121 Sets | 653 Kills | 5.4 KPS | .379 Hitting | 394 Digs | 56 Aces | 35 Blocks

Farmington: 34-5 | 1st, 5A West

When I started looking at candidates for Player of the Year, I established four criteria: individual performance, impact on team success, level of competition, and leadership and intangibles.

Emmerson Rehkopf Emmerson Rehkopf 5'9" | OH/RS Farmington | 2027 State #168 Nation AR checked all four, and she did it from the first match of the season to the last. She was the favorite out of gates this season and she continued to prove it each week. This isn’t a personal opinion. I worked with some experts to build a formula to rank the players. But how does she meet the listed four criteria:

Individual Performance: Let’s start with 653 kills while hitting .379. That’s 5.4 kills per set over an entire season. Those are impressive numbers, especially when you consider how much of Farmington’s offense ran through her. But I also saw improvement in other parts of her game, particularly defensively. She finished with 394 digs and became a more complete player as the season progressed. She wasn’t just putting up big numbers for a few weeks. She was doing it all year.

Impact on Team Success: Farmington finished 34-5, and Rehkopf was a big reason why. What impressed me wasn’t just her ability to score, but how she made everyone around her better. Opponents had to account for her on every rotation, which opened opportunities for other hitters. And when Farmington needed a point, there wasn’t much question where the ball was going. She gave that team someone they could count on, regardless of the situation.

Level of Competition: Farmington played a competitive schedule, and Rehkopf’s production wasn’t limited to matches against weaker opponents. She continued to produce against quality teams, including in the matches where Farmington needed her the most. That’s a big part of this evaluation for me. I want to know what a player does when she’s facing someone who can challenge her, not just what she does when her team is comfortably ahead.

Leadership and Intangibles: This is where Rehkopf really separated herself in my eyes. She had the ability to take over a match, particularly when things got tight. She didn’t shy away from the big swings or the pressure that came with being Farmington’s primary offensive option. Her teammates knew they could count on her. I also liked that she continued working on other areas of her game rather than relying solely on what she already did well.

Let’s discuss the improvements in her game:

Attack errors

163 down to 101

Hitting percentage

50-point improvement

Total blocks

21 up to 35

Kills per set

Higher production per set

The most impressive number is the reduction in attack errors. Rehkopf took 154 more swings as a senior but committed 62 fewer errors. Her attack error rate dropped from 12.5% to 6.9%. That’s a major improvement, particularly for a player carrying so much of her team’s offense.

Her defensive improvement is also supported by the numbers. She averaged more digs per set and increased her total blocks from 21 to 35. Her reception workload remained substantial, although her reception error rate increased slightly. So the improvement is clearest in digging and blocking rather than serve receive.

There were several players across Arkansas who had outstanding seasons. Some put up huge numbers, some led their teams on deep postseason runs, and others contributed in just about every statistical category.

But when I went back through my four criteria, I kept coming back to Rehkopf.

She had the production, she helped her team win, she performed against quality competition, and she was at her best when Farmington needed her.

We Emmerson luck as she heads to the University of North Alabama this coming January to get to work on what will no doubt, be a stellar Division I college career.

Congratulations to Emmerson Rehkopf Emmerson Rehkopf 5'9" | OH/RS Farmington | 2027 State #168 Nation AR The 2026 Arkansas Player of the Year.

Farmington: 32-4 | 1st, 5A West

I’ve talked about Rehkopf’s production all season, and the numbers just keep getting bigger. She’s now over 600 kills. That’s impressive enough, but what separates her is the efficiency. Emmy is averaging 5.5 kills per set while hitting .384.

When you’re carrying that kind of offensive load, maintaining a hitting percentage close to .400 is something special. She’s also added 366 digs, and Farmington has put together a 32-4 record.

There really isn’t much missing from her résumé. Her backrow play has really gotten sharper as the season has gone on. Will she lead Farmington to the title? Off to a good start.

I don’t think there is any doubt who will lead this team to the title. Averaging 5.5 kills per set on a team full of weapons, Rehkopf is the premier outside hitter in the state. But their half of the 5A bracket has hitters like Ava Beasley Ava Beasley 5'11" | OH/DS/L Paragould | 2027 State AR , London Jackson, Peyton Prater Peyton Prater 5'8" | OH/DS/L Valley View | 2027 State AR , Kate Calhoon Kate Calhoon 5'9" | MB/OH Valley View | 2027 State AR , Tristen Mosely, Elizabeth Castillo Elizabeth Castillo 5'11" | OH/RS Pulaski Academy | 2028 State AR and Braelyn Herring Braelyn Herring 6'0" | OH/MB Russellville | 2028 State AR all ready be the ones to take Farmington down. It starts with last year’s 4A state title winner, Pulaski Academy. That will be a battle of two very balanced teams. IF they can get by the Bruins, its going to be tough sledding defending their home floor.

Outside Hitter

Need a kill? Call Emmerson. Rehkopf has already piled up 1,002 career kills in just two seasons and continues to be one of the most productive outsides in the state. She brings the complete package with big-time offense and six-rotation production.

Season: 5.50 kills/set | .391 hitting | 217 digs | 209 serve receptions

64 Sets | 346 Kills | 5.4 KPS | .393 | 197 Digs | 24 Aces

Farmington: 19-3 | 1st, 5A West

There is a lot to like here. Rehkopf has 346 kills and is averaging 5.4 kills per set. Those numbers are impressive enough, but what really separates her right now is the .393 hitting percentage.

She has taken 751 swings. That’s a huge workload and she is still hitting close to .400.

Add 197 digs and Farmington sitting at 19-3 and first in the 5A West, and Rehkopf has put together the most complete résumé in the race so far.

Top performance of the week: vs Mt. Home 18 kills, hitting .405, 3 aces, 2 blocks, 14 digs.

Rehkopf had another monster week for Farmington(16-3 overall). The Cardinals went a perfect 7-0 and captured the Ft Smith Invitational championship, with Emmerson putting down 95 kills during the run.

Rehkopf is a true six-rotation outside who affects the match everywhere on the floor. The kill numbers jump off the page, but she also finished with 61 digs and seven blocks. She is the player Farmington can turn to when it needs a point, and she continues to produce even when everyone in the gym knows where the ball is going. A 7-0 week, a tournament championship and 95 kills make this one pretty easy.

Stats for the Week: 95 kills | 8 aces | 7 blocks | 61 digs

Stats for the season: 257 Kills | Hitting .379 | 18 aces | 18 blocks | 152 digs | 170 receptions

Let’s just get this out of the way…if you’re planning on stopping Emmerson Rehkopf Emmerson Rehkopf 5'9" | OH/RS Farmington | 2027 State #168 Nation AR , good luck with that. After a monster junior season with 591 kills while hitting .329, she returns as one of the most feared hitters in Arkansas. She has the size, arm speed, and elevation to score against just about any block.

What separates Rehkopf isn’t just the power. She’s a complete six-rotation player who attacks every zone of the court, reads blockers well, and added 335 digs last season. Farmington will once again be a favorite to contend for a 5A state title, and Rehkopf is the biggest reason why. If you’re wondering whether 591 kills was a fluke…I have a feeling the stat keeper is going to be awfully busy again this fall. That’s why she’s a Prep Dig Arkansas Player of the Year nominee.

2025 Stats: 113 Sets | 591 Kills | 5.2 Kills/Set | .454 Hitting %

Emmerson enters the 2026 season in the same spot she ended the 2025, at the top. Will she reach 600 kills this season? She combines high production with outstanding efficiency, making her one the state’s most complete weapons. Add in her 45 aces, 355 digs, and 385 serve receives, Rehkopf is an all-around talent for the Farmington Cardinals. Expect to see the Rehkopf name a lot of the next few years. Sister Taitum is 2028 RS and Farmington Softball player, and other sister Kennedy is 2031 libero already making noise!

Emmerson Rehkopf is a 5’10 six rotation outside hitter who plays for the Farmington Cardinals and Ozark Juniors Volleyball Club. She is committed to the University of Northern Alabama.

This season, Rehkopf has accumulated 517 kills (5.3 k/s) while boasting a stellar .348 hitting percentage. On top of that statline, she’s also contributed 308 digs, 38 service aces, 16 total blocks, and 9 assists.

Emmerson can hit every part of the court from every zone on the floor. It is rare to see Emmerson not in the double digits, in both kills and digs.

This season, she put down 42 kills against Van Buren and 36 kills against Siloam Springs. She recorded 25 and 27 digs against Van Buren this season.

She is a fierce competitor, a supportive teammate, and her name is feared by all opponents. Not only is she an athlete, but a student athlete at that. Emmerson holds a 4.13 GPA. Rehkopf is a joy to watch as she embodies a true volleyball player who leaves it all on the floor every match.

A dominant six-rotation performer, Emmerson Rehkopf is Farmington’s offensive leader and a defensive standout. She posted 481 kills in 92 sets (5.2 per set) with an astonishing .349 hitting percentage, while adding 293 digs (3.2 per set). Rehkopf’s combination of power, efficiency, and consistency made her one of the most complete outside hitters in the state. She is a player capable of changing the game from any area of the court.