, [player_tooltip player_id='842851' first='Jaeda' last='Rupprecht'] and other student-athletes are seeking increased roles in the rotation.   MARION   2024 Finish: 24-15 (4A Regional Finalist)   Key Returnees: Paige Johnson, S/DS; [player_tooltip player_id='489995' first='Addison' last='Parker'], MH/RS; [player_tooltip player_id='845258' first='Braelin' last='Wieseler'], RS; [player_tooltip player_id='753986' first='Grace' last='Whalen'], S; [player_tooltip player_id='693817' first='Jaleaya' last='Oliver'], DS/OH;   Key Losses: Carlee Webber; Claire Lantermans; Kenzie Lovell; Chelsea Goudzwaard; Joslynn Mehaffy; Madeline Pavelka;   Outlook: Marion lost a heartbreaking five-setter at Carlisle in last year's regional finals. The Wolves will use that as motivation and likely be in the hunt for a state tournament berth like most seasons. Webber (Gannon) did everything and will be sorely missed, along with the rest of a strong senior class. Wieseler is an underrated opposite pin that often gives Marion an advantage. Johnson, Parker and Oliver are versatile with an ability to chip in production from multiple positions on the court. Whalen is a reliable setter that defends the back row well and can find holes in the defense on the attack. Anna Shelton, [player_tooltip player_id='827511' first='Nayomi' last='Vasser'] and other student-athletes in a program known for developing talent will push for playing time.

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