The high school season is about to bring so many rural standouts back into the picture. Ickes is one of those names to know after she lit up the scoreboard for last year’s O’Neill St. Mary’s team. The Cardinals leaned on their freshman for over 250 kills, and Ickes’s 0.256 hitting clip was near the top of Nebraska’s freshman charts. Beyond the stats, Ickes showed an uncanny ability to work off the block and make the most of out-of-system swings on the outside. St. Mary’s hopes to convert those kills into another state tournament trip.

We’re closing out strong with one of Nebraska’s leading freshman scorers from last fall’s high school season. Ickes wasted no time establishing herself in the O’Neill St. Mary’s lineup and was the team’s second-leading terminator in 2025. Her 3.4 kills per set ranked in Nebraska’s top ten among 2029s, but her ability to change up shots was perhaps the most impressive part of Ickes’ ascent. She found daylight in the middle, on the outside, and everywhere in between for the Cardinals. Opposing blockers always need to know where this high-flying attacker plans to operate.