Kooima has played a key role in helping Western Christian reach the Class 3A state semifinals the last two seasons. Two years ago, she stood out as a DS on the Wolfpack’s state runner-up squad. Kooima wore the jersey this past campaign for a 38-10 team. Her work in the back row helped Salty 17s secure an American Division bid at USAV Nationals with a third-place finish at the Iowa Regionals a few weeks ago. Kooiman is a winner, first and foremost. It’s not an accident she’s a member of successful teams. She’s a cause of it. Kooiman’s reflexes are sharp and her lateral movements quick. She’s smart and picks up on opponent tendencies, leading her to proper positioning against the attack. Kooiman tracks the ball well in serve-receive, and her serving is a strength. It feels like she has room to develop and get better, making her an attractive prospect for colleges.

Western Christian made it back to the state championship match last season despite graduating a lot of production from its 2023 title team. Kooima represented a big reason why the drop-off was slight. She came up with a 241 digs as a sophomore. If there were nerves, they didn’t show in Coralville, where she produced 17 digs, including eight in the semifinal-round win against West Delaware. Kooima tracks plays well and moves herself into proper position more often than not. Once there, she utilizes quick reflexes and lateral quickness to produce pretty passes. Expect a big step forward for Kooima in 2025.