2026 Prep Dig All-KC Metro Team

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I believe this is my third or fourth year putting together the All-KC Metro Prep Dig Team, and this season brings a first. For the first time, the team will feature Missouri athletes exclusively. In previous years, Kansas players were part of the mix, but this year we're keeping the focus on the Missouri side of the metro.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, how do I put this team together?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Of course, statistics and team success lead the way. I'm looking at individual production, but I'm also considering how those numbers translate to winning volleyball. A player can put up impressive numbers, but I want to look at the complete picture before making a selection.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Each position has its own set of priorities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For pin hitters, kills, hitting percentage, and digs carry the most weight. I also consider blocks and aces, because the best pins find ways to contribute beyond attacking.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For middle blockers, I'm looking primarily at kills, hitting percentage, and blocks. Middles have to be efficient offensively while making their presence felt at the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For setters, assists are obviously the starting point, but I also consider assists per set and per match, along with digs. The ability to run an offense consistently while contributing matters defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For liberos and defensive specialists, total digs and digs per match are high on my list. Receptions are another important part of the evaluation, and I'll also take a glance at assists to recognize those second-ball touches that help keep a play alive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As I mentioned when announcing the individual awards, those athletes have already earned their spots on this team. That means you won't see only their names repeated here. There are plenty of other players who put together outstanding seasons and deserve recognition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With that in mind, let's get to the selections!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pins</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='557372' first='Piper' last='Hudson'] – Oak Grove</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> A deserving member of this group, and was my player of the year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='556998' first='Paisley' last='Hudson'] – Oak Grove</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With 488 kills and a .396 hitting percentage, Hudson delivered both volume and efficiency. Add 301 digs, and you have a pin who made an impact on both sides of the net.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='732904' first='Jordan' last='Redd'] – St. Michael the Archangel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Redd put together a strong all-around season with 414 kills, 241 digs, and 62 blocks. Hitting just under .300 while contributing in the back row and at the net makes her production even more impressive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='694190' first='Avery' last='Henson'] – Blue Springs South</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Henson made one of the biggest statistical jumps in the metro and was my breakthrough athlete of the year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='788587' first='Kayleigh' last='Byrd'] – North Kansas City</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Byrd was named our freshman of the year for the KC Metro.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='831489' first='Dreya' last='Scherfenberg'] – Belton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Scherfenberg's 475 kills and .298 hitting percentage tell part of the story, but her 356 digs, 81 aces, and more than 500 receptions show how much she contributed. That's an impressive combination of offensive production and all-around play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='446328' first='Tori' last='Massengill'] – Lee's Summit West</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Massengill finished with 364 kills while averaging 3.4 per set. She was an important offensive option for a Lee's Summit West team that made a run to the Class 5 state championship match. In the back row, she contributed 324 digs and was second on the team in receptions. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='698690' first='Tatum' last='Moss'] – Mid-Buchanan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Moss put together an outstanding season with 381 kills, a .325 hitting percentage, and 301 digs. Those numbers show a player who can produce consistently offensively without disappearing defensively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='472890' first='Jaden' last='Monroe'] – Staley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Monroe led the way with 533 kills, but the number that catches my attention is the more than 1,500 attempts behind that total. She carried a heavy load, and with that came more errors, but she handled the pressure well. She also added 279 digs, more than 450 receptions, and 40 blocks, showing how much responsibility she carried throughout the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Middles</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='828322' first='Miah' last='Omoike'] – Platte County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Omoike was my comeback player of the year after an injury during her sophomore season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='485579' first='Mikayla' last='Fox'] – St. Pius X</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fox's 377 kills and .456 hitting percentage are outstanding numbers for a middle. She was not only productive but extremely efficient, while adding 75 blocks to her season total.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='396499' first='Kinley' last='Gillihan'] – St. Michael the Archangel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gillihan was another highly efficient middle, finishing with 320 kills while hitting .409. Her 79 blocks give her a strong combination of offensive production and net presence.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='536389' first='Grace' last='Schwartz'] – Raymore-Peculiar</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Schwartz finished with 310 kills and 82 blocks. Her ability to contribute in both areas makes her a valuable addition to this group. She was efficient, hitting at a .323 clip. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Setters</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='725066' first='Myia' last='Dillman'] – Mid-Buchanan</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Setter of the Year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='485632' first='Leighton' last='Benne'] – Lee's Summit North</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Benne distributed 1,073 assists while adding 92 kills and 312 digs. Those numbers show a setter who did more than just put hitters in position to score.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='499154' first='Maddy' last='Collignon'] – St. Pius X</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Collignon finished with 928 assists, 79 kills and 190 digs, but the 63 aces also deserve attention. She found ways to contribute from the service line while handling the responsibility of running the offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1040814' first='Charleigh' last='Williams'] – St. Michael the Archangel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Putting up 943 assists as a freshman is no small accomplishment after filling big shoes. Williams also added 61 kills and 164 digs, making for an impressive first season at the varsity level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='729549' first='Jaelyn' last='Jordan'] – Lee's Summit West</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jordan finished with 907 assists and 285 digs, giving the Titans a steady presence running their offense. Her 78 aces are another indication of the impact she made beyond setting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Liberos / Defenders</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='729510' first='Andi' last='Gardner'] – Lee's Summit West</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gardner's 585 digs and average of more than 16 per match made her one of the metro's most productive defenders. She was a major part of the defensive effort that helped Lee's Summit West reach the Class 5 state championship match.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='446327' first='Molly' last='Bokenkroger'] – St. Michael the Archangel</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bokenkroger's 625 digs lead this group, and she added 564 receptions and 77 assists. That's a strong defensive profile, with the ability to contribute on second-ball opportunities as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Khloe Russell – Liberty North</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Russell finished with 615 digs and 655 receptions, showing just how much responsibility she handled in the back row. Her 131 assists are a bonus and demonstrate her ability to help keep plays alive.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='516219' first='Lochlar' last='O'Bleness'] – Pembroke Hill</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>O'Bleness contributed 515 digs and 523 receptions while adding 96 assists. Her numbers reflect a defender who was involved in a lot of plays and contributed beyond simply keeping the ball off the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is no shortage of talent on the Missouri side of the metro, and putting this group together wasn't an easy task. The numbers tell part of the story, but the impact these athletes had on their teams throughout the season is what makes this recognition meaningful.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->