Southwest Missouri Returning Pins and Setters

As we gear up for the high school season, our journey now takes us to Southwest Missouri, where we will take a look at some of the top returning pins and setters from a numbers perspective.   Pins    Finley is back for one final run in a Republic uniform. She played just 79 sets last season but still racked up 227 kills, with both numbers slightly down from her junior campaign. She'll enter her senior season chasing the 1,000-kill milestone, needing just under 400 kills to reach the mark. It's an ambitious goal, but certainly within reach if she can stay healthy and see her usual workload.     The Strafford junior had a breakout sophomore season, racking up 390 kills while establishing herself as one of the area's top offensive threats. Teams will undoubtedly look for ways to slow her down this season, but that won't be an easy task. Her production has increased each year, and there's little reason to expect that trend to change in 2026. She also continued to develop her back-row game last fall, finishing with more than 300 digs and giving Strafford another weapon in all six rotations.     Givens is listed in many places as a middle, but after watching her during the club season, the pin is where I'll focus my attention. Her production nearly doubled from her sophomore to junior season, and that continued development has her positioned for a big senior campaign. She tallied 302 kills for Glendale last fall and has the athleticism and offensive ability to push those numbers even higher in 2026. The sky is the limit for Givens as she enters her final season.     A big milestone is ahead for Brandt this fall, and we're sending plenty of good mojo her way for a healthy season. She enters the year just 68 kills shy of 1,000 for her career, a mark that is well within reach. Brandt has topped 360 kills in each of the last two seasons, establishing herself as one of the area's most consistent scoring machines.     Cora had a solid sophomore season, finishing with 224 kills while establishing herself as a reliable offensive option for Nixa. She'll be counted on to carry even more of the offensive load after the graduation of Gwen Kubik and Taylor Wood. Cora has the tools to step into that leadership role, with a versatile shot selection and the ability to attack from different areas of the court. Expect her to take another step forward as a junior.    Setters    Roark burst onto the scene as a freshman and quickly showed she would be a name to watch for the next four years. She came just shy of the 1,000-assist mark, finishing with an impressive 901 assists in her first varsity season. She has already established herself as one of the top young setters in the state, and her 243 digs show she's more than capable of holding her own in the back row while running a 5-1 system. With a year of experience under her belt, the sky is the limit for Roark.     It's unclear what Nixa will run this season, but Creed has shown from a skill standpoint that she can run the show if needed. A 6-2 could be appealing for the Eagles, giving them a bigger block at the net, but Creed proved her value as a setter last fall by leading the team with 570 assists. She also has plenty of experience directing the offense and the versatility to make an impact in multiple rotations. Whatever system Nixa chooses, Creed should remain an important piece of the puzzle.     Eaton earned her first varsity action for Kickapoo last season and made the most of it, leading the team in assists. She averaged just over 8 assists per set while handling more than 2,200 attempts, showcasing her ability to run the offense consistently. She also showed her value defensively, adding 252 digs on the season. With a year of varsity experience under her belt, Eaton should be ready to take another step forward in 2026.

As we gear up for the high school season, our journey now takes us to Southwest Missouri, where we will take a look at some of the top returning pins and setters from a numbers perspective.