State Powers Collide in MV at Shirley Ryan Invite
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Labor Day weekend is a time to kickoff the college football season and also a time to see what top volleyball teams in the state can make a statement. Mount Vernon High School will be hosting the Shirley Ryan Invitational…
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Continue ReadingLabor Day weekend is a time to kickoff the college football season and also a time to see what top volleyball teams in the state can make a statement. Mount Vernon High School will be hosting the Shirley Ryan Invitational where top ranked teams and plenty of state tournament contenders will clash. I’ll be on the campus of Mount Vernon schools with matches at the high school, middle school, and rec center (LBC). Let’s take a look at the pools and who some of the key players will be heading into Saturday!
Ali Stark Pool – Dike-New Hartford, Western Dubuque, Davis County, and Waverly-Shell Rock
All of the pools at the Shirley Ryan Invite are named after historic athletes who have put on a Mustang jersey. Ali Stark was an all around athlete at Mount Vernon, earning 2010 Iowa Player of the Year and went on to play at Illinois. In this pool there are plenty of athletes who have won hardware at the state tournament and are on track to play at the next level. Dike-New Hartford is no secret where they are receiving national attention after their back to back state championships and returning the likes of Jaydn Petersen, Payton Petersen Payton Petersen 6'0" | OH Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State #55 Nation IA , and Madelyn Norton Madelyn Norton 5'8" | S Dike-New Hartford | 2023 State IA (Western Illinois). Maryn Bixby Maryn Bixby 6'1" | MB Dike-New Hartford | 2024 State IA is another attacker to watch out for with Dike-New Hartford. Western Dubuque is coming in as the defending Class 4A state champions where they will have one of the top senior liberos in the state in Ella Meyer Ella Meyer 5'5" | DS/L Western Dubuque | 2023 State IA . Libby Lansing Libby Lansing 6'0" | MB Western Dubuque | 2023 State IA is a dominant attacker out of the middle for the Bobcats and has plenty of experience. Davis County will be coming up from Southern Iowa and are paced by senior attacker Sophia Young. Waverly-Shell Rock is coming off a huge weekend, winning the Bondurant-Farrar tournament, defeating the likes of Pella, Wapsie Valley, and defending Class 1A state champion Burlington Notre Dame. Senior middle blocker, Averi Weichers Averi Weichers 6'2" | MB Waverly-Shell Rock | 2023 State IA had a big state tournament in 2021 and will be key for the Go-Hawks this weekend.
Joy Jordan Pool – Mount Vernon, North Scott, Dubuque Wahlert, and Ottumwa
Mount Vernon highlights this pool as the top ranked team in Class 3A. They have depth and they have some of the top players in the state. Madeleine Miller Madeleine Miller 5'11" | S Mount Vernon | 2023 State #193 Nation IA (New Mexico) is one of the top setters in the Class of 2023 from Iowa and her favorite targets are Chloe Meester Chloe Meester OH Mount Vernon | 2025 State #37 Nation IA and Emma Meester. Chloe Meester Chloe Meester OH Mount Vernon | 2025 State #37 Nation IA is one of the top sophomores in the state and was recently named MVP of the American Division at USAV Nationals with her Adrenaline club team out of Cedar Rapids. Mount Vernon has the physicality at the net, but also the ball control paced by senior Kameron Brand Kameron Brand 5'6" | DS/L Mount Vernon | 2023 State IA . North Scott is another state tournament team from 2021 in attendance this weekend. The Lancers ‘ last=”] have an electric pin in Abbey Hayes Abbey Hayes 6'2" | OH North Scott | 2025 State #82 Nation IA . Hayes is a six rotation outside hitter who can score from anywhere on the court and is only a sophomore. Wahlert Catholic will be coming in with attackers Ella Kelleher, Anna Roling, and Alicen Bainbridge. Ottumwa is coming into the tournament winning their last four matches and are led by two sophomores in attacker Miya Fuller and setter Rylea Hinebaugh.
Shelby Kintzel Pool – Davenport Assumption, Iowa City West, Waterloo Columbus, Tipton
Davenport Assumption has made it a routine to finish at the state tournament, but they have their eyes on the top prize this year. The Schubert sisters will be a solid combination to watch this season. Ava Schubert Ava Schubert 6'1" | RS Assumption | 2023 State #153 Nation IA (Tennessee Tech) has been tearing it up her whole career, she enters her season as one of the top attackers in the state with a big left handed swing. Her younger sister, Ellie Schubert Ellie Schubert 5'9" | S Davenport Assumption | 2025 State IA will be setting for the Knights this season. Iowa City West will have two dominant middles in Melae’ Lacy and senior Sophia Deyak Sophia Deyak 6'3" | MB Iowa City West | 2023 State IA . Deyak could be a late steal at the next level as a middle/right side. Columbus will be led by top attacker Morgan Bradley while Tipton will look to score points with Avary Calonder and Kaylee Pelzer.
Shirley Ryan Pool – Des Moines Christian, Beckman, Mid-Prairie, and Center Point-Urbana
Another top 3A team is in the house with Des Moines Christian. The Lions lost a tough state quarterfinal match to Assumption in 2021, but return some key athletes from that team. This is a team who is deep and balanced, but there is another set of sister who will look to take over. Gabby Lombardi Gabby Lombardi 5'11" | RS Des Moines Christian | 2024 State IA is a dynamic athlete who can set and swing for Des Moines Christian where she can create a lot of points for her side. Olivia Lomardi is one of the top liberos in the state and has verbally committed to Iowa. Beckman was a state tournament participant in Class 2A last season and will be led by attacker Jenna Lansing Jenna Lansing 6'1" | RS Beckman | 2023 State IA who controls the front row with her swing and block. Mid-Prairie is an up and coming program where they have quite a setter/attacker duo in freshman Jovi Evans Jovi Evans 5'6" | DS/L Mid Prairie | 2026 State IA and Landry Pacha. The Hawks also have a sophomore libero to keep tabs on this season in Dakota Mitchell Dakota Mitchell 5'3" | DS/L Mid Prairie | 2025 State IA . CPU will be led by their two setters in Logan Keller Logan Keller 5'10" | S Center Point Urbana | 2025 State IA and Lauren Langridge.