Indiana 2A Preview: Can The Owls Return To Glory?

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Want $10 off of your registration to our Freshman/Stock Up Showcases? Use code KypDig2025 at checkout!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Slowly moving through the who's who of Indiana 2A ball, we happen upon the bluest of the original blue-bloods, the Burris Owls. Located almost in the shadow of Worthen Arena, Burris has always had a volleyball powerhouse, whether in class ball or prior to classes arriving in earnest in all sports not that long ago. As the rightful birthplace of volleyball, in the Mecca of the sport, Muncie Burris has always had girls volleyball as their top sport in both participation and success. This past season wasn't any different, earning another 25 wins and losing to eventual state champ Western Boone in the regional. With WeBo's graduation losses, however, the 2A landscape becomes that wide open for a run from the Owls. Can they pull it off? Here's my review of last season, along with a bold prediction.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Burris (25-8 in 2024)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Located in the heart of Delaware County, considered by many to be the center of Indiana's volleyball universe, the Muncie Burris Owls have always had a blue-blood type of program. Great passers, high volleyball IQ's among the rosters and an innate ability to play at a high level regardless of size or position. With Munciana being a focal point of this team's training, it is no surprise that Burris is as good as they are year-in and year-out. With only one graduating middle (signing with D1 Charlotte), having the rest of the winning cast back is HUGE for this program. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='498440' first='Mya' last='Trammell']</strong> played DS and libero for her Munciana squad, but is a primary attacking beast for the Owls. She returns as a major cog in this offensive engine. High flying <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='789191' first='Ja'Maria' last='Jackson']</strong> can absolutely sky and thump with the best of them in the middle, and will be a hard athlete to contain as the season gets tougher. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='403249' first='Lyndsey' last='Robinson']</strong> should be the anchored libero again, and as a rising junior, a part of this team's future. Another rising junior, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='435848' first='Addison' last='Pierce'],</strong> will return as the Owls' 5-1 setter. With only one senior graduating from a season ago, the role players will sort themselves out as the season moves into September. Since nearly the entire roster returns, this team will not be able to sneak up on others---they should be well-polished by the time August rolls around.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prediction: The Owls' focus should be on Wapahani in the sectional. After that, Burris is my dark horse favorite for the 2A crown.</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Look at the northern half of the draw. #1 Western Boone, #3 Benton Central, #4 Southwood, #7 Wapahani and #8 Burris have all had at least one major college signee in each class for the last couple of years. For schools this small, that's an unheard of statement in other states. Each team can also claim, with certainty, that their program is a solid, 25+-win program playing a tough schedule where all of the kids play club ball. If---and this is a big IF---Burris can get past well-seasoned and senior-heavy Wapahani in the sectional, they're my pick to win it all, earning them two state titles in three years (they swept Brownstown Central in '23). The way the IHSAA has the playoffs structured, one of the top ten teams in the state in 2A will not make it to the equivalent of the Sweet Sixteen. Unfortunate, but it makes that match in mid-October that much more interesting. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->